Opinion/Resources/Christian Perspective

By Jenna Ditsch

Photo: Deposit

Welcome back for Part Three of CCM’s contributing editorial writer Jenna Ditsch’s special series, “The Devil’s Playground. To catch up on the previous two installments, here is part ONE and part TWO. 

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Spiritual Authority of a Parent

So now as a parent, what does this look like to teach my children to experience this same victory? It starts with me understanding the role of spiritual authority I have in the lives of my children. This means a proactive approach to spiritual protection that includes nightly Scripture-infused prayers, anointing and praying over the home as needed, and vigilant monitoring of external influences (i.e. violent video games) to guard against spiritual intrusion, as mentioned in my last blog. 

My children don’t have very many nightmares or intrusive thoughts, however when they do, I see it as a teachable moment rather than a fear-based experience. We kick the bad things out by inviting the good things in. In teaching my children to discern the source of their thoughts, to agree with God’s Words and reject the enemy’s words, to flip the script on fear, and to invite Jesus into their minds as the “director” of the movies their thoughts create, I passed on the invaluable lesson I learned: that in Christ, we have the power to overcome fear and to walk in victory.

The Mind Belongs to the Lord

An important element in equipping my children to confront spiritual opposition has been to teach them who God is, what Jesus did, and who we are and the authority we have access to because of it. When nightmares or intrusive thoughts come, I walk my kids through a guided imagery type of prayer. I prompt my children to invite Jesus into their thoughts, allowing His presence to transform their fears into faith, just like He did for me. Some people might raise an eyebrow at the phrase “guided imagery” because they might think it sounds like a New Age thing. 

The New Age crew twists the truth and operates in the spirit realm outside of the person of Jesus. But if you untwist the lie, go back to the truth, and stand in the presence and authority of Jesus, you will find that the mind was always meant to belong to God. That’s why we are told things such as to renew our minds, take our thoughts captive, think on things above, set our gaze on Jesus, and the list goes on. 

If the enemy is already trespassing into the mind and imagination of your child (the stage of the dreamscape), then it is most definitely appropriate to kick the enemy out of that space, shut the door to ungodly influences, bring Jesus into the space, and open the door to godly influences. 

Equipping Children to Conquer Darkness

We need to instill in our children a mindset rooted in the assurance of God’s love and protection. By cultivating a deep understanding of spiritual truths and embracing the power of the thoughts we think and the words we say, our children can emerge as spiritual warriors equipped to navigate life’s challenges with unwavering confidence.

As parents, our greatest legacy lies not in shielding our children from adversity, but in equipping them to conquer it. In a world fraught with darkness, may we raise a generation of spiritual warriors who walk in the light of God’s truth, unafraid and unshaken by an adversary who has already lost the battle.

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The opinions in this article are specific to its author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire Counter Culture Mom team. 

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“No pain, no gain,” as the old saying goes. But what about when there seems like there’s a lot of pain—but no gain? Meet Jenna, an ordinary single mom, who had an extraordinary experience from “graveyard to garden” in the midst of a traumatic life collapse. In the span of a few weeks, she lost her husband, a close family member, her house, her job, and her dreams for the future. Jenna had reached the end of herself and had nothing left but a desperate plea for help, knowing that without supernatural intervention, she wouldn’t survive.

Jenna had a spiritual encounter in which she learned how the graveyard of all that had died in her life could in fact be the rich soil of a garden in which a new future could be grown.

Jenna is a versatile, forward-thinking strategist with extensive experience in education, writing, ministry, and coaching who desires to help the overwhelmed parent, educator, or writer desiring creative alternatives to “one-size-fits-all” parenting, education, and publishing.

 If you long for more but feel stuck settling for less, join Jenna on the journey to find God’s way through. Visit her website for more information!

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