fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. […] [I]f you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
Praying for Wayward Children:
God's Unending Love
1. You are connection to Jesus in your child’s life. If you stay connected to Jesus as your source of strength, hope and faith, as He instructs in the passage above, God promises that this connection will bear fruit. In 1 Corinthians 7:14, the Apostle Paul urged anyone married to a non-believer to stay married to that spouse, so that, through their union, the non-believing spouse and their children would be sanctified and blessed. While every person must make an individual decision to follow Christ, being in a Godly household or in close relationship with a believer has a sanctifying effect on others. Let God’s Holy Spirit fill you continually – so that you can be a branch that passes on the life-giving fruit of the Spirit to others, including your spouse and your children.
2. When you stay “rooted,” you lead by example. While our prodigal child(ren) may be estranged from you or eschew your values, it is essential to understand that our role as a parent is not lost or diminished. Our responsibility now extends beyond disciplinarians or rule-setters; we become living testaments of God’s unending love and forgiveness. By demonstrating forgiveness, compassion and resilience in our own lives, we create a space where our prodigal children may witness the transformative power of God’s love and redemption.
3. Set boundaries while keeping the lines of communication open. Communicating openly and honestly with our prodigal children, such as sharing our own faults or failings, is key to nurturing their hearts and guiding them back towards a flourishing relationship with God. It is important to establish healthy boundaries that encourage respect and personal responsibility. By setting these boundaries with love and consistency, we not only model healthy behavior but also provide a framework for eventual reconciliation. You don’t have to rescue your child from their bad decisions to still stay in relationship with them. For example, you don’t have to give your adult child money if you think there is a good chance they will use it for something that you know might hurt them. But perhaps you might have coffee with them. Or take them to dinner. Or, put some gas in their car, to show that you care about their situation. You do not have to approve of your child’s lifestyle to stay in relationship with him/her. If you have an open line of communication with them, just tell your child that you love them and you are praying for them. If you do not have a way to communicate with them at the present time, live your life openly and publicly with joy, believing that the Lord is working out a way for you to be reunited. Your child may hear of you from others or see a bit of your life on social media. You might be communicating without knowing, because God will make a way!
Praying for Our Families!
Lily
their generation, there are several places in scripture where it explains that disdain for parents is a first step in separation from God. (See 2 Timothy 3: 1-5).
In Matthew 12:25, Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”
Separation is Satan’s foundational tool. One of his primary methods is to divide - in order to conquer. We see this from the beginning in Genesis, when the serpent deceived Adam and Eve in order to separate them from God.
As I have written in previous articles on this website and hopefully you noticed as an unwritten theme throughout our book, Unconfined, I believe that family is God’s design. While I respect that my children are adults and I am no longer needed in the role as parent, I believe we are more likely to bless future generations if a cohesive spirit of unity and communion exists, rather than a spirit of separation in our family.
If you are experiencing the estrangement of a dearly loved prodigal child who has rejected you, consider these steps:
- Confess your own part in any separation.
- Recognize that separation of families is a primary goal of Satan, and refuse to accept that the separation is permanent or that his lies about your motives, heart or character will succeed.
- Meditate on the following qualities of God which foster unity and are in opposition to separation:
Consequences of Separation God's Design
Critical/Mocking/Arrogant/Proud Humility
(1 Peter 5:6-7)
Deception/Lies/Vain Imaginations Truth
(John 8:32)
No fear of God Fear of the Lord
(Proverbs 9:10)
Lost/Hopeless/Full of Fear, Anxiety and Despair Filling of the Spirit
(2 Cor. 3:17)
Sins of the Fathers/Cursed Covered by the Blood of Jesus
(1 John 1:7)
Greedy/Seeking after the World Generosity
(1 Tim. 6:18-19)
Death
Life/Blessing
(Deut. 30:19)
Praying the scriptures above for your prodigal, is a powerful spiritual weapon to uproot each of the strongholds of the spirit of separation. Read each of the scriptures while asking the Holy Spirit to firmly establish that God-honoring behavior in your own life and overflowing that quality to and through your children.
Prayer for Prodigals:
God Our Healer
Prayer:
Dear Lord, everything you created was good. However, mankind allowed the spirit of separation to come in to your perfect plan, and it has been trying to destroy the beautiful gift of family since the dawn of creation. The deepest desire of my heart is to see my family restored, and thriving in You! There are many examples in Your word in which You answered an intercessor’s prayer for healing and restoration of families and communities. You are referred to in holy scripture 60 times as Jehovah Rapha (God Our Healer). Thus, I firmly believe that You are able to supernaturally restore things that appear permanently broken. I want my life and family to resemble the vine you describe in John 15:5-8 – firmly connected You and bearing fruit! I pray the following will grow in my life and in my descendants: humility, truth, reverence for your holiness, nearness of the Holy Spirit, generosity and blessing!
Blessings,
Lily
their generation, there are several places in scripture where it explains that disdain for parents is a first step in separation from God. (See 2 Timothy 3: 1-5).
In Matthew 12:25, Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”
Separation is Satan’s foundational tool. One of his primary methods is to divide - in order to conquer. We see this from the beginning in Genesis, when the serpent deceived Adam and Eve in order to separate them from God.
As I have written in previous articles on this website and hopefully you noticed as an unwritten theme throughout our book, Unconfined, I believe that family is God’s design. While I respect that my children are adults and I am no longer needed in the role as parent, I believe we are more likely to bless future generations if a cohesive spirit of unity and communion exists, rather than a spirit of separation in our family.
If you are experiencing the estrangement of a dearly loved prodigal child who has rejected you, consider these steps:
- Confess your own part in any separation.
- Recognize that separation of families is a primary goal of Satan, and refuse to accept that the separation is permanent or that his lies about your motives, heart or character will succeed.
- Meditate on the following qualities of God which foster unity and are in opposition to separation:
Consequences of Separation
vs. God's Design
Critical/Mocking/Arrogant/Proud vs.
Humility
(1 Peter 5:6-7)
Deception/Lies/Vain Imaginations vs.
Truth
(John 8:32)
No fear of God vs.
Fear of the Lord
(Proverbs 9:10)
Lost/Hopeless/Full of Fear, Anxiety and Despair vs.
Filling of the Spirit
(2 Cor. 3:17)
Sins of the Fathers/Cursed vs.
Covered by the Blood of Jesus
(1 John 1:7)
Greedy/Seeking after the World vs.
Generosity
(1 Tim. 6:18-19)
Death vs.
Life/Blessing
(Deut. 30:19)
Praying the scriptures above for your prodigal, is a powerful spiritual weapon to uproot each of the strongholds of the spirit of separation. Read each of the scriptures while asking the Holy Spirit to firmly establish that God-honoring behavior in your own life and overflowing that quality to and through your children.
Prayer for Prodigals:
God Our Healer
Prayer:
Dear Lord, everything you created was good. However, mankind allowed the spirit of separation to come in to your perfect plan, and it has been trying to destroy the beautiful gift of family since the dawn of creation. The deepest desire of my heart is to see my family restored, and thriving in You! There are many examples in Your word in which You answered an intercessor’s prayer for healing and restoration of families and communities. You are referred to in holy scripture 60 times as Jehovah Rapha (God Our Healer). Thus, I firmly believe that You are able to supernaturally restore things that appear permanently broken. I want my life and family to resemble the vine you describe in John 15:5-8 – firmly connected You and bearing fruit! I pray the following will grow in my life and in my descendants: humility, truth, reverence for your holiness, nearness of the Holy Spirit, generosity and blessing!
Blessings,
Lily
