Silas
Beloved of All
Your heart to see Jesus glorified in your family is precious to the Lord, and your desire to plead the blood of Jesus as the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and cleanses from all sin is exactly where our confidence rests. There is no other provision God has made for sin, and salvation comes only through faith in Him.
What you are asking for your family touches the greatest need first, which is salvation. Scripture says the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people, and that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. To confess Him now and submit to His Lordship now means salvation and eternal life. There will be a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, but that confession then will not be unto salvation, it will be the acknowledgment of those who rejected Him. This is why the Word says now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Do not put off His offer, and do not stop praying for your unsaved loved ones to hear the gospel while the door is open. This salvation is great because it is open to whosoever will come, it reaches the lowest sinner, it was first spoken by the Lord Himself, and He is the captain and originator of it. He made salvation outside our own ability and placed it wholly on His grace and His work through Jesus, even giving us the faith to believe. Our part is to receive what He has done.
Because you have received Him, you are called to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. That does not mean to work for your salvation as if you could earn it. It means to live out with diligence and reverence what God has already worked in you by His grace. That includes the repentance you are asking for, the desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to love Him first and to obey Him, and to walk in wisdom. God will guide you as you ask Him.
You have also asked for healing, deliverance, protection and help with so many practical burdens, for spasms to be removed, for trauma and rejection and wounds to be healed, for friends and favor at school, for help with tests and work and meetings and leadership. The Lord does heal. Isaiah spoke of Him bearing our sicknesses and Matthew shows that this includes physical healing as well as healing from sin, and Jesus showed His power to heal in many ways, sometimes instantly, sometimes gradually, sometimes with a touch, sometimes with a word, sometimes through the natural processes of healing He Himself created which are still divine. At the same time we do not always understand His ways in healing. Paul prayed three times for his thorn and the Lord had a different purpose in that case. Healing is real and we should keep asking, but the greatest miracle in any life is the forgiveness of sins. Keep bringing every physical and emotional need to Him and trust His wisdom and love to do what is best, whether His answer is immediate, gradual, or a deeper work of sustaining grace.
Your prayers for protection are according to His promises. He does invite you to call upon Him in the day of trouble as Psalm 50 says, and He promises to answer. Psalm 91 speaks of dwelling under His shelter, and Isaiah 54 says no weapon formed against you shall prosper and that righteousness and peace are the heritage of His people. You asked according to Luke 18 that He would act quickly for His own. He hears the cry of His elect and will not delay beyond His perfect time. Pleading the blood of Jesus and asking for His protection around you and your thoughts and emotions is a right expression of trust in the Lamb, and we can ask Him to guard and keep you by His Spirit.
For the relationships you mentioned, we join you in praying for salvation and deliverance above all. We do not ask God to bless relationships that are outside His design, but we ask Him to save, to bring deliverance from bondage, addictions and compulsions, to block what is not good and to lead each person into purity and holiness. God's design for marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and all sexual intimacy and living together belong within that covenant. So we pray that where relationships are not aligned with that, God will bring conviction, repentance, and either bring them into alignment with His will or bring them to an end, and that each person involved would come to know Jesus and walk in freedom. We also pray for your children and loved ones who need friends, confidence, help with schoolwork and healing of burnout, that the Lord would strengthen their faith, let them know He hears their prayers, give them godly friendships and favor, and heal every part of their being.
You were honest about failing often and about venting in frustration. His mercies are indeed new every morning, and there is forgiveness and cleansing when we confess. The family of God is a deep bond, even closer than natural family ties when family members do not yet know the Lord, and He will build you up as you gather with His people and experience His presence.
We pray with you that Jesus would be first in your home, your work, your decisions and your service, that He would give you wisdom for planning and leading and shepherding, that He would turn what the enemy meant for evil into great blessing, and that He would give you real encounters with Himself and clear signs of encouragement. Keep seeking Him, keep standing on His Word, and keep bringing every detail to Him. He is able to save, to heal, to deliver, to protect, and to keep you in perfect peace as you trust Him.
What you are asking for your family touches the greatest need first, which is salvation. Scripture says the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people, and that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. To confess Him now and submit to His Lordship now means salvation and eternal life. There will be a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, but that confession then will not be unto salvation, it will be the acknowledgment of those who rejected Him. This is why the Word says now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. Do not put off His offer, and do not stop praying for your unsaved loved ones to hear the gospel while the door is open. This salvation is great because it is open to whosoever will come, it reaches the lowest sinner, it was first spoken by the Lord Himself, and He is the captain and originator of it. He made salvation outside our own ability and placed it wholly on His grace and His work through Jesus, even giving us the faith to believe. Our part is to receive what He has done.
Because you have received Him, you are called to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. That does not mean to work for your salvation as if you could earn it. It means to live out with diligence and reverence what God has already worked in you by His grace. That includes the repentance you are asking for, the desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to love Him first and to obey Him, and to walk in wisdom. God will guide you as you ask Him.
You have also asked for healing, deliverance, protection and help with so many practical burdens, for spasms to be removed, for trauma and rejection and wounds to be healed, for friends and favor at school, for help with tests and work and meetings and leadership. The Lord does heal. Isaiah spoke of Him bearing our sicknesses and Matthew shows that this includes physical healing as well as healing from sin, and Jesus showed His power to heal in many ways, sometimes instantly, sometimes gradually, sometimes with a touch, sometimes with a word, sometimes through the natural processes of healing He Himself created which are still divine. At the same time we do not always understand His ways in healing. Paul prayed three times for his thorn and the Lord had a different purpose in that case. Healing is real and we should keep asking, but the greatest miracle in any life is the forgiveness of sins. Keep bringing every physical and emotional need to Him and trust His wisdom and love to do what is best, whether His answer is immediate, gradual, or a deeper work of sustaining grace.
Your prayers for protection are according to His promises. He does invite you to call upon Him in the day of trouble as Psalm 50 says, and He promises to answer. Psalm 91 speaks of dwelling under His shelter, and Isaiah 54 says no weapon formed against you shall prosper and that righteousness and peace are the heritage of His people. You asked according to Luke 18 that He would act quickly for His own. He hears the cry of His elect and will not delay beyond His perfect time. Pleading the blood of Jesus and asking for His protection around you and your thoughts and emotions is a right expression of trust in the Lamb, and we can ask Him to guard and keep you by His Spirit.
For the relationships you mentioned, we join you in praying for salvation and deliverance above all. We do not ask God to bless relationships that are outside His design, but we ask Him to save, to bring deliverance from bondage, addictions and compulsions, to block what is not good and to lead each person into purity and holiness. God's design for marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and all sexual intimacy and living together belong within that covenant. So we pray that where relationships are not aligned with that, God will bring conviction, repentance, and either bring them into alignment with His will or bring them to an end, and that each person involved would come to know Jesus and walk in freedom. We also pray for your children and loved ones who need friends, confidence, help with schoolwork and healing of burnout, that the Lord would strengthen their faith, let them know He hears their prayers, give them godly friendships and favor, and heal every part of their being.
You were honest about failing often and about venting in frustration. His mercies are indeed new every morning, and there is forgiveness and cleansing when we confess. The family of God is a deep bond, even closer than natural family ties when family members do not yet know the Lord, and He will build you up as you gather with His people and experience His presence.
We pray with you that Jesus would be first in your home, your work, your decisions and your service, that He would give you wisdom for planning and leading and shepherding, that He would turn what the enemy meant for evil into great blessing, and that He would give you real encounters with Himself and clear signs of encouragement. Keep seeking Him, keep standing on His Word, and keep bringing every detail to Him. He is able to save, to heal, to deliver, to protect, and to keep you in perfect peace as you trust Him.
