This week, we are beginning a new four-part series entitled “The Power of a Parent’s Blessing.” The series will center around the reality that parents have a significant spiritual role in speaking identity, affirmation, direction, and blessing over their children.

God has designed parents to be powerful voices in their children’s lives, using their words and actions to communicate identity, belonging, purpose, and blessing.

The central truth I want you to see in this first message is this: You and I, as parents, have a God-given influence in our children's lives, and one of the most powerful ways we can exercise that influence is through intentional words of blessing.

I think it’s important to grasp that God has a message He desires to impart into the heart of every person on earth, and it is a message of love, value, respect, and purpose. It is also important to note that Satan looks to counter every intent of God. If God’s message is love, value, respect, and purpose, Satan then looks to push the message that you are unlovable, unwanted, and not worthy of time or energy.

Our simple aim is to become an agent of God in our children’s lives and not Satan. The Hebrew phrase “to bless” is the word Barak. The literal translation of this word is “to kneel before someone”. This reveals that a fundamental posture of blessing is humility. It also, as a verb, is invoking divine favor with the intent that the object of blessing will have favorable circumstances at a future time.

The primary spiritual connotation is “to empower to prosper”. So biblically, when you bless someone, you kneel before him in humility and, on their behalf, ask that God would empower that person to prosper. The key to understand is that you are not releasing something from you. You are acting as a conduit of God’s favor to see prosperity in someone else.

This prosperity is not limited to finances. It speaks of prosperity in every area of life. Things like their spiritual life, physical health, emotional well-being, marriage, children, finances, career, or ministry.

Your blessing carries weight when you are in spiritual alignment with God’s purposes for your child’s life. Our words should reflect reality as God sees it. Speaking to their genuine strengths, their need for growth, and their potential in Christ. So even correction through this lens is a part of blessing.

We also have the power to curse, which gives the opposite picture, which would look like to cripple, disabling, or disempowering them from prospering in all of the same areas. We want to elevate and bless, not tear down.

The simple spiritual reality is that life and death are in the power of our tongue (Prov. 18:21), and we want to learn to steward it wisely.

Parental blessing isn't merely saying something nice to a child or attempting to inflate their sense of importance or ego. Biblically, blessing is connected to identity, acceptance, inheritance, belonging, and future direction.

As we dig into this first message, I want to look at the biblical pattern of blessing. Blessing is seen from Genesis with Abraham all the way into the New Testament with Jesus. One of the clearest examples is Isaac's blessing of Jacob in Genesis 27:27-29.

The blessing Isaac speaks over Jacob covers provision, fruitfulness, influence, authority, and relationships with others. It wasn’t simply, I hope you have a good life. It was about what Isaac sees concerning his son’s future.

Later, before Jacob dies, he blesses Joseph's sons in Genesis 48:14-20. Jacob intentionally places his hands upon Ephraim and Manasseh and speaks blessing over them. Something important to catch here is that blessing was a deliberate, intentional act.

When we understand the spiritual principle of Proverbs 18:21 that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue,” it means we have gained the real understanding that words have consequences.

› Let’s do an exercise: If you are grown, for a moment I want you to think back to your childhood. Can you recall a moment where words spoken over you became a major part of your internal vocabulary whether good or bad. For some it may be memories of good words that encouraged you and solidified who you are, but for others, it may take you back to words that made you feel like a burden, inadequate, unworthy, or unloved.

› If you were able to recall those moments, I also want you to think of how long ago those words were spoken. For some of us, it may have been decades ago that it was spoken, but we can still remember it like it was yesterday, and many times the sting or warmth of the word is still present in our memories.

The simple truth is that as parents, we can communicate either:
Blessing: “I believe in you.” “You are valuable.” “God has a purpose for your life.” “You belong to this family.” “I am proud to be your father/mother.”

Curse resulting in rejection: “You'll never amount to anything.” “Why can't you be more like your brother?” “You're just like your father/mother.” “You always mess everything up.” “You will always be stupid.”

A parent's blessing is powerful, but it’s not magical. The biblical examples of blessing do not guarantee a particular outcome for a child; rather, they serve as an intentional way of communicating that you are loved, you belong, I see God’s work in you, I will walk with you, and I believe God has a purpose for your life.

I say this ultimately because our identity is rooted in God, not merely our opinion of our children.

Another powerful aspect of blessing is that it communicates identity. One of the deepest needs of a child as they grow is answering the question: “Who am I?”

Parents have a unique privilege to be among the earliest and most influential voices answering that question. We have a God-given opportunity to establish and reinforce God-given identity and destiny in our children.

Each day we all answer two questions, whether we realize it or not. 1. Who am I? 2. Why am I here? The way we answer these questions is based on preexisting images formed deep inside. Who am I? pertains to identity, which is an individual’s perception of themselves.

The primary issue at stake in dealing with identity is, “What am I worth?” We want our kids to know that they have great value.

The other question of “Why am I here?” has to do with destiny and purpose. How we speak into these things often determines early on the individual’s perception of their function and significance on earth. While that is definitely a weighty responsibility, it is also a beautiful opportunity to establish.

I don’t know if you have seen this before, but God the Father actually modeled what we are talking about with Jesus. Turn with me to Matthew 3:16-17.

Notice the order: Identity → Belonging → Affirmation → Assignment

Jesus' ministry didn't create the Father's love. The Father's declaration established His identity before the ministry began. This provides a powerful truth: Our children should not have to perform to discover that he or she is loved.

After this moment in Matthew 3 is when we see Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days, and afterward He is tempted by Satan. Do you know what the first temptation is that Jesus endured?

Matthew 4:3“Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

It was Identity. If you are. I love that God the Father modeled how we help our kids defeat the enemy in their lives. We speak what we see and know concerning the grace of God and their God-given identity, value, and worth.

When the enemy comes, those words of blessing act as a shield that helps to push back the lies of the enemy. The words of blessing are powerful.

When we bless, we are not merely giving a compliment. Blessing says, I see something in you, and I want to speak God’s purpose and truth over your life. Compliments focus primarily on performance. Blessing focuses on identity and character.

Parents remember,
1. Your voice matters.
2. Your words shape identity.
3. Blessing is intentional.
4. Blessing communicates belonging.
5. Parents can become God's instruments of encouragement and affirmation.

Take the opportunity to speak truth into their lives; back your words with action by not simply speaking into their lives but actively backing the words with actions to help them succeed. Use your words to paint a hopeful future and let them know that you believe they can build an outstanding life through Christ.

I want to challenge you this week to be intentional in blessing your kids. Here is a simple example of what you could pray.

Place a hand over your child's shoulder and pray: “Father, thank you for my child. I declare that they are loved. They belong and have been created by you with purpose. I am thankful you have given them to me to raise, and I bless them and ask for your favor on their lives in Jesus' name.”