7 Spiritual Warfare Prayers for Your Family

Flip on the local or national news these days, and you’ll probably hear about warfare before the first commercial break. Stories of violence and destruction bombard our senses and threaten to steal our hope.

But husbands and dads who follow Christ are plugged into a different kind of warfare. In this conflict, the stakes are much higher than territory or control of natural resources. The battle extends beyond values or political doctrines.

Families are in a struggle against evil for the very souls of the next generation. This is spiritual warfare, and our most powerful weapon is time spent on our knees. The warfare prayers we offer for our families spell the difference between victory and defeat.

Key Takeaways

Spiritual warfare is real and ongoing, and ignoring it makes families more vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.
Daily prayer using Scripture is a practical and powerful way to protect your family.
Praying over specific areas such as health, peace, and gratitude helps counter the subtle and direct tactics of the enemy.
Surrendering control to God and teaching future generations to pray ensures your spiritual impact reaches beyond your lifetime.
Being honest about the battle and training your family to pray equips them to stand firm in faith, no matter what comes.

The Battle Is Real

Admittedly, the idea of spiritual warfare makes many believers nervous, but that doesn’t make it less real. The Bible states clearly that we have an enemy focused on stealing, killing, and destroying (John 10:10). He began wreaking havoc on us in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3), and he hasn’t slowed down since.

If we deny Satan’s existence or water down his power, we play right into his hands. He thrives when we underestimate his rebellion against God and his passion for replacing what God has called “good” with utter chaos.

He and his army target Christian families, but they tremble at the sight of godly men offering genuine spiritual warfare prayers for their families.

7 Warfare Prayers for Your Family

Spiritual warfare is largely invisible, but its impact—good and bad—can be seen all around us. As a husband or dad, you might be wondering about the best way to handle this situation. It’s best to start with Scripture, as it will help us, by the grace of God, to grow strong in Him. That said, here are seven areas where spiritual warfare prayers for your family can be effective and powerful.

1. The Armor of God

In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul describes the “armor of God.” This armor protects believers from the attacks of the devil. One simple way to apply the passage is to pray it over you and your family each day—one piece of armor at a time.

Father, thank You for not leaving my family defenseless. Thank You for giving us Your armor to thwart the schemes of the enemy. Cover my family with Your armor. Protect us with attributes of Your character and the power of Your Spirit.

2. Courage, Strength, and Endurance

If the enemy cannot get you to fall into sin, he will work hard to get you to fall into discouragement—a subtle, but devastating, weapon. As we grow weaker, we become more susceptible to temptation and to taking our eyes off our heavenly Father. Spiritual warfare prayers focused on courage and strength in difficult times allow us to keep our vision where it belongs.

Lord, I am weak, and I am weary. My family has been through so much, and we wonder how much more we can stand. Remind us that You are near. Remind us that You are in control. Remind us that You are working all things for our good and Your glory. Give us the strength and courage to stand strong in You. Give us Your power so we can endure, and we will give You the praise and honor when the victory is won.

3. Physical Health and Healing

Not all sickness is the result of sin or an act of Satan. We live in a fallen world where each of us carries an expiration date. Still, sickness and injury—whether our own or someone we love—can lead us to dark places. Spiritual warfare prayers for healing shine light into our darkness and restore the hope that empowers us to stand strong.

Great Physician, I know that this world is broken. Sin opened the door for sickness and struggles in Eden, and humanity has wrestled with the consequences ever since. We pray that You will provide healing in Your way and in Your timing. Until that occurs, we pray Your protection over our bodies, our hearts, and our minds. Do not allow our physical limitations to give the devil a foothold in our lives. Replace his fear with Your peace. Replace his lies with Your truth. Replace his doubts with confidence in Your love and power.

4. Peace of Mind

Just as the enemy can use physical issues to create chaos in our lives, he can also rob our peace of mind. Stress and confusion distract us from what matters in life and make us less vigilant to his attacks and schemes. God has promised to provide wisdom to those who ask (James 1:5) and to provide power, love, and sound judgment for His people (2 Timothy 1:7). Praying for these is a great battle plan for spiritual warfare.

Dear God, my mind is being pulled in a million directions. Sometimes, I find myself so focused on the “urgent” that I can’t discern the “important.” Other times, fear clouds my judgment. I know fear and confusion are not from You, and I reject them in the name of Jesus. Protect my heart and my mind from these attacks of the enemy. Give me Your peace that surpasses understanding.

5. Gratitude for Circumstances

Throughout his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul challenged his readers to live with joy. We don’t always connect the dots between joy and spiritual warfare, but the two go hand in hand. That’s because Satan will try to use circumstances to whittle away at our defenses, while joy refuses to focus on our temporary situations. Gratitude for our circumstances—even difficult circumstances—is a byproduct of joy and a key weapon in our warfare prayer arsenal.

Heavenly Father, our family is facing a mess right now. I admit that we are not happy about our circumstances, but I also confess that we can find joy in them as we focus on You. Thank You for Your presence in the middle of the turmoil, and thank You for the way You will use this situation to make each of us more like You. Accept our gratitude for Your glory, and don’t let this current situation create a stumbling block for me or my family’s faith.

6. Surrender to God

When I have car trouble, I call the mechanic. When an appliance breaks down, I call the repairman. In other words, I know there are a lot of things in life I can’t fix on my own. When it comes to spiritual warfare, there is nothing we can fix on our own. But that doesn’t keep us from trying to do things in our own power. Spiritual warfare prayers for our families serve as reminders that God is God and we are not. The only way we win is if we surrender to Him.

Creator and Lord, my instinct is to fight for my family, but I need to remember that my power is not enough to put even a dent in this situation. In contrast, Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. As a family, remind us of Your unmatched power. Give us the strength and wisdom to surrender our desires and plans to You. We pray that You will increase, even as we decrease.

7. Generational Protection

As noted, spiritual warfare has been around since the Garden of Eden. In a world that changes rapidly, the battle for our marriages, our kids, and our legacies goes on unabated. As you consider spiritual warfare prayers for your family, don’t overlook the upcoming branches on your family tree. Pray for your wife and your kids, but pray for the generations to come as well. The God who does not exist in time will honor that future focus. It’s never too late to pray for family members you’ve yet to meet.

God, You know my heart is to build a spiritual legacy that outlives me. You know that I long for my children, my children’s children, and every future generation to know You and to live for You. But I know that Satan will not stop attacking my family until the day You return and put an end to his evil works on this earth. So, I beg You to put a hedge around my family even now. Raise generations that will make a difference for Your kingdom. Protect the children and grandchildren I know, and protect the ones who are yet to be born. You hold the future; hold my family close to Your heart.

Being Real

Spiritual warfare prayers for your family have the potential to resonate across generations. But you need to include two important practices in these petitions. First, you need to be real with your family. You need to let them know that the world is broken and that the enemy wants to see them fall. Don’t scare them. But teach them a biblical understanding of spiritual warfare and what God provides for the battles.

Second, you need to teach them to pray for themselves. If you’re the only generation employing spiritual warfare prayers, your impact will be limited. In the book of Judges, the Bible says that Israel struggled spiritually because the generations following Joshua forgot about God (Judges 2:6-13). You don’t want that to happen with your family. Teach them to call out to God, so they can extend the “family tradition” with their children and grandchildren.

One of the best gifts you can give your family today and for years to come is your role as a praying dad and husband—and that includes prayers related to spiritual warfare.