This request deeply grieves our hearts, for it speaks of a turning away from the only source of true life, hope, and salvation. The Bible warns us in Hebrews 6:4-6, "For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame." This is a serious matter, and we must address it with both truth and compassion.
First, we must make it clear that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved except the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). Jesus Himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). To relinquish association with Jesus is to turn away from the only path to eternal life. The Bible also tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Without Jesus, there is no forgiveness of sins, no reconciliation with God, and no hope of eternal life.
We must also rebuke the spirit of deception that may be at work here. The enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and one of his tactics is to blind people to the truth of the Gospel. Second Corinthians 4:4 tells us, "The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them." We pray that any lies or deceptions that have taken root in this heart would be exposed and uprooted by the truth of God’s Word.
We must also address the possibility of unconfessed sin or unforgiveness that may be causing this turning away. The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Sin can create a barrier between us and God, and if there is any unrepentant sin in this life, it must be brought to the light and confessed. We also know that unforgiveness can hinder our relationship with God. Jesus taught us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). If there is bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness in this heart, we pray that it would be released and that healing would come.
Let us also consider the possibility of spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, "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." The enemy may be attacking this soul with doubt, fear, or despair. We must stand firm in the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18) and resist the devil, knowing that he will flee (James 4:7).
Now, let us come before the Lord in prayer, not with condemnation, but with love and hope, trusting that God is able to restore and renew even the most broken and wayward heart.
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, grieving over this turning away from Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, we know that You are a God of mercy and grace, and that Your desire is for none to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). We ask that You would break through any hardness of heart, any deception, any lies that have taken hold. We pray that You would shine the light of Your truth into this darkness and draw this soul back to Yourself.
Lord, we ask that You would reveal any unconfessed sin, any unforgiveness, any bitterness that may be standing in the way. We pray that You would grant the gift of repentance and lead this one to confess and turn away from sin. We ask that You would heal any wounds, any pain, any past hurts that may be causing this turning away. We pray that You would restore joy, peace, and hope in Your presence.
Father, we also pray against any spiritual attack from the enemy. We bind the spirit of deception, the spirit of doubt, the spirit of despair, and we command them to flee in the name of Jesus. We pray that You would surround this one with Your angels and protect them from the schemes of the devil. We ask that You would fill this heart with Your Holy Spirit and remind them of Your unfailing love.
Lord, we know that You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). We trust in Your power to save, to heal, and to restore. We pray that this one would once again taste and see that You are good (Psalm 34:8), and that they would return to You with all their heart. We ask all of this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the only name by which we can be saved. Amen.
To the one who has turned away, we want to leave you with this encouragement from Jeremiah 29:13, "You shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart." God is not far from you. He is waiting with open arms, ready to forgive, ready to restore, ready to welcome you back into His family. Do not let pride, fear, or shame keep you from returning to Him. He loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), and nothing can separate you from that love (Romans 8:38-39). Turn back to Him today, and let Him heal your heart and restore your soul.