Ministering Protection to Children

  • If everything was as it should be, then every child would have a protective arch of love over their life which would mean that although things may hurt them on the outside, they would be undamaged in their heart.

  • However this is not so, things can happen by abuse, neglect or by the circumstances of life which mean that part of the protection is removed, leaving a gap in the child’s defences against hurt and harm. When a child is thus affected they can manifest their condition in various ways.
  • Some seek to hide away from fear of something more coming into their experience to hurt them.
  • Some “come out fighting” and present an aggressive manifestation as an attempt at self-protection.
  • Some look for someone or something else to cling to in order to gain protection from their presence.
  • Some exhibit abnormal behaviour patterns which demonstrate a lack of inner peace.

  • Where there is such a vulnerability in a child’s life, the Devil will seek to as it were to “throw a spear” into the gap in the child’s defences in order to cause hurt and damage in the child’s spirit. In these circumstances, along with the above mentioned symptoms:-
  • Some children show the pain and sadness of great hurt.
  • Some children are extra-sensitive in their reactions to things said and done with them.
  • Some children manifest a sense of guilt by self-punishment.
  • Some children show a particular weakness in the area of their hurt.

Steps to Rebuilding a Child’s Protection

  • Identify what has been missing in their protective covering.
  • Find ways of building into the child’s experience that which can fill the gap for them.
  • It is important that we do the building for the child before we expect them to be able to be strong.

  • Identify what has caused hurt and damage in their heart.
  • Ensure that before seeking to address the issue in ministry with the child that the child is knowingly in a safe, loving environment.
  • It is important to deal with such things when the Holy Spirit raises them – and only then.

  • To remove the spear without rebuilding the arch may leave the child even more at risk of greater damage.
  • Concentrating on rebuilding the arch can result in such a ministry to the child that the “spear” may be dislodged and disappear without further action.
  • When a cause of hurt has been identified with the child, and it is the right time to deal with it, simply tell it to go away in Jesus’ name, and ask the Holy Spirit to heal and strengthen the place of hurt.

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