Raising Prophetic Kids: The Building Blocks of Nurturing Spiritual Gifts

"Raising Prophetic Kids is a masterful blueprint for parents as they partner with God in raising the next generation. At a time when today’s youth face unprecedented challenges, Debra Giles shares practical tools to ensure children thrive spiritually and fulfill their God-given destiny."

Charlene Aaron, television co-host and news anchor, CBN

This book is truly amazing! With five gifted sons of my own, I can attest to its phenomenal principles for parenting. Whether you’re aware of having prophetic children or not, the guidelines and instructions are invaluable. Thanks for sharing your transparent journey, Apostle Debra!

Prophetess Brenda Todd, Gap Standers International

To see and hear the profound ministry of Apostle Debra Giles is to experience the intense background of warfare, worship, and tutelage of this esteemed author. She’s more than qualified to show you how to activate a prophetic child, believe their experiences, cultivate environments for growth and discovery, become a helper in their destiny, build a sturdy foundation, teach them balance, and show them how to live in legacy! This prophet knows when to let go and when to hold fast. All of these are principles that must be established to raise a successful child of the prophetic. If you’d never met the author but saw the product in her children, you would have to admit beyond the shadow of a doubt that she is a success. If you follow the principles herein, the results are certain to make you weep with gladness but also pray with faith and become a skillful parent of sagacious children. Superb job, my sister, inside the pages of the book and in real life.

Apostle Pam Vinnett, Pam Vinnett Ministries

© 2024 by Debra Giles

Published by Chosen Books

Minneapolis, Minnesota

ChosenBooks.com

Chosen Books is a division of

Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan

www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Ebook edition created 2024

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-4564-6

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Berean Bible (www.Berean.Bible), Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016–2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture identified AMP taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations identified CEV are from the Contemporary English Version © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations identified ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016

Scripture quotations identified GNT are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version-Second Edition. Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations identified HCSB are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked LEB are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.

Scripture quotations identified MSG are taken from The Message, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.

Scriptures identified NIV taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

Scripture identified NKJV taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations identified NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Rob Williams

Cover images from Shutterstock

Author is represented by the literary agency of Embolden Media Group, LLC.

Baker Publishing Group publications use paper produced from sustainable forestry practices and postconsumer waste whenever possible.

To my granddaughter and those who in generations to come will need assistance to grow and develop their prophetic gifts.

Contents

Cover

Endorsements    1

Title Page    3

Copyright Page    4

Dedication    5

Foreword by Riva Tims Watkins    9

Introduction    11

1. Cultivating a Spiritually Rich Environment    15

2. Becoming Your Child’s Destiny Helper    37

3. Building a Prophetic Foundation    57

4. Activating Your Child’s Prophetic Gift    73

5. Acknowledging Your Child’s Spiritual Experiences    91

6. Understanding the Power of Mentorship    105

7. Teaching Balance for Lifelong Prophetic Service    121

8. Living and Leaving a Prophetic Legacy    133

9. Letting Go    147

Conclusion    163

Acknowledgments    169

Notes    171

About the Author    175

Back Cover    176

Foreword

Apostle Debra Giles’s detailed account of prophetically nurturing her four boys left me nearly speechless. Before reading her book, I’d never come across anything even remotely close to her insights into raising prophetic children, nor was I aware that such insights into raising prophetic children existed.

Apostle Debra made me reflect on my four grown children and the pivotal period I overlooked in nurturing their spiritual abilities because I assumed they were too young. Take, for instance, my youngest daughter, who as a toddler saw things none of us could see and had extraordinary dreams. If I’d had access to the insights Apostle Debra provides in her book, I am convinced my daughter would have flourished even more in her God-given gifts.

At the age of twenty-three, when I welcomed my first child, my focus in preparing for her arrival revolved around buying the crib, bottles, and diapers. The concept of prophetically training an infant wasn’t on my radar. Apostle Debra’s teachings shed light on cultivating a prophetic environment for your baby, going beyond nursery preparation.

Apostle Debra delves deeper, guiding parents on how to nurture their children’s gifts even while they’re in the womb. Yes, you read that right! While your children are still in utero, as a parent or grandparent you can initiate prophetic nurturing and impart teachings to your child or grandchild. Moreover, she will teach you how to establish a routine of prayer and Scripture memorization for toddlers, and she offers insights into prophetically parenting adolescents.

Each of my four grown children was brought up in a home steeped in faith, and they’ve all achieved success without causing me a moment’s worry. I’m truly proud that they’ve upheld their devotion to the Lord. But I can’t help but contemplate how different the course of their lives might have been if I’d had Apostle Debra’s book when my children experienced the trauma of losing their father at such tender ages. Regrettably, children often endure traumatic events that linger into their adult years. Apostle Debra, mindful of parents with grown children, also equips us with tools to persist in nurturing our adult offspring.

Within the chapters of Raising Prophetic Kids, Apostle Debra’s uncanny and prolific teaching reveals easy-to-understand keys on fostering prophetic sensibilities in children, nurturing their spiritual growth, and empowering them to embrace their unique gifts. She underscores the profound responsibility parents have in shaping a child’s journey. By recognizing and supporting children’s inherent talents and inclinations, parents then become facilitators in guiding children toward fulfilling their prophetic assignment.

Raising Prophetic Kids exceeded my expectations. Apostle Debra’s teaching style is a blend of the biblical, technical, and even scientific realms. She adeptly weaves together biblical principles and laws with insights from psychology, biology, and a comprehensive understanding of the supernatural aspects of the spirit world.

I firmly believe that Raising Prophetic Kids will become the go-to resource for parents, counselors, and ministries not just in our nation but globally. This book serves as a crucial tool for families aiming to establish a lasting, divine legacy for generations to come.

Pastor Riva Tims Watkins

Introduction

Think back to before your child was born, to when you were filled with wonder and imagined what their personality would be and who they would become. It’s common for parents-to-be to daydream about their little bundle of joy waiting to be born, anticipating their future accomplishments and envisioning their character traits. Fathers often purchase trinkets that represent their favorite sport or another interest they hope to share with their son or daughter. Mothers might place sentimental items into a hope chest, start a scrapbook for the baby, or ready a nursery.

Preparing for our kids’ arrival and providing material things for them is good. It’s even more important, however, to prepare and provide for them spiritually. As their parents, we’re responsible to teach them how to discern between good and evil and live a life pleasing to God. We’re also responsible for teaching them how to protect and defend themselves with spiritual armor—learning God’s Word and how to pray, speak prophetic declarations, and contend for the manifestation of the prophetic words spoken over them.

Your praying over your kids and speaking life to them are two of your main tasks. These are types of prophetic guidance God gives you authority to exercise in their lives, as the prophetic is all about communication with Him—hearing His voice, obeying what we hear, and responding to His leading. And as we’ll soon discover, our prophetic guidance continues long after our kids are born and as long as the Lord allows us to help prepare them for their purpose here on earth.

I am a prophet, teacher, and mother who raised four incredible, prophetic sons. From the time they were in the cradle, I sought God’s wisdom for how to guide them into the paths they should take. He provided for me a beneficial approach to help them become their best selves even as little humans with a godly imprint. He gave me insight into their personalities and led me in how to nurture what they were meant to be. And as they grew, I discovered seeds of greatness in them that needed cultivation, including spiritual sensitivity and both natural and spiritual gifting.

While they’re young, it’s important to teach kids to focus on living godly principles, so teaching my sons how to pray, hear God for themselves, and develop their own prayer lives was essential. I often scheduled Bible story time or Scripture reading and prayer before naps. But, of course, the strategies for encouraging them in their spiritual lives changed as they grew. I continue to speak into their lives as adults today, but I do it less often as they each implement what they learned from me, walk out their God-given purpose, and embrace their prophetic gifts.

Perhaps your daughter has come to you about a dream or feeling she’s had about some future happening. Maybe during prayer or worship your son has seen angels or blurted some message you know could have come only from the Lord. Or maybe you’re not a parent yet, but you want to prepare a spiritually rich environment into which your future child can be born so they’ll have every opportunity to become whoever God has uniquely fashioned them to be.

Whatever your current situation, I’ve written this book for you. I’ve shared the Bible-based strategies and building blocks I learned for nurturing children’s spiritual gifts, beginning with creating a spiritually rich environment to draw out and develop the prophetic in them throughout the various stages of their lives and in preparation for a lifetime of service to and relationship with God. In addition, at the end of each chapter you’ll find a prophetic activity you can do to enhance your experience.

Parents, we can help prepare the next generation—the young Samuels, Davids, Deborahs, Issachars, and Elishas of our day who will worship the Lord wholeheartedly, speak the word for such a time as this, and help navigate the church through perilous times and seasons. Just as Hannah, Elizabeth, and Mary were called to raise sons whose prophetic voices changed the world, you are called to usher your son or daughter into their own high calling.

If you’re ready to partner with God to raise kids to whom He speaks and shares His secrets, turn the page, and let’s begin.

1

Cultivating a Spiritually Rich Environment

At the age of fourteen, years before my parents decided to serve God, I became a Christian. I was born again. Until then, I’d attended church only occasionally with my great-aunt, maternal grandmother, or a friend. Still, I’d become acquainted with a place of worship where the gifts of the Spirit flowed, and great emphasis was placed on having faith and knowing and exercising your authority in Christ. I joined that church and began to grow spiritually.

After learning about passed-down patterns of