Satan is fighting, cruelly and relentlessly, for the souls of our children. And that’s why we must teach our children the art of spiritual warfare. As parents, we are their role models, and we must allow them to watch us and learn from us as we do spiritual battle.

I fear that we who are called to shepherd God’s flock have blood on our hands. We have failed to call people to repentance. We have failed to call sin “sin.” We have failed to declare the whole counsel of God, and we have allowed an entire generation to grow up not knowing what sin and repentance are or what God expects of us. We have sent that generation into the battle without armor, without weapons, without even informing them about the enemy they face.

You have a responsibility. You are called to pass a living testimony of God’s grace to the next generation. Your influence with the next generation confers on you a responsibility to train these young people for spiritual warfare. Don’t send them into battle defenseless and unprepared.

The apostle Paul tells us as parents to train our children and “bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4b). Then, a few verses later, Paul writes about the nature of the battle that we and our children face. He urges us to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:10-12).  

We must equip our children with the Word of God. We must be committed to seeing our children win the only battle that truly matters—the battle for their eternal souls.

Prayer: Lord, help me to stand firm and pray intensely for the next generation. Prepare us for spiritual battle by Your Word and by Your Holy Spirit. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon series Beware of Spiritual Amnesia: LISTEN NOW

Check out more from Dr. Michael Youssef, here!

About The Author

Dr. Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

Even before he was born, it is clear that God had a vision for Michael Youssef. His mother was in poor health when she became pregnant with Michael, and because his life was in danger at the time of birth, the doctor recommended terminating the pregnancy. An abortion was scheduled. But God intervened and sent the family pastor to reassure them that God was involved in this pregnancy. He told them not to be afraid and that the child would be "born to serve the Lord." Michael's parents accepted the pastor's message as a message from God and obeyed. His mother gave birth, and lived to see him give his life to the Lord at the age of sixteen.


Believing that God had called him out of Egypt, Michael sought an exit visa in a time in which no university student was allowed to have a passport or leave the country. God intervened again, and miraculously he managed to acquire a visa. He immigrated to Australia, where he studied at Moore Theological College in Sydney, was ordained as a pastor, and met Elizabeth who became his wife.


The Youssefs came to America in 1977, and in 1978 Michael received a master's degree in theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in California. Then he earned a doctorate in social anthropology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Michael served nearly ten years in the Haggai Institute, traveling around the world more than 32 times, teaching courses in evangelism and leadership. He rose to the position of Managing Director at the age of 31 years. The family settled in Atlanta, and in 1984, Michael became a citizen of the United States, making his dream of many years come true.


He founded The Church of The Apostles in 1987 with fewer than 40 adults with the mission of "Equipping the Saints and Searching for the Lost". The church has since grown to be a congregation of over 3,000 people today. This church has driven the international ministry of Leading the Way. While it is heard by millions at home and abroad, behind every message preached through radio waves, is the heart of a pastor, willing to nurture and care for these people. Clearly God has uniquely equipped Dr. Youssef to speak to a global audience. The path he has taken has given him an understanding and firm grasp of the Scriptures that transcend cultures. He preaches, teaches and calls with a sincere, based on the authority of the inerrant, inspired Word of God. With his personal knowledge of the Holy Land, its history and culture, Dr. Michael Youssef transmits life to listeners all over the world.



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