Text: Mark 9:17-27
Memory verse:
“Nevertheless no devoted offering that a man may devote to the Lord of all that he has, both man and beast, or the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted offering is most holy to the Lord.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭27‬:‭28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Some people pay more attention to the ceremony of child dedication than its sacredness. What is dedication? It is setting apart or consecrating a person or a thing to God or to a god or a spirit. Whatever you dedicate becomes the legitimate property and responsibility of the being or thing that such is dedicated to. So, a child dedicated to God becomes the possession of God. “…And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ‭‭(Matt‬ ‭22‬:‭21‬)‬‬.
A child left alone without giving back to God will be possessed by other spirits. The devil is not only interested in afflicting and possessing adults but also children. In our text today, when Jesus asked the father how long the boy had been in the condition, the father answered, “From childhood.” ‭‭(Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭21‬)‬‬.
In fact, the devil is more interested in children because he knows that whatever he is able to plant in them will stay for a longer time, except by divine intervention, as this father did. He does not care about introducing them to pornography, gambling, vulgarity, same sex and transgenderism at such early years.
While most believers are still excusing their children from the word of God and spiritual activities because they are young, the devil is moving fast to take advantage of their ignorance to fill the emptiness. Today, thousands of children in the United States now openly identify as genders different from the one they were assigned at birth, amid growing recognition of transgender identity and rights. Also, statistics show that one of ten children started watching pornography from age nine!
When children are not well taught and established in basic Bible teachings, they go to the internet, schools, and among their friends to learn. Children don’t just imbibe godly behaviours, rather, they must be consciously taught by words and lifestyles. The Passion Translation of Proverbs 22:6 says, “Dedicate your children to God and point them in the way that they should go, and the values they’ve learned from you will be with them for life”
Friends, keeping away your children from the internet and relationships will just be efforts in futility. Rather, dedicate them to God and consciously point them to Him through teachings and practical examples. May our children live as light in this dark world in Jesus’ name.

Prayer points
1. Father, we dedicate all our children afresh to You today and let them be Yours forever in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, we bring our children to You, please, contend with any power contending with them and save them today in Jesus’ name.

Today’s declarations
1. I don’t just dedicate my children to the Lord, I point them to Him by consciously teaching them by words and examples.
2. I and my children are God’s possessions, and it’s God’s responsibility to defend His possessions.