Teaching Tuesday / Fear: Caught and Taught

It's Teaching Tuesday, so let's go to school! Some of you "forced" Home School moms and dads just groaned! Lol! Believe me there's been home school days that aren't forced that have not been all peaches and cream, too! So, I get it; I really do. But since we've been doing this for over 20 years, it's not a culture shock to us.

I wanted to start with a little humor because of the condition our world is in can be quite scary. And because of that, I want to share with you how to combat those fears, and NOT transfer them to your children. Fears , like germs, can be caught, but they can also be taught!

Let me explain. Have you ever noticed a nervous, jittery new mom and the more upset she would get the more fretful and unsettled the baby would become? That baby's emotions go something like this, "My mom is big and she's scared and upset, so if she's nervous and scared then all the more reason I should be more upset and crying!" And the cycle continues, mom's nervous, baby cries, mom's more upset or scared, baby cries more . . . That little baby has just caught their mom's fears (anxiety, etc.). That's what I mean by fear can be caught. It's not as obvious, because moms of older children have learned the art of hiding their emotions more, but the same principle works with older children. Hence, the calmer the mom and dad the calmer the children.

Also, children can be taught to fear just like they are taught math, manners, or what's socially acceptable! The things that make us fearful we tend to tell those around us to avoid. For example, my husband Billy has never really been a great fan of swimming. As a teen, he would participate a little but would really rather not get in any water that he couldn't firmly touch the bottom with both feet and his head be safely above the water. Why? He had an uncle that drowned in the river and his mom's fear of drowning was transferred to Billy as the story was repeatedly told through the years. Whatever traumas we suffered growing up will usually be transferred to our children if we do not let the Lord heal those areas in our hearts. That's one of the reasons that I'm such an advocate of inner healing. We can't impart to our children what we don't have! If we aren't living in peace with a calm and quite spirit, we can't teach our children how to. It's just that simple! We are teaching them something all the time, as parents we need to be aware of teaching them the right things!

Now, to the big "C" word that everyone is talking about - coronavirus. With all the media hype, schools closed, and in so many incidents their worlds being turned upside down, it would be next to impossible to shield your child completely from not having any effects from the spirit of fear that is raging in our nation and our world! I'm sure as parents you are taking all the precautions in the natural to safe guard their health, but let's take it up a notch. I want to give you as parents a few tips to help safeguard you children emotionally during this season.

First off, repent of fear yourself if you are being tormented. God tells us NOT to fear, so we need to tell Him we are sorry for not trusting Him. Repentance is a powerful weapon! Fear might not completely leave at that time, but repentance will certainly break the back of the enemy and his power to steal your peace, kill your joy, and destroy your testimony to your children about the goodness and faithfulness of your God. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7). Well, if it didn't come from God, I don't want it! Do you?

Secondly, teach your children that they are not powerless!

- "Greater is He that's in me than he that's in the world!" (I John 4:4)

- "No weapon formed against me can prosper." (Isa. 54:17)

- "For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways." (Psalms 91:11)

Be sure to put the POWER of God's words in their hearts! It is "sharper than a two-edged sword"(Hebrews 4:12) - Use it! and teach them, too! They also need to know that the Blood of Jesus is ALL-powerful and at the name of Jesus every knee will bow.

Some very practical things that you can do is TURN OFF your TV! If you listen to anything long enough you will believe it. Limit your children's access to the media. Discuss the situation, age appropriately of coarse, in a calm no-hype way with your children, but don't play the "what if" game because no one ever wins that game except the devil. Encourage them that you all will walk it out together as a family with God's protection! Speak words of life, deliverance, health, and healing , and let no unwholesome words proceed out your mouths, certainly not in the presence of your children (Ephesians 4:29 NIV). And last but certainly not least, pray with your children for protection for them and each family member. In prayer apply the protective Blood of Jesus Christ to the doorposts of your home, just as the Israelites applied the blood of a lamb to protect themselves from the death angel in Egypt (Exodus 12). As they did in the natural, do so in the Spirit.

I know this is running kind of long but I want to take a minute just to bless you and yours in prayer:

Father God, we need You! I bless the parents and families reading this in Jesus name. Lord, if they've taken the time to read all the way to the bottom of this blog, they care for their children and want them protected! So, I agree with them, and I declare protection over them. I apply Your All-powerful Blood to each of their loved ones near and far. Psalm 91:10 tells us that no plague will come near our dwelling , so by faith I claim that Promise from Your word for all those reading this, in Jesus mighty name, AMEN!