We join with you in prayer over the heavy burden you are carrying for your neighborhood and for so many lives touched by divorce, and we hear your cry to rebuke the torment, violence, confusion and sabotage that has spread.
We agree that divorce brings deep ruin and tragedy when it is outside of God's design. Scripture is clear that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, joined by God Himself. Matthew 19:6 says So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don't let man tear apart. And Malachi 2:16 says For I hate divorce, says Yahweh, the God of Israel. You quoted Matthew 19:8-9 correctly where Jesus said, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery. We affirm this truth with you, that hardness of heart, sexual immorality, and unrepentant sin are at the root, not God's will from the beginning. Where divorce has occurred unbiblically, we must not treat it lightly or as contagious to be repeated, but call for repentance, healing, and where possible reconciliation, or otherwise a life of faithfulness and purity before the Lord.
We also rebuke with you the violence, domestic abuse, aggression and sabotage you describe. The anger of man and the harming of a spouse or family member is sin and has no place among God's people. Ephesians 5:25 calls husbands to love their wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it, and Colossians 3:19 says Husbands, love your wives, and don't be bitter against them. James 1:19-20 reminds us So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God. Domestic violence is not only sin before God but also a crime before the authorities, and those who practice such things and end up in prison are experiencing the consequence of that sin. Romans 13:4 tells us the governing authority does not bear the sword in vain. We pray for justice and protection for victims, and we encourage anyone in danger to seek safety and to involve lawful help and pastoral counsel immediately. Romans 12:18 says If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.
You mentioned idle demons, meddling in another house, false imitation, bewitched confusion and torment that spreads from family to family, to friendships, to businesses, to marriages and relationships. We rebuke that spirit of confusion and division. God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33. And we are warned in Ephesians 4:27 not to give place to the devil. When a house is left empty and idle, the enemy seeks to occupy it. Matthew 12:43-45 warns of the unclean spirit returning to an empty house. The answer is not to remain empty, but to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Galatians 5:19-23 contrasts the works of the flesh which you rightly noted, including envy, drunkenness, orgies, hatred, jealousy, anger and rivalries, with the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Titus 3:3-5 describes our former state so well, For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, he saved us. Only Christ can break that cycle of malice and envy and fake ties.
You also asked for prayer for all women and men and girlfriends and boyfriends who have been through bad divorce. We want to gently correct and encourage here from Scripture. We believe in the sanctity of marriage and we encourage those in courtship to see being a boyfriend or girlfriend not as a casual partnership or as a relationship for sexual intimacy, but as purposeful courtship with the goal of marriage to another Christian believer. 2 Corinthians 6:14. Sex before or outside of marriage is fornication or adultery and is sin before God. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says Flee sexual immorality. Hebrews 13:4 says Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. If people are living together or sexually involved outside of marriage after a divorce, we call them to repentance, to purity, and to seek either reconciliation where biblically appropriate or to remain single and celibate while seeking the Lord's will for a future godly marriage that honors Him. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman for life, and any other arrangement including same sex relationships is forbidden and called immorality in Scripture.
We also thank you for invoking the name of Jesus Christ, for it is only through Him that we have access to God and salvation. 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 none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved. We cling to that name together.
So we pray together with you now.
Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ we come before Your throne of grace. We rebuke the spirit of divorce, violence, sabotage, and confusion that has tormented this neighborhood and spread to families, friendships, businesses and marriages. We ask You to throw down every stronghold and imagination that exalts itself against Your knowledge, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, as 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 teaches. Lord, protect the vulnerable from domestic abuse and aggression, heal the brokenhearted for You are near to those who have a broken heart and saves those who have a crushed spirit as Psalm 34:18 promises, and bring conviction and repentance to those who have done violence and to those who meddle and sow confusion in another's house. We pray for those in prison, that they would truly repent, receive Jesus as Savior, and be transformed by Your mercy. We pray for every man and woman wounded by divorce, and for those in courtship, that You would lead them away from fornication and toward purity, toward godly spouses and marriages that honor You, or to contentment in singleness serving You. Fill every idle and unoccupied heart with Your Holy Spirit so the enemy has no place. Let Your peace that passes all understanding guard hearts and homes, and let Your people be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger, pursuing peace with all men as much as it depends on us. We ask for wisdom for neighbors to not gossip or retaliate but to pray, to love, and to uphold truth in love. Restore what the enemy has sought to ruin, and let Your will be done in that community as it is in heaven. We ask all this in the mighty and only saving name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, amen.