A new year always signifies new beginnings for many around the world. Likewise, the start of a new school year marks a new phase and season in a child’s life. And how your child begins this new season of learning, growing and building valuable relationships can help shape the rest of the school year and indeed the rest of their lives.
What to Pray for at the Beginning of a New School Year
I believe the first step to take as your child begins a new school year is to release your child to God. In her best-selling book, ’The power of a praying parent’, Stormie Omartian says –
“No matter what age our children are, releasing them into God’s hands is a sign of our faith and trust in him.”
Many times as parents, there is always that idea of you knowing what is best for your child. Sometimes, you are even tempted to push God aside and walk in your own understanding with regards to your children. Yet, God wants you to learn to relinquish control and release your children to him in every season of their lives.
Secondly, praying scriptures is another great way to kickstart the new school year. God and his word are one and as we pray his word, we are aligning with his will for our lives. And your children are not left out of the equation, you can commit to praying scriptures over your children at the start of every new school year.
Indeed, God wants you to commit every area of your life to him and this includes the lives of your children. The bible tells us to acknowledge God in all our ways and he will direct our paths. It is so important that you learn to acknowledge God in every new season in your child’s life. And as your child embarks on the journey of starting a new school year, learn to commit specific areas of his/her life to God.
[Tweet It is so important that you learn to acknowledge God in every new season in your child’s life. And as your child embarks on the journey of starting a new school year, learn to commit specific areas of his/her life to God. #backtoschoolprayers]
A Week of Prayers to Start the New School Year
You can use these back-to-school prayers as a guide to pray over your children’s upcoming school year each week. Below are scriptures and prayers that you can pray each week before the start of this new school year and even throughout the year.
Day 1: Wisdom
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 NIV
Thank you Lord that as my children start this new school year, you will fill their hearts with your wisdom. They will be enriched with the wisdom of God that comes from above. They will not fall for the devices of the crafty and evil one. God’s wisdom at work in them will guide and help them to make wise choices and decisions every single day.
They will not be caught walking in the wisdom that is at work in the world and the hearts of men. Thank you father because the wisdom that you give my children will cause them to be thoughtful, considerate, thoughtful and peace-loving. I declare that my children are wise and walk in divine wisdom all the days of their lives. Amen!
Day 2: Protection
“ The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Psalm 121:5-8 NLT
I declare that God himself watches over my children throughout this school year and every single day of their lives. God will always be right by their side protecting them and shielding them from the plans and schemes of the wicked. Thank you father for keeping my children safe from every kind of harm, distress and trauma.
I declare that my children are kept safe from car accidents, road accidents and accidents in the home. They are daily shielded from the strategies of the devil, sexual predators and from every form of abuse. Thank you Lord for keeping my children safe in the day and night time. I rest in the assurance that God daily watches over my children when they go out and come in every single day. I declare that God will keep my children safe all the time and his angels will always watch over them. Amen!
Day 3: Friendships
“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Proverbs 12:26
Thank you father that in this new school year, my children will have the wisdom to choose their friends carefully. I ask that you order their steps to the right friends and relationships. They will not be carried away by outward appearances but they will be able to discern between friends with good and evil intentions in their lives.
Thank you for bringing godly friends into the life of my children. They will be surrounded by friends who will challenge, motivate and encourage them spiritually and mentally. I thank you Lord for causing my children to walk only with the wise amongst them. Thank you for connecting them with friends that will draw them closer to you and your word in this new school year. I declare that my children will not be unequally yoked with ungodly and carnally minded friends. Rather you will bless them with visionary, godly and wise friends. Thank you father for bringing visionaries, helpers, supporters and encouragers into my children’s lives. Amen!
Day 4: Teachers
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Corinthians 15:58 NIV
Thank you Lord for my children’s teachers in this new term and for helping them give themselves fully to this work you have entrusted into their hands. I ask that you will help their teachers to know that they are not just shaping minds but building lives and destinies. I ask that you fill the hearts of every teacher assigned to my children in this new school term with an abundance of love, faith and grace.
Dear Lord, I ask that you strengthen them every single day and teach them how to love even the difficult and challenged children amongst them. Put the right words in their mouth to speak and expose them to the right tools and knowledge to build themselves. Grant my children’s teachers with an abundance of wisdom. Bless them with all that they need to thrive as teachers and protect them every single day in this new school year. Amen!
Day 5: Health
“But you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst.” Exodus 23:25
Thank you heavenly father for taking sickness away from the midst of my children in this new school year. Thank you for strengthening their bodies against sicknesses and diseases. They will not be held down or incapacitated by any illness or disease that will take them away from school in this new school year.
Lord, I ask that you bless my children with good health and a sound mind. Protect them daily from hazards and accidents that can cause serious health challenges in their minds and bodies. I declare that my children are healthy and whole throughout this school year and all the days of their lives. Thank you Lord for giving life and vitality to every cell, organ, joint, ligament and bone in the life of my child. I stand on the word of God that says even though ten thousand are dying all around them, those illnesses and diseases will not come near them. Amen!
Day 6: Confidence
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NLT
Thank you father for helping my children believe in themselves and their abilities. They will not be timid or afraid while learning in their classrooms. They will know that their confidence is in you and comes from you alone. I declare that my children are not confused about their identity in God. They stand firmly in confidence that their lives belong to God.
Thank you Lord for giving my children the spirit of boldness. They are confident to ask and answer questions in the classroom. They are confident in their gifts, talents and God-given abilities. They are confident and secure in the love of God. I declare that in this new school year, my children will walk through each day confident of God’s love for them. Amen!
Day 7: Learning
“Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15 NLT
Thank you Lord for making my children always eager and ready to learn. I pray that they will never lose their love for learning in any season of life. You will fill the hearts of my children with the desire for learning, quick understanding and a sound mind.
Thank you Lord for helping my children understand what they are taught. Thank you for giving them a mind that assimilates quickly. And may they not just hear what they are being taught, but also be able to apply the knowledge and principles behind each lesson. Lord, I ask that you bless my children’s academic efforts in this new school year and cause them to flourish in their education. Amen!
How important it is to pray for our children every day, no matter what stage of life they are in. May we put them in God’s hands and trust in Him to work in and through them. Blessings to you, Ufuoma!
Great prayer focuses for our children and grandchildren for the upcoming school year, Ufuoma!
Bookmarking to share with the Teenage Church I teach.
Thank you.
Dear Ufuoma,
Thank you so much for these scriptures and wise words. I am a Grandma, but also a teacher. I thank you for including teachers in this post too. I pray for my children, their mates, my grandchildren, my fellow teachers, administrators, all school staff, and all our students too. I hope that everyone keeps all schools, staff, and students in their prayers throughout the year. Thank you again, and may God bless you!!!
I homeschool my children, and we pray every day at the start of our homeschool, but thank you for reminding me to pray before this homeschool year starts! This is so important! Thank you for sharing this!
Wonderful! This is a great resource for us mamas as we head back into the school year. As a homeschool mom, I’m thinking I’ll have my kids use the scriptures for copywork!
Ufuoma, thank you for your beautiful prayers and Scripture. These are needed prayers for our children!
Bookmarking this post, beautiful prayers and verses! Such a valuable resource, much needed right now …