• Have you been told you need to break, harness, control, nip in the bud, or any other such phrase in regard to your child's will and you're feeling the pressure to conform? We have some godly encouragement for you instead today on this episode about how Strong Will Does Not Equal Defiance.
• Strong will is another way of labeling the determination, drive, and spirit that does not give up easily.
• How the strong will is applied is what makes the difference. Is the will coming from a place of rebellion against God and what He wants or rebellion against cultural pressures and sin?
  • Philippians 2:3-4
• Pray that God will help them to SURRENDER their will to Him
  • Romans 6:13 (NIV) - Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
• Correction and not condemnation, especially in the words we speak over them.
  • Do not want to speak bondage, death and destruction over their wills and lives but instead speak freedom, life, and build them up.
• Not interested in teaching a child to CONTROL their own will because they are incapable of doing so in their own strength. Commit instead to leading your children through discipline and discipleship to SURRENDER their will to the Lord who loves them most. They have a Savior who loves them and has a better way for them than anything they could ever manipulate or try to control on their own.
• We should seek to humbly discipline and disciple our children in a way that honors God because He has lovingly entrusted us to shepherd them!
  • Ephesians 6:1
  • Their sin is more obvious - this is a plus
  • Be calm, clear, and CONSISTENT, do what you say you will do, and help them understand their personal responsibility in the choices they make with their will.
  • Correction and not condemnation
  • Galatians 6:9 Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.
• We want to raise children that are not conformed to the things of this world but transformed for mighty kingdom work and they will NEED strong wills for these battles!

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
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