Category: Homes

Nightmares - What's in Your House?

22/9/2014

A nightmare is defined as a bad dream that bring feelings of horror or fear. Your child will usually wake up in a panic and need you. A night terror on the other hand is when the child starts screaming or calling out but is not really awake. Both are harassment and show spiritual activity. Psalm 91:5 says: “You will not fear the terror of the night”. Psalm 4:8 says: “In peace I will lie down and sleep for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety”.

Therefore, we can be assured that nightmares and night terrors are not of God. If they are not of God then we know they are of the enemy. The question that needs to be asked is: what is giving the enemy access or what is harassing my child or my family? We found that when we prayed for people to get set free in our home that one of our children was particularly affected. This child has a perceiver anointing and could see things in the spirit, both good and evil.

There are several keys to help your child have peaceful sleep.

1. Check you house for any access point the enemy has. On one occasion when the children were restless we discerned there was something in the house. We got out of bed and began to pray. The Lord directed us to both a tapestry and a book about a wizard that friends had given us. We had not shown the children the book, as we were unsure about the subject matter. But we had put it away because it was a gift. We took both articles out of the house and put them in the garbage. We then prayed through the house and took authority over every unclean spirit that we felt was there and released the blessing and peace of God. Why did we do that? Well, your house is a refuge and you need to protect it and keep it clean. Not everything is, as it seems. So be led in prayer by the Holy Spirit.

2. When the children are going to bed pray over them. Speak Psalm 91:5 and have them repeat after you that their sleep will be sweet and they will not be afraid. Ask God to speak to them in the night season. The word says that our spirit counsels us in the night season so ask God to speak to them as He spoke to Samuel. Read the bible to them and peaceful stories that will bless their spirit. As you are putting them to bed tell then you love them and that angel are watching over them to protect them.

3. Put worship or the word on in their rooms as they are going off to sleep. The word or worship will wash over their spirit and bring them peace.

4. If they wake up with a nightmare take authority over the spirit of fear. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. He wants to steal peace but Isaiah 32:18 says my people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

(image courtesy of StuartMiles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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The Battle Rages Part 2

16/6/2014

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The enemy is out to destroy families. You can see the devastation throughout society.

The big problem is our lack of recognition that we are in a battle for the very hearts of our children. Without recognition there is no battle going on and the enemy is having a heyday in family life. We need to fight the good fight of faith and war for the minds and hearts of our families. It is a battle and it needs to be consistently waged just like every other area of parenting. Consistency is key. Paul says to Timothy in 1Timothy 1:18-19 to recall the prophecies made over him that he might fight the battle well. Those prophecies spoke to Timothy's destiny and Paul was exhorting him to fight for them. Why? Because we have an enemy that wants to steal destiny from our hearts the same as he will from our children if he is unchecked!

Paul later says to Timothy in chapter 6:12 to fight the good fight of faith. We need to fight for our children and teach them to do like wise. You wouldn't let your child cross the street without teaching them to stop and look for traffic. At first you would say take my hand and then when it is safe to go you would cross the street together. Their spiritual walk is the same. You are the one fighting for them but in doing so you are modeling to them how to pick up their sword and join the battle against their souls.

I would like to pray with you at this moment. Some of you have not even been aware that you are in a battle for your children's very destiny. Others of you may have just given up. The enemy has you thinking that you are not making a difference so what's the point. Still others are just weary. So I invite you to pray this prayer with me.

“Father thank you for the gift of my child/children. I ask that you would open my eyes to the battle that is going on for the hearts and minds of my family. I ask for wisdom and revelation. I break off all deception and every lie that the enemy would want to seed in my life and I ask that you would plant truth deep within me. I ask for a warring spirit that I would fight the good fight of faith for my family. Strengthen me by the power of your spirit in Jesus mighty name. Amen.”

(image courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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The Battle Rages

10/6/2014

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At times as we look at life and the battles that come up the question arises “why or what is happening?” It is simple really. We are in a battle with the enemy of our souls for the destiny that is upon our families. This battle, whether you realize it or not, is called spiritual warfare. Paul says in Ephesians 6:11 that we are to take our stand against the devil’s schemes because our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil. In other words, your fight is not with your kids but with the enemy, who has plans to steal, kill and destroy your family.

Jesus came with one purpose according to 1 John 3:8 and that was to destroy the work of the evil one. Jesus completed that work on the cross and he defeated the enemy. Sin, sickness and death are under the power of the cross, His blood and His resurrection. Jesus is now seated in heavenly realms far above all principalities and powers. He said to his disciples in Matthew 28:18 that all authority has been given to me. He is our victory. Consequently we are here on earth with His authority to bring His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. The place this begins is in our families. The enemy is out to destroy families. You can see the devastation throughout society.

The big problem is our lack of recognition that we are in a battle for the very hearts of our children. Without recognition there is no battle going on and the enemy is having a heyday in family life. We need to fight the good fight of faith and war for the minds and hearts of our families. It is a battle and it needs to be consistently waged just like every other area of parenting. Consistency is key. Paul says to Timothy in 1Timothy 1:18-19 to recall the prophecies made over him that he might fight the battle well. Those prophecies spoke to Timothy's destiny and Paul was exhorting him to fight for them. Why? Because we have an enemy that wants to steal destiny from our hearts the same as he will from our children if he is unchecked!

(image courtesy of Witthaya Phonsawat/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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Spirit, Soul & Body

18/5/2014

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People are complex and that most definitely includes little people. We are fearfully and wonderfully made according to Psalm 139. God created us with a spirit, soul and body. They are all essential to being alive. Our spirit, soul and body are interdependent and intricately interwoven into our wholeness and welfare.

We have needs in our life that are very basic to our survival. We need air to breath, water to drink and food to eat. If we live in a society where clothes are essential just to keep warm in a cold winter climate clothes become a basic need too. These are some of the basic needs of the human body.

Then there is the soul. The soul of a person is the mind, will and emotions. Our environment affects our soul. For example, if a child grows up in a stark barren place void of input, they will be stunted in their development. It may be that the child is bright but without the opportunity to grow in knowledge or the stimulation of touch and human relationships, he or she will remain stunted until given appropriate nurture. When given the correct stimulus at the appropriate age a child will respond and develop intellectually. In this book I am not going to discuss childhood development but I am going to focus in on developing and caring for the spiritual side of you child. This is not to say that meeting your child's needs in these other areas isn't important because it is. We, Jim and I, discuss how you as a parent can influence a child’s soul in a godly manner in our other book, 24 Secrets to Great Parenting.

Paul says in 1Thessalonians 5:23b: “may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless”. Notice the holistic approach. You are a spirit being and what happens to you in one area of your life can have an affect on your entire being. We are hearing much about bulling among school-aged children. This bulling does not just hurt the child physically but emotionally it can result in the child not eating, withdrawing, and becoming anxious, fearful and depressed. This can lead to self harming and eventually being suicidal. It affects their whole being.

We are spirit, soul, and body and what happens in one area can have an outcome that will affect the child's behavior and their belief system. The bible says that as a man thinks so is he. What your child is thinking and believing is very important and you have a responsibility to keep watch over their being, their entire being!
(image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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Boring!!

23/8/2012

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Did you know that there is actually a place called Boring? It's in Oregon, USA. Go ahead, look it up. However, boring is not a word I like at all coming from the lips of children. The word boring implies feelings of listlessness and discontent. It means your situation is dull and uninteresting and that is not a place I wanted my children to live.

If our children ever said the word "boring" I would inform them that if they didn't have something to do I had a bucket and a mop so they could clean the floors! Funny thing I never had any takers on the mopping. It is interesting how when a suggestion of something that truly is dull and uninteresting comes up the imagination kicks in and they find all kinds of interesting things to amuse them.

Far too often parents have to take their children to somewhere so the kids can enjoy themselves. To a degree, parents destroy their children's imaginations by constantly feeling the pressure to amuse their kids. I am not saying that it isn't important to play with your children because it is. However, they also need to learn to discover, invent, create, imagine and read all on their own.

It is amazing how children in counties that have very little are content and happy. They do not look the least bit bored. In fact, give them a ball and they can play for hours. When we were in South Africa, a few of the children had made a city out of the pieces of cardboard and things they had picked up that were laying around. Genius! How much more can our children do with all the abundance they have at their finger tips.

Bored is not a word to encourage. Don't allow your children to be discontent and listless. If that is the way they feel then it's time to unplug the computer and turn off the TV. They have become spectators instead of participating in life.

(image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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Honour

15/4/2011

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In a family the words, honour and respect, are invaluable when put into practise. It is the responsibility of parents to teach their children to honour and respect others as well as themselves.

The very word honour means to highly esteem, appreciate, to value and respect. It implies that you prize someone, set a high mental value upon them that carries with it approval and affection.

If you want honour in your life then you need to model that to your children and the first place to start is with your partner and then your children.

I have a friend that when we first met she went on and on about her husband. She would cut him down and constantly speak poorly of him. I finally got so sick of it. I told her that I did not appreciate her talking about my friend that way. She was shocked! She truly had not seen that her negative talk showed disrespect and lack of honour. She changed and as a result her family is strong today. How can you say, “I love you” with one breathe and then immediately speak critically and judgementally about that person? It is disrespectful and it dishonours.

As Moms we need to model honour in the family. Ask yourself a question. Do I value my family? What words are coming out of my mouth? What you say to your children about them and about their father will effect what they then think.

Words are very powerful. The words you speak over your spouse or children will either show respect, value and honour or disrespect and lack of honour. Thus what you are saying to your family is either “I do or I don’t value you”. If you want to sow value, respect and honour into your family then you need to begin to speak it out.

In my own experience, if I begin to dwell on negative thoughts of my husband or children before long I am speaking with a lack of respect and honour. I have found a good practise is to list the many positive qualities I see in them and then begin to express it. Speak it out when they aren’t there and speak it over them when they are.

One of our practises in our home is to write in the children’s birthday cards what a blessing they are, what we see their lives and who they are becoming. The reason we do is simple. It’s because it gives us another opportunity to express value and honour to them. Words of affirmation say we prize you. It carries approval and affection, which displays honour.

Practise honouring your family! It will create respect and you will partake in a happier home.

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Nightmares - What's in Your House?

The Battle Rages Part 2

The Battle Rages

Spirit, Soul & Body

Boring!!

Honour

Bonnie Inkster

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