I remember an incident years ago when I was producer for the Believer’s Voice of Victory broadcast. I had to travel a great deal and be away from my son, Jeremy—who was then 4 years old. This made me be especially aware of my need to be led by the Spirit in training Jeremy up “in the way he should go.”
One day the Lord helped me by telling me Jeremy was kissing girls. When I asked him, he said, “Well, sure!” That seemed so innocent and even cute in my 4-year-old that it was hard not to laugh out loud! But the Lord wanted us to start teaching Jeremy what was appropriate for his life and what wasn’t. He didn’t want to wait until Jeremy was 16 or dealing with a more serious problem. God cares for Jeremy, and He wanted him trained in godly ways as early in his life as possible. Besides, I think it was easier to accept mom’s kissing rules at age 4!
What I experienced that day was the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart. It was a word of knowledge simple and easy, that I’m sure saved us from untold trouble. This kind of hearing from God is available to every parent and, in fact, to every believer. The only requirement is to be listening and then follow the leading of the Holy Spirit by acting on what you hear.
I haven’t always acted on every word I’ve heard by the Spirit…and I’ve repented when I’ve missed it. But the knowledge to help my children was always available.
Today, Jeremy is a godly, married man serving the Lord in ministry. George and I have taught him to listen to the Lord for himself. We did this through the years by telling him what God was speaking to us, which encouraged the good things in his life and adjusted the things that needed correction. These times developed Jeremy’s trust in God and in us.
Some say that love is spelled T-I-M-E. But love for your children reaches its highest potential because of the time you spend first with God, developing a hearing ear on their behalf. I can’t imagine parenting without it!
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aka: Kenneth Copeland Ministries. All rights reserved.
Terri Copeland Pearsons, eldest daughter of internationally known minister Kenneth Copeland, first discovered the adventures of prayer as a little girl praying at her grandmother’s side. Drawing on that rich heritage of faith, she connects people with the living presence of God, teaching them who they are in Christ Jesus and how to pray from that position.
Terri and her husband, George Pearsons, serve as Senior Pastors of Eagle Mountain International Church (EMIC) at Kenneth Copeland Ministries, where they have pastored for over two decades. They have an international commission that takes them all over the world. Since 1995, Terri has ignited the fires of prayer at EMIC through Prayer School and through a dynamic network of prayer groups; she has brought life into the prayers of believers worldwide.
