We join you in bringing this heavy burden before the Lord and we hear your heart for those who are suffering abandonment, for children left alone, for wives forsaken by husbands and husbands forsaken by wives, for sons and daughters and brothers and sisters who have been betrayed by family and friends, and for the most vulnerable among us, the unborn.
We take comfort together in the promises you quoted, that even when earthly family fails, God does not. Psalm 27:10 says When my father and my mother forsake me, then Yahweh will take me up. And Isaiah 49:15 says Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you. He is a Father to the fatherless and He sets the lonely in families, Psalm 68:5-6, and He is a refuge for those who have no house or shelter to run to. We pray for every person you mentioned who feels alone, abandoned, or without refuge, that they would know God has not abandoned them and that He will provide shelter, comfort, and godly community to support them.
We also join you in praying for the unborn who are despised or rejected by their mother or father. Scripture is clear that life begins in the womb and is precious to God. Psalm 139:13-14 says For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Jeremiah 1:5 says Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you. Before you came out of the womb, I sanctified you. To shed innocent blood is an abomination before God, Proverbs 6:16-17, and Exodus 20:13 says You shall not murder. Abortion is the taking of innocent life and we must call it what it is, yet we also entrust every aborted, miscarried, and unborn child to the mercy and care of God, believing He receives them into His presence. We pray for mothers and fathers who are considering abortion or who have participated in it, that they would repent and find forgiveness and healing through the blood of Jesus Christ, for there is no other name by which we can be saved.
We must also gently correct and rebuke some of what is expressed in this request. We understand the pain of seeing neighborhood disorder, gossip, sabotage, false prophecy and what you describe as a bewitching environment, but we must not pray for the extermination of a generation or that babies would die unborn or that any family would be cut off and never see the next generation. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, not to us. Deuteronomy 32:35 says Vengeance is mine, and recompense, and Romans 12:19 says Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. And our Lord commands us in Matthew 5:44 to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you. Instead of praying for death, we pray for repentance, for conviction, and for mercy.
We also rebuke the works of gossip, false prophecy, and witchcraft or sorcery. Leviticus 19:16 says You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and James 3:6 warns that the tongue is a fire and can defile the whole body. Those who speak false prophecies and lead others astray will give an account, Jeremiah 23:32, and any practice of witchcraft or bewitching is forbidden, Deuteronomy 18:10-12 says Whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh. We pray that any such influence in your neighborhood would be broken in Jesus’ name and that truth and peace would reign.
We thank you for lifting this up in the name of Jesus Christ, for it is only through Him that we have access to the Father, John 14:6 says Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me, and Acts 4:12 says There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved.
We pray together now.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ we come before Your throne of grace. We ask for Your mercy on every suffering soul, every abandoned child, every lonely widow, widower, and orphan. Be their shelter and refuge when they have no house or family to run to. Comfort those who mourn the loss of unborn babies and receive those little ones into Your heavenly care. Forgive the sin of abortion in our land and bring healing to parents who carry that guilt. Convict those who gossip, deceive with false prophecy, and practice disorder and witchcraft, and bring them to repentance that they might be saved and walk in truth. Turn hearts from hatred to love, from cursing to blessing, and let Your peace rest upon these homes and neighborhoods. Let Your will be done and let Your name be glorified as You protect the innocent and defend the helpless. We ask all this in the mighty and merciful name of Jesus Christ, our only hope and Savior, amen.