5 Ways to Set The Spiritual Environment in Your Home

Satan is constantly after the hearts and minds of your children.

There isn't moment that passes where Satan's agenda to steal, kill and destroy is not being presented to your student in some shape or form. The more parents come to grips with this reality, the more they will be equipped to fight the spiritual battle with fervency in the Lord.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Ephesians 6:12

Here are five things you should be regularly doing to set the spiritual environment in your home:

1. Set the environment through prayer and worship

You are the head of your home. What spirits are welcomed in is up to you. Do know that there are spiritual forces looking to destroy anything that points your student in the direction of truly knowing Christ. Action must take place to combat that. Non-action means you've already given way to the spiritual agenda of Satan.

Prayer should be constantly happening in your home. Before your family leaves for the day. During the day and before you go to bed. Covering your family in the name Christ and His will for them. His salvation, purpose, plan and will for their lives.

Play worship music in the mornings. Create a playlist that will play that is Christ glorifying. Songs the speak about His character and nature, what He's done. That music will permeate your student's heart and mind to start the day and set the tone in your home to be grounded in Christ. This will make any spirit that contrasts with Christ uncomfortable. Don't underestimate the power of music.

2. Put protections in place

Most parents aren't considering the dangers of their students having free range access to the world through the internet, mobile devices, apps, friendships, etc. These things are not safe. Not considering these potential dangers leads to damaged minds and emotions very easily. This primarily happens through social media and pornography. This is what Satan is counting on.

If your student has mobile devices, then they should have protections on them. If your student has friendships with students from school, then it should be with boundaries, whether it's a Christian friend/family or not.

Here's an article discussing basic ways to put protections on your student's device: "How to Use the Parental Controls on a Smartphone" from consumerreports.org. There are many other options. I would strongly suggest looking into them and making a Holy Spirit led decision instead of having no protections at all.

You should clearly communicate with your students that these protections and boundaries are not punishment, but rather done out of love. They need to know Satan's agenda for them, and that this world is fallen. Satan's goal is to take them out and have them living in self-deception and destroying themselves by being as far away as they can from a relationship with God and His Word. That's the end result without boundaries and protections for students today.

3. Monitor media consumption

The most popular music artist, streamed shows, movies, YouTube channels, books and social media influencers are all pushing spirituality in some form. Mostly new age, progressive, occult, post truth ideologies, and just bottom line, satanism. This is not hidden anymore. It's blatant and highly visual in displaying Satan worship.

If you're not monitoring this daily consumption, Satan is overriding in a very powerful way any Christian influence you're providing. This is an area that vigilance is necessary.

You can utilize the same protections I listed above to monitor screen time. There should be limits to social media use. A way for you to see every entry point of media on their devices. Then put in place a content filter.

It is through media that students find interest in spiritual darkness, aware or unaware. Demonic/secular artist, TV shows, scary movies, adult animation, social media influencers and podcasters, all of which infuses spiritual darkness into your student's mind. Disney for example has completely given themselves over to producing shows with either the occult or progressive, secular ideologies. They should be completely avoided and not allowed to be watched in your home.

The thought process of, "It's just music. It's just a movie. Kids are just being kids.", is exactly how we give our kids over to deception, by downplaying its power. Monitoring your student's media intake shouldn't be optional. Doing so is simply called parenting. Please see me (John Mason) for more help on what to replace your student’s media consumption with that will point them to Christ.

4. Have constant conversations

Open, honest, authentic conversations go a LONG way with students today. Parents that ask questions to truly listen and see where their student is at will gain their students trust over their friends, social media, or any outsider.

These conversations allow you as the parent, who the students know loves them, to see into their world and provide real guidance that matters. Godly wisdom they can use. Conversations like these shouldn't always lead to punishment if something is said or was done that is wrong. Provided grace allows for them to make better decisions next time and be ready to let you know what's going on with them without always thinking they will be punished. Of course, as their parents, you will have to make the best judgment call.

Find ways to allow them to open up. On the way home from school. At the dinner table. Sit outside on the porch. Make it intentional and consistent, whether you think something is going on with them or not. These conversations will lead to discipleship.

5. Don't let your guard down

God has given us these children because He knew we could steward them for His glory. Don't miss this calling. The main way to have that happen is to relax. To not believe you need to fight for your child’s heart, soul, and mind. That everything is OK because he or she makes good grades, is on the honor roll, excelling in extracurricular activities and does their chores.

Satan does not take a day off from pushing deception and lies. So, we can't relax our stance in making sure we parent according to God's will as He has entrusted with our children.

It's not anyone else's responsibility to disciple, train up and raise our children (Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4, Deuteronomy 6:4-9). When we don't start with that understanding, we are handing our student's greatest desires over to the world and the evil one. Nothing in today's culture is neutral or harmless when it comes to education, media, and relationships. It's either glorifying God or this spirit of this world. Remain vigilant in the strength of the Lord, and He has promised to fight our battles giving us victory in Christ.