Children are so cool! They all have different personalities, are all sizes, shapes, colors and varieties, but I totally believe God has a unique and special calling on every child's life. One thing I've always wondered, though. Why do we wait until they get older before we begin to feed and use those anointings?
I used to be of the "old school" mentality that said that kids were not ready to do anything for Christ until they were at least older teens, maybe college age. That was until God turned me upside down at a children's conference some years ago in Georgia. A friend and I were prayed for by a bunch of 8-10 year old girls at the end of a service during ministry time, and I'm here to tell you that electricity CAN run through a body and you won't die.
My life changed that day, and Jesus began showing me that we wait WAY too long to begin using kids for the Kingdom. He showed me that children do not receive a junior Holy Spirit, so if they get the same power from on high and can learn to hear from the Lord, why shouldn't they be able to go out and "do the stuff" like adults?
Over the last 15 years or so, we have seen God pour into our children's lives at church and have witnessed incredible moves of the Holy Spirit. Our kids would lay hands on the sick, and they were healed. There were astonishing words of prophecy and knowledge that surpassed their age and wisdom. Extrordinary anointings in different areas of ministry began popping up, with young children showing giftings in music, art, intercession, dance, preaching, and drama.
At first we weren't sure what to do with everything that was happening, but as we prayed and listened for His voice, God spoke and gave direction. It was unconventional, to be sure, but full of truth and exciting! At His word, we began taking the children out, ministering to others outside the walls of the church. God moved in miraculous ways, and the kids grew by leaps and bounds.
We don't need to wait for children to "grow up" for them to be used - God wants us all - right where we are now. The Word says in 1 Corinthians 1:27, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (KJV). This is what He's doing when He uses kids.
If we begin to train these children while they're young, imagine the strength, experience, wisdom, and readiness they'll have when they are twenty or thirty! These are the future of our churches, our cities, and our country. These are the future of the Kingdom. Why not pour into them at a young age, and make them ready to lead when the time is right? Yes, they were born for such a time as this - NOW!
Karen’s calling is to bring children into the manifest presence and glory of Jesus, lead them in experiencing His deep abiding love, clear unmistakable voice, wise Godly direction for their lives, and to ignite a spirit-led passion for serving Him in many ways at any age.
She is available for children’s and adult conferences, retreats, church dates, camps, leadership training and regional equipping sessions. Fire For the Nations hosts a summer camp for kids and periodic kids mission trips during the year. Her first book, Kids Can! will be released soon. For more information, contact her at Karen@fire4thenations.com or go to www.fire4thenations.com
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