Our family is gender lopsided. With three sons and one daughter, seven grandsons and two granddaughters so far, we feel the tidal wave of testosterone roll in at most family gatherings. 

Do you know and love a little boy? Let me encourage you to pray for that little guy—to pray often, to pray fervently, to pray hope-filled, Scripture-based prayers, asking God to use him greatly in His kingdom purposes.

In my prayer notebook I have a page for each man, little or big, in my life. I fill it with requests and favorite pictures of that special one. And then I ask God to give me verses to claim as promises for the men He has placed under my mother-love.

Here are some of the promises (Luke 18:1–8; Isa. 62:6–7) I am begging God to fulfill in my offspring:

Be his God from his earliest days until the day he dies (Ps. 71:17–18). Cause him to trust in You even as a nursing babe (Ps. 22:9–10). Open his heart to receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness You offer through Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17). May his conduct always be in step with the truth of the gospel (Gal. 2:14).

Develop deep within his soul spiritual appetites that make wisdom taste sweet (Prov. 24:13–14). Reveal to him how deeply satisfying You truly are (Prov. 2:9–10). Direct his heart toward You. Make it wholly Yours (1 Chron. 29:18–19). Give him spiritual vigor. Let his greatest strength be his relationship with You (Zech. 10:12). Pour out Your Spirit and blessing upon him. Let him claim You as his God with unmistakable, bold-hearted clarity, saying for all to hear, “I am the Lord’s!” (Isa. 44:3-5).  

Make him a David in his generation. Help him develop a skill useful in Your service. How should I guide him here, Lord? Academics? Business? Ministry? Music? Athletics? Give him the courage and fortitude of his elder brother, Jesus, to fight the battles You call him to. Develop him into a valiant spiritual warrior. Let his speech be wise and engaging. Help him to present himself well in all situations, representing You as his Master, so that everyone can sense Your nearness to him (1 Sam. 16:18).

Develop in him a Daniel-like lifestyle. Help him care about his appearance, so as not to distract attention away from You. Help him to understand how to keep learning throughout his lifetime. Favor him with the knowledge he needs to live well. Train and qualify him to be able to enter into places of leadership and power. Let him be quick to speak of You, pointing anyone who would seek to praise him for his wisdom or skills to the God who gave him these gifts. Help him to embrace and illuminate “the God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (Dan. 1:4, 9; 2:23, 28).

Give him a happy heart that blesses You with all that is within him (Ps. 103:1).
Surround him with Your righteousness. Let him bring his dad and me much joy (Prov. 23:24-25). Protect and defend him against any impurity of hands or heart (Ps. 24:4). Help all his confidence to be in You. Don’t let him seek safety or satisfaction in anyone or anything else (Prov. 14:26).

Give him the wisdom to contemplate rebukes rather than scorn them. Help him to temper his natural self-defensiveness with a willingness to listen to instruction and even correction (Prov. 15:5, 32). Keep him honest and full of integrity, a man that others can follow (Prov. 20:7). Help him to bring our family joy and delight by rejecting foolish ideas and lifestyles (Prov. 17:21, 25).

Prepare him to raise a godly family. Protect and prepare his wife as she grows up. Give them a spiritual security in You that will establish their own children before You (Ps. 102:28). Pour Your Spirit upon our family so the truths my boy hears coming from my mouth will be heard by his children from his mouth. Make our faith a generational faith in our descendants forever. Let not one of ours wander from You until we all gather round Your throne (Isa. 59:21; Jer. 32:39). 

Use this boy in his generation. Give him a hearing in other nations and among other peoples. Let Your blessing upon him be evident for Your glory and fame (Isa. 61:8–9). When his father and I die, allow him to carry on Your work in our place. Make him a prince in all the earth (Ps. 45:16).

In the name of Jesus,
Amen.

What do you pray over your little boys? How have you seen God answer your prayers?