Making the Holy Spirit Their Hero | Hannah Guinta
Being a mom of three boys, it’s expected that I will step on Legos, Hot Wheels cars will go down the toilet, and toy dinosaurs will magically be found under my pillow at night. It’s expected! There must be a manual out there somewhere for little boys with written code that says so. Regardless if your child is a boy or girl—you’re bound to find toys in various nooks and crannies all over your house.
Líon, our oldest, had just celebrated his birthday and was thrilled to receive a Mandolorian Lego set. It was his first Lego set that he actually had to build himself, so like a proud four-year-old, he sat diligently at the dining table and followed the instructions the best he knew how.
Little Blaze—who you’ll learn is aptly named once you meet him—visited his engineering brother for a while, but then got bored and decided to play his own game. Little did we know that game involved hiding the very last piece Líon needed to complete his set. So, of course, when it came time for Líon to finish his Lego work of art, the last piece was nowhere to be found. And I mean nowhere. We looked under the table, we flipped up the couch cushions, we even checked his bedroom. Nothing.
Then my husband had the idea to pray for it. Sounds silly right? That’s how it felt praying for God to show us where this Lego piece the size of my pinky nail was hiding. But a desperate four-year-old prayed three simple words, “God, help me.” After our collective “amen,” Líon jumped up and down, yelling: “IT’S UNDER THE COUCH, BEHIND THE CURTAIN!”
Thinking he was just using his imagination to fill in for God, I checked. And wouldn’t you know, the lost lego was under the couch and behind the curtain. I asked Líon how he knew where to look, and he said God told him. The Holy Spirit was the hero.
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Pastor Christel Duff says all the time, “There is no junior Holy Spirit.” There’s just the Holy Spirit. As that truth began to sink in for us, we started giving the boys more opportunities to practice engaging with Him. Here are some of those opportunities that any of us can feel the win from:
Before watching a show or making big decisions, have your little one ask Jesus what He thinks. This does a couple of things: 1) It reminds them to invite God into everything they do, and 2) It builds their discernment muscle so that when they need to make bigger decisions down the road, they have a track record of God pointing them in the right direction.
There have been many times that our boys have turned off shows or games because they heard from the Holy Spirit to do so.
There was a long period of time when our boys believed there was a monster hiding in their room. Instead of saying, “There’s no monster,” and making them feel silly for believing such a thing, I started to ask, “Oh really, where is the monster?” With their tiny fingers, they would point.
“Alright,” I’d say, “Let’s tell the monster who owns this house.” We’d then tell the monster together, “Hey, monster! Jesus is the king of this house, and Jesus lives inside me. So when I say ‘go away,’ you have to go away.” Then came the dramatic pause as our kids’ courage grew larger than their little bodies…
“Go away!”
“Wow,” I’d say. “That was really courageous of you. Is the monster still here?”
“Nope! But God is here!”
Everytime, the monster went away. The Holy Spirit was the hero.
Even if those purple, hairy monsters are just imagined, your kids can flex their Holy-Spirit-lives-inside-of-me muscle that grows their courage and reminds them how mighty their King is.
Whenever an injury or sickness happens, no matter how small, pray for and with your child. Why? Because intercession is a picture of what Jesus does for us (Romans 8:34), AND Jesus expects us to heal one another (Matthew 10:8). Why wouldn’t He come through for us if He’s the one who asks us to pray for healing? I can’t tell you the number of hospital visits we have canceled because our faith-filled little boys tug on Father God’s leg and say “help,” and God helps. Help your child build testimonies of miracles and watch the Holy Spirit be the hero.
First Corinthians 12:8–10 lists gifts that the Holy Spirit gives the people of God (including our kids, even on their crazy days!). I believe God gave Líon the gift of knowledge to know where to find his Lego piece. I believe God gives the gift of wisdom every time they ask Him what shows to watch or not. I believe God gives them the gift of discernment to silence fear and declare God’s presence. I believe God gives them the gift of faith and healing to watch themselves and many others restored.
Here’s the skinny:
1. Not sure where to begin? Start by asking your child to repeat this question: “God, what do you think about me?” Wait for the Holy Spirit to reveal His lavish thoughts toward them. If it sounds like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23), your little one is likely hearing the voice of God.
2. Celebrate when they live this out! It’s easy to catch our kids doing something you don’t want them to, but try catching them as they practice becoming more like Christ. Say things like, “Wow! Your forgiveness just reminded me of God,” or “Woah, that was so kind! You just looked like Jesus.” Because let’s be real—Jesus looks good on all of us, so no need to go soft on those compliments.
3. Don’t be intimidated when your kids pick this up quickly, and help them live out what they discover. Humans are hardwired to connect to our Creator, but I believe God has our kids on speed dial (just see Matthew 18 and you’ll agree—our children are his favorite). But there is a responsibility that comes with hearing God. There is an expectation that we will not just listen to the words He says, but become active participants of if. That we will both listen and obey. Show them what it looks like to listen and obey God together.
If you’re new to engaging with God like this, learn with your kids! There is nothing better than when our kids’ faith shows up our own. In fact, we expect them to teach us heavenly principles from the perspective of a little child. You will be wowed by how much God trusts them and just what kind of authority He gives them. After all, our kids are the most important in the kingdom of God!