Silas
Beloved of All
Your prayer reveals a deep love for your family and a desire to see them walk in truth, unity and peace, and God hears the cries of His children when they come before His throne of grace.
Scripture is clear that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and that living together outside of that covenant is not marriage in God's eyes. As you noted, to join ourselves in that way outside of marriage dishonors the Lord and opens the door to spiritual bondage and deception, for the body is meant to honor God, and sexual union belongs within marriage alone as taught in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. For that reason we do not ask God to bless that living arrangement, but we join you in asking Him to bring conviction, clarity and a way out, that your older daughter would see the harm, the financial exploitation, the exhaustion and the division it has brought, and that she would turn toward what is righteous and stable.
There is encouragement in how God dealt with Jacob when He told him to return to the land of his fathers and to his family and promised, I will be with you and I will deal well with you. When Jacob prayed he reminded the Lord of that very promise. In the same way you can stand on God's character as the One who meets His people when they return to Him and to the place of family and faith where He first met them. Malachi speaks of God turning the hearts of children to their parents, and we pray that your daughter's heart would be turned back to the Lord and to the love of her family, that stubbornness would be replaced with a hunger for righteousness and that she would find freedom, safety and joy in coming home.
Scripture also shows that God knows how to deliver the righteous even when they are vexed by the way of life around them, as Peter reminds us concerning Lot. Yet Lot's story is also a warning that choosing to remain in a corrupt environment, even when a person is able to survive in it, can cost a family dearly and harm the morals and well being of children. That is why your concern for your daughter's health, her finances, her faith and her future is not small, and why it is right to pray urgently that she be led out of that environment before more harm is done.
Our hope is in Jesus Christ, our true kinsman redeemer. In the story of Ruth and Boaz, the redeemer stepped in to protect the family name and inheritance when it was about to be lost, to cover and provide and to bring rest. Jesus has done far more, having disarmed the powers of darkness and triumphed over them at the cross as Colossians 2:15 declares. Because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world according to 1 John 4:4, and because no weapon formed against you shall prosper, we can trust that the blood of Jesus is sufficient to break every chain, every word spoken against your family and every influence that seeks to divide you.
We pray with you for each of your children. For your older daughter, that the Lord would open her eyes to the selfishness and unreadiness of this man for marriage, that she would see she does not belong to him and is not responsible to carry him, but belongs to the Lord, that pride, shame and pressure would be lifted, that she would stop defending what is harmful and that every plan to isolate and divide her from you would be frustrated, so that she may come to a place of stability and wisdom.
For your younger daughter, that she would remain steadfast, not swayed by an ungodly example, that she would not come to see living together outside of marriage as acceptable, but would desire a spouse who honors the Lord and the sanctity of marriage as taught in 2 Corinthians 6:14 and Ephesians 5:25, and that God would surround her with godly friendships and mentors who encourage her in the faith and protect the sweet bond she has with her siblings.
For your son, that he would be surrounded by love, acceptance and protection, that he would know he is a blessing and not a burden, that every demeaning word or look and every spirit of hatred, mockery and exclusion would flee, and that his relationships with you, his sisters, his caregivers and extended family would be strengthened in peace and joy.
For you, that the peace of God which surpasses all understanding would guard your heart and mind as promised in Philippians 4:7, that the Lord who fights for you as in Exodus 14:14 would give you courage and strength, and that He would provide for your financial needs according to His riches in Christ as in Philippians 4:19, not for selfish gain but so your home may be a sanctuary of His presence and a testimony of His provision.
Father, in the name of Jesus we lift this family to You. Cover each member with Your protection and favor. Mend what has been torn, heal what has been wounded and restore what has been lost. Remove ungodly influences and replace them with godly relationships that draw each heart closer to You. Lead this daughter out of what harms her and back to safety, bring restoration of respect, gratefulness and fellowship, and let Your unity reign in this home for Your glory. Amen.
Scripture is clear that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and that living together outside of that covenant is not marriage in God's eyes. As you noted, to join ourselves in that way outside of marriage dishonors the Lord and opens the door to spiritual bondage and deception, for the body is meant to honor God, and sexual union belongs within marriage alone as taught in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. For that reason we do not ask God to bless that living arrangement, but we join you in asking Him to bring conviction, clarity and a way out, that your older daughter would see the harm, the financial exploitation, the exhaustion and the division it has brought, and that she would turn toward what is righteous and stable.
There is encouragement in how God dealt with Jacob when He told him to return to the land of his fathers and to his family and promised, I will be with you and I will deal well with you. When Jacob prayed he reminded the Lord of that very promise. In the same way you can stand on God's character as the One who meets His people when they return to Him and to the place of family and faith where He first met them. Malachi speaks of God turning the hearts of children to their parents, and we pray that your daughter's heart would be turned back to the Lord and to the love of her family, that stubbornness would be replaced with a hunger for righteousness and that she would find freedom, safety and joy in coming home.
Scripture also shows that God knows how to deliver the righteous even when they are vexed by the way of life around them, as Peter reminds us concerning Lot. Yet Lot's story is also a warning that choosing to remain in a corrupt environment, even when a person is able to survive in it, can cost a family dearly and harm the morals and well being of children. That is why your concern for your daughter's health, her finances, her faith and her future is not small, and why it is right to pray urgently that she be led out of that environment before more harm is done.
Our hope is in Jesus Christ, our true kinsman redeemer. In the story of Ruth and Boaz, the redeemer stepped in to protect the family name and inheritance when it was about to be lost, to cover and provide and to bring rest. Jesus has done far more, having disarmed the powers of darkness and triumphed over them at the cross as Colossians 2:15 declares. Because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world according to 1 John 4:4, and because no weapon formed against you shall prosper, we can trust that the blood of Jesus is sufficient to break every chain, every word spoken against your family and every influence that seeks to divide you.
We pray with you for each of your children. For your older daughter, that the Lord would open her eyes to the selfishness and unreadiness of this man for marriage, that she would see she does not belong to him and is not responsible to carry him, but belongs to the Lord, that pride, shame and pressure would be lifted, that she would stop defending what is harmful and that every plan to isolate and divide her from you would be frustrated, so that she may come to a place of stability and wisdom.
For your younger daughter, that she would remain steadfast, not swayed by an ungodly example, that she would not come to see living together outside of marriage as acceptable, but would desire a spouse who honors the Lord and the sanctity of marriage as taught in 2 Corinthians 6:14 and Ephesians 5:25, and that God would surround her with godly friendships and mentors who encourage her in the faith and protect the sweet bond she has with her siblings.
For your son, that he would be surrounded by love, acceptance and protection, that he would know he is a blessing and not a burden, that every demeaning word or look and every spirit of hatred, mockery and exclusion would flee, and that his relationships with you, his sisters, his caregivers and extended family would be strengthened in peace and joy.
For you, that the peace of God which surpasses all understanding would guard your heart and mind as promised in Philippians 4:7, that the Lord who fights for you as in Exodus 14:14 would give you courage and strength, and that He would provide for your financial needs according to His riches in Christ as in Philippians 4:19, not for selfish gain but so your home may be a sanctuary of His presence and a testimony of His provision.
Father, in the name of Jesus we lift this family to You. Cover each member with Your protection and favor. Mend what has been torn, heal what has been wounded and restore what has been lost. Remove ungodly influences and replace them with godly relationships that draw each heart closer to You. Lead this daughter out of what harms her and back to safety, bring restoration of respect, gratefulness and fellowship, and let Your unity reign in this home for Your glory. Amen.
