For dads who want to see their kids filled with the Holy Ghost:
Spirit-Led Coaching
The gift of the Holy Ghost is one of the most important experiences for your children to receive. One needs wisdom and patience when helping a child get the Holy Spirit. You can guilt a kid into repenting. You might force a kid to get baptized. But a child’s heart must be in the right place in order for him or her to receive God’s Spirit. That takes a cooperative child and an anointed parent or other prayer coach.
When I was seven, I began to desire the Holy Ghost. I can’t remember what my parents did or said, but I just remember as a kid I wanted the baptism of the Holy Spirit so bad that I would lie in bed at night and cry. I would call for my mom and she would come pray with me. I was scared that Jesus would come back and leave me behind. One night, after this had gone on for a couple weeks, my nine year old brother travailed for me in prayer while mom sat on the bed coaching me as I prayed. Sitting up in my twin bed with a blue afghan over my legs, I began to bounce up and down as I spoke in tongues for the first time.
As eager as a dad might get to see his kids filled with the Holy Spirit, our primary goal should not be to get our children to the altar. Our goal should be to get them to the point of thirsting for the rivers of living water. In communicating with John Boyles, a father of three Holy Ghost-filled children, he shared these insights for praying with children in the altar:
We must remember that God uses the process of seeking the Holy Ghost to teach us many foundational truths about relationship with Himself and how the Spirit world operates.
I tell children that there are no right or wrong words. Stop trying to make it happen. I tell them to look at me for a moment. I say this, pointing to my sternum: “Can you feel that feeling that makes you want to cry? You know, all that stuff you want to say but don’t have words for? Kind of like when you love someone so much you want to just give them the biggest hug in the world?”
If they are ready, they know what you are talking about. When they acknowledge what you have asked, smile big and tell them “Jesus already knows what we are thinking and what is in our hearts, it is ok to not know what to say, He does not care so much about our words anyway. But this is the SECRET about words, if you don’t FEEL what you are saying, then the words are not real and Jesus knows it. You can’t say MY words, you have to say YOUR words, because it has to come from your heart.”
Now, this is the most important part of all: you must watch their faces. If they are doing it right, and not just acting, when they hit the right “button” they will have an emotional response that will show on their faces. Then say, “That’s it, feel that almost heavy feeling in your chest? That is your spirit. PRAY FROM THERE, FEEL WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY, AND SAY IT FROM THERE.”
Now, when they start tuning in, it will get intense for them, and they will cry, and they will start stammering. Keep GENTLY telling them, “That’s it, push from your heart. That is the Holy Ghost you feel.” They need to realize that the “thing” they feel in their chest IS the Holy Ghost.
This is not about them getting a one time gift, but in learning the path they must repeatedly follow to “Daddy’s lap.” They must reach this place where they meet with Jesus if they are to return later to fellowship with Him on their own. You must teach them to pray on their own. This is the same for any age, even into adulthood.
Dad, is your heart burdened for the salvation of your children? Do you ache to see them filled with the Spirit? If not, then pray until God helps you make this your priority. We fail our children if we provide all their needs, yet neglect to lead them to receive the greatest gift, God’s Spirit.
Teach others How To Receive The Holy Ghost
________________________
Dad, read this story with your kids:
The Best Present
“So do you have a birthday wish?” Rusty asked his sister.
Misty shrugged. “Not really. Maybe a new CD player for my room.” They were both standing at the front door, watching for her birthday party guests to show up.
Rusty shook his head and said, “you’re supposed to say you want the gift of the Holy Ghost for your birthday.”
“Oh,” she said. “I guess I do, but I don’t understand. Why does everyone say I have to talk in tongues? All the kids at church are like in this contest to see who can do it or something.”
“Misty, it’s not about talking in tongues. It’s different. It’s more than that.”
“Well, I don’t get it.” Just then, Misty’s best friend Shoshanna arrived in her parents’ car. “She’s here!” Misty said, opening the door. Soon others arrived for Misty’s party.
The kids had a lot of fun together. They got to play “pin the tail on the donkey” and “fish for candy” with their friends. Mom had made a special cake that Misty served to her friends, with the homemade ice cream she and Mom had made the night before. While the kids were playing games, Mom had cleared the table and placed the gifts in the center. She called Misty in to open her presents.
Misty got some new clothes, a fat coloring book with colored pencils, and a kids’ music CD. Her last gift was from Shoshanna. It was a long, thin box. Misty picked it up, wondering what it was.
“You’ll never guess,” Shoshanna said.
“Okay, then,” Misty said with a smile, “I won’t try.” She pulled the tape off the back and peeled off the sparkly wrapping paper. Misty dropped the paper in the trash and began opening the shiny, silver box. When she got the lid off the of it, she gasped, “Oh!”
Inside, the face of a shiny new wristwatch looked back up at her. It had silver numbers and a purple wristband. Misty slipped it out of the package and strapped it on her arm. “It’s my favorite color. Oh, Shoshanna, I love it!”
“I knew you would,” her friend said.
“Thank you,” Misty said as she wrapped her arms around Shoshanna.
Soon, parents began to arrive to take their kids home. Misty made sure to thank everyone again for coming to her party, before they left. Shoshanna’s parents still hadn’t come. It seemed like it was getting late, so she asked Misty what time it was. Misty looked at her watch and said, “Three thirty.”
“It can’t be,” her friend said. “That’s about the time you opened your gifts.”
“Oh yeah. I set it when I took it out of the box. The time hasn’t changed.”
Rusty said, “Let me see.” Misty took off her watch and handed it to her big brother. “Hmmm, it’s not even ticking.”
Shoshanna stepped up to see for herself. “The battery isn’t dead is it?”
“I don’t think so,” Rusty said, looking at the side of the watch. “But I think this is the problem.” He pulled at a little clear plastic clip on the silver knob. “See this?”
“Yeah,” Misty said.
“It keeps this little knob from going all the way in.” Rusty pushed the knob in, and it made a little snap sound. The second hand started ticking.
“Yes!” Misty said. “Now it works.” She looked at the clock in the kitchen to set the time on her watch again. Just then, Shoshanna’s parents arrived to pick her up. Misty thanked her friend for the gift again and said goodbye.
* * *
The next day, in children’s church, Sis. Johnson taught a very important lesson. She said, “Do you know that Jesus has an extra special gift for you?” Some of the kids nodded their heads.
“Misty got some gifts yesterday,” a boy said.
Sis. Johnson looked at Misty. “Really? What did you get, Misty?”
“Lot’s of stuff. And Shoshanna gave me a really nice watch.”
“Now, Misty,” Sis. Johnson said, “how did you know that gift was a gift? What made it different than any other box?”
“It had wrapping paper on it,” Misty explained.
“Right!” Sis. Johnson nearly shouted. “The gift wrap lets us know that something is a present. So Misty, did you take off the paper and throw away the box?”
“No!” Misty laughed. “That’s silly. I didn’t want the paper. I wanted what was inside.”
“Excellent!” said Sis. Johnson. “Did you know that’s just like God’s gift?”
Misty shook her head.
“Well, let me explain, then. Someone tell me what gift God wants to give us.”
“The gift of the Holy Ghost!” Rusty said.
“Right! And did you know that God’s gift comes with wrapping paper?” The kids looked at her silently. “Let’s look at the Bible. In Acts two and four it says, ‘And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.'”
“What is udder ants?” one of the kids said.
Sis. Johnson smiled. “Utterance means the ability to talk. When we get the Holy Ghost, God gives us the ability to talk with a new language. God’s gift is the Holy Spirit living inside our hearts. We know we have received the gift because we speak in tongues.”
Misty raised her hand and asked, “But what is God’s wrapping paper?”
“Well, speaking in tongues is like wrapping paper because it lets us know we got the gift. But do we get the Holy Ghost just so we can speak in tongues?”
“No,” Rusty said.
Sis. Johnson smiled. “So why do we want the Holy Ghost, Rusty?”
“Because God fills us with His love and happiness. That’s what it’s all about.”
“Good. We don’t get the Holy Ghost so we can talk in tongues, do we class? We want the Holy Ghost so God will fill us with peace and all good things. When we have the Spirit of God we have patience, kindness, self-control, and humility.” Sis. Johnson looked at Misty and some of the other kids and asked, “Can you think of any reason you wouldn’t want God’s Spirit?”
Misty shook her head no.
Sis. Johnson asked, “Who would like to come forward and receive the Holy Ghost?” One of the ladies began playing music softly at the keyboard. Misty stood up and walked toward the front, and so did a couple other children.
Misty began talking to Jesus. She could feel her heart getting warm as she did. She asked Him to forgive her of her sins again. She told Him about her bad attitude earlier that morning and asked Jesus to make her all clean inside. She felt all new again.
Misty wasn’t really thinking about what she was saying or who was listening. She just felt things inside that she tried to tell the Lord. “Jesus,” she prayed, “I want your gift in my heart. Please fill me with all your love and joy and happiness and all that good stuff. I want the Holy Ghost.”
“That’s great, Misty,” Sis. Johnson said in her ear. “Tell Jesus how you feel. Let Him know you love Him. Tell Him you want to live forever with Him. Tell Him anything that is in your heart.” Sis. Johnson began talking to the Lord and worshiping Him.
Misty did, too. She told Jesus He was wonderful and so full of love and kindness. She thanked Him for forgiving her sins. Mostly, she just told Jesus that she loved Him. She felt something big in her chest.
Sis. Johnson coached her, “That’s it, honey. Don’t worry about what you say. What you are feeling is the Holy Ghost. Just express what you feel even if it doesn’t make sense.”
Tears were running down Misty’s face as she worshiped the Lord. She tried to say words that matched what her heart felt, but only her jaw quivered and she began to stutter and make some sound she didn’t understand.
“That’s it, honey, you are feeling the Holy Ghost, God is about to fill you with His Spirit.”
Misty felt something open up inside her like water rushing through, all bubbly and soft. Everything seemed bright and clean and white, even though her eyes were still closed. She felt like she was floating as she told God everything in her heart. Whatever she felt was so good and strong that Misty didn’t want to stop although eventually she slowed down enough to hear someone talking with funny words. She listened for a moment and then began to realize that she was hearing her own voice, talking in a heavenly language.
As she quieted down, Misty heard Mom and Dad right beside her, praising God, too.
___________________________
Misty’s watch needed to be connected to the battery to work correctly. How are we like Misty’s watch? How is the Holy Ghost like our battery?
We need the Holy Spirit so we have power for our life to work correctly. This is how we hook up to God.
Let’s read John 7:37-39. What is this passage about?
Jesus is telling us that “thirsty” people can receive the Holy Spirit.
What did Jesus say we must do to receive His Spirit?
Come to Him and drink. Believe on Him as the scripture has said.
How do we “come to Him?”
When we repent of our sins and begin to worship Him with all our heart.
What did He say would happen deep down inside of us?
We would have rivers of living water flowing within, bursting forth (flowing water makes a babbling noise, not unlike a person receiving the Spirit).
Who did Jesus invite to drink of His living water? What does this mean?
Those who thirst. Elaborate on what it is like to be really thirsty. Those who really want His Spirit will get it.
More than just speaking in tongues, what will flow out of our lives?
Joy, friendliness, love, peace, kindness, obedience, patience.
________________________
Read the following scripture with the family:
Fire and Wind
Acts 2:1-18
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
___________________________
Acts chapter one says there was about one hundred and twenty people in that place. In chapter two, verse four, how many received the Holy Ghost? And how many spoke with tongues?
All.
How do we know that this was a miracle for these men to speak in many different languages?
They were all from Galilee and weren’t well educated in the language arts.
What did the international visitors say the disciples were saying when they were talking in tongues?
They spoke the wonderful works of God in languages they didn’t even know. This is what happens when we pray in tongues, for “he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh… unto God: for… in the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (I Corinthians 14:2). “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful” (14:14).
Why does God use “tongues” to let us know we have received the Holy Ghost?
We don’t know. He can do as He chooses: He chose circumcision as the covenant with Abraham, a flood as the method of destruction with Noah, and blood sacrifice as the means of obtaining His favor with Abel. Perhaps He uses our tongue because it is the most unruly member of the body (James 3).
Action plan: Host a worship workshop. Ask each member of the family to make one statement that they know to be true about God. For example, one could say, “He created us” or “He forgave my sins” and so on.
Now, go back around the circle and show everyone how simple worship is. Have them tell God good things about Himself: “You created us” or “You forgave my sins.” They will sense the power in just talking to God.
Share your story of when you received the Holy Ghost.
_____________
Color this picture with your kids
Coloring Page
Go to http://www.devotionswithdad.com/AP3Coloring.pdf and print out as many pages as you like. Use this as witness material to help your young ones tell others about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Who knows, you may even help their parents received the baptism of the Holy Spirit as well. Happy coloring!
________________________
This is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!