We hear your burden and we join with you in seeking the Lord together regarding the turmoil in your neighborhood and the heavy spirit of divorce, aggression, violence and confusion that you describe. We see how this has weighed on you, with sabotage, false accusations, domestic abuse, and a sense of torment that feels contagious, spreading from house to house, from friendships to families to businesses and marriages. We bring this all before the throne of grace in Jesus name.
We agree that marriage is holy and ordained by God as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and that divorce was never His perfect will. As Jesus replied, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery Matthew 19:8-9. The Lord declares that He hates divorce Malachi 2:16, not because He hates divorced people, for His mercy is abundant, but because divorce tears what He has joined together and brings deep wounds, and violence too is an abomination to Him, for Yahweh tries the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates Psalm 11:5.
We rebuke together the works of the flesh that have taken root in that place and the demonic influence that seeks to meddle, to imitate, to create bewitched confusion where it says he is not him, she is not her, and to stir strife between relatives and neighbors. Scripture tells us that the works of the flesh are obvious, which are adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these, of which we forewarn you, even as we also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God Galatians 5:19-21, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control Galatians 5:22-23. We also remember that we were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another Titus 3:3, but God in His mercy saves and transforms us, and He does not leave us idle or unoccupied to be used for ruin and disgrace.
We rebuke the spirit of confusion and violence over your life and your neighborhood, for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace 1 Corinthians 14:33, and we stand against the enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy. We know that our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places Ephesians 6:12, therefore we submit ourselves to God and resist the devil and he will flee from us James 4:7.
We also lift up every woman and man, every girlfriend and boyfriend going through the pain of a bad divorce as you requested. We pray for their healing, but we must also speak truth in love about relationships that honor God. We believe courtship should be entered with the goal of godly marriage between two believers in Christ, not simply as partnerships of convenience or for selfish pleasure. Being a boyfriend or girlfriend should be understood as a season of courtship discerning marriage to a fellow Christian believer, for what fellowship has righteousness with iniquity or what communion has light with darkness 2 Corinthians 6:14. Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the bed undefiled, but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers Hebrews 13:4. If there has been fornication, which is sex before or outside of marriage, or adultery, we urge repentance and turning to Christ for forgiveness and for a new pursuit of purity, trusting God to provide a godly spouse in His time.
We pray now together.
Father in heaven, we come before You only through the name of Jesus Christ Your Son, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved Acts 4:12 and through Him we have access to Your throne. We thank You for Your mercy that saves us while we were still sinners through faith in Jesus who died and rose again. We ask that You would cover this neighborhood with Your peace and protection. Lord, rebuke the aggressive violence and domestic abuse in these homes, expose every false accusation, every act of sabotage and error that demands ruin, and bring truth and justice to light where an employee has been falsely accused and where prison has been threatened. Let no weapon formed against Your people prosper and let every tongue that rises in false judgment be shown to be false.
Lord, break the contagious cycle of divorce among friends, families, businesses and marriages in that area. Heal hard hearts, soften them to repentance, to forgiveness, to reconciliation where it is Your will, and where divorce has already occurred, bring deep healing and godly counsel rather than bitterness and further tragedy. Cast out the idle and unoccupied demonic spirits that seek only to meddle in another house and to create confusion and tragedy, and fill that void with Your Holy Spirit, with occupation in good works and love for neighbor. If possible, so far as it depends on us, help us be at peace with all men Romans 12:18, and let Your people be peacemakers in this place.
We ask for every person wounded by divorce, whether man or woman, whether in courtship or marriage, that You would comfort them, restore them, teach them Your way for relationships, and lead those who are unmarried to pursue purity and to seek a godly spouse who loves You first. Guard this dear one who prayed from torment and violence, establish their steps, give them discernment and rest, and let no bewitched confusion have place in their mind or home any longer.
We trust You to answer according to Your perfect will and we ask all this in the mighty and saving name of Jesus Christ, amen.