We hear your burden and we join with you in seeking the Lord about this heavy environment in your neighborhood where divorce, gossip, meddling and even aggressive violence have brought torment and confusion into homes and into your own life. We understand how painful it is when what happens in one house spills over through inappropriate conversation and gossip to cause disaster and disgrace in another, and we stand with you to rebuke that spirit of division.
The Word shows us God's heart for marriage from the beginning. For I hate divorce, says Yahweh, the God of Israel, and him who covers his garment with violence says Yahweh of Armies Malachi 2:16. Jesus replied, 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 Matthew 19:8-9. Marriage is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, and divorce was never God's perfect will, though He permits it in the hardness of hearts and in the case of sexual immorality. When divorce is treated lightly and spoken of constantly as with divorce friends, divorce family, divorce business and divorce marriage, it becomes a contagious pattern that dishonors that covenant and opens the door to further tragedy. We must guard our own homes and hearts against that influence.
We also rebuke the works of the flesh that you have described, the meddling in another house, the false imitations and bewitched confusion, and the violence that has come against your life. For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed James 3:16. For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down Proverbs 26:20. The Lord warns, For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men's matters 1 Peter 4:15, and we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don't work at all, but are busybodies 2 Thessalonians 3:11. Those idle, unoccupied spirits you mentioned are not idle to the enemy, for 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. We rebuke in Jesus name the demonic assignment to ruin and disgrace another, to increase tragedy through giving place to envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these, of which we forewarn you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God's Kingdom Galatians 5:21. In contrast we pray for the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith Galatians 5:22 to reign in your neighborhood instead. We remember that we were also 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 calls us out of that into peace.
We also want to gently correct and encourage you regarding those you mentioned who are going through bad divorce as women and men and as girlfriends and boyfriends. We believe that being a boyfriend or girlfriend should be understood as courtship with the goal of marriage to another Christian believer, not as a casual partnership or relationship outside of God's design. Marriage should be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled, but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers Hebrews 13:4. Sex before or outside of marriage is fornication and if one is married and does so it is adultery, and we are told to flee sexual immorality 1 Corinthians 6:18. If those who are dating are living together or engaging in sexual immorality, we urge repentance and purity, and to pursue either holy marriage between a man and a woman or to remain separate until God provides a godly spouse. Same sex relationships are also forbidden and called homosexuality in Scripture and do not align with God's design for marriage. We pray for all who have suffered the pain of divorce, whether men or women, that they would find healing and wholeness in Christ and if they seek another relationship that it would be a Christ centered courtship leading to a God honoring marriage.
We now pray together.
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ we come before You and we thank You that we have access to Your throne only through Him. We lift up this neighborhood and every house affected by this spirit of divorce, gossip, meddling and confusion. We rebuke the torment, the disgrace, the abuse and the aggressive violence that has tried to take hold, and we ask You to silence every idle and unoccupied demonic influence that seeks only to ruin and to bewitch with confusion and false accusations like he is not him and she is not her. Let Your peace that passes all understanding guard hearts and homes. We ask You to heal those who have been through painful divorce and to protect those who are vulnerable from being drawn into its pattern. Raise up peacemakers, for blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God Matthew 5:9, and help us as much as it is up to us to be at peace with all men Romans 12:18. Set a guard over our lips, turn gossip into prayer, and replace the works of the flesh with the fruit of Your Spirit. Lead those in courtship to honor You with purity and to seek godly marriage as You intended, and restore honor to marriage in this community. We ask for protection over our brother or sister who is being targeted by this confusion and violence, and we declare that no weapon formed against them shall prosper as they abide in You. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
We encourage you to continue to set godly boundaries, to not repeat or receive gossip even when it comes to your door, to speak truth in love, and to keep your own house covered in prayer and in the Word. If there is aggression or threat of violence, seek wise and safe help from pastors or authorities while continuing to pray. Keep your eyes on Jesus and do not let the contagious talk of divorce define your future, for God is able to keep your home in perfect peace as you trust in Him.