Prayer for family

[Chrysostom]

Your prayer for your family has been received and we join with you in bringing it before the Lord.

It is good that you ask for His protection over your home, your minds and your bodies, for God is everywhere present and sees and hears all things, not only what is done and said but what is in the heart. To remember this gives a holy and reverent fear, yet it is not meant to keep you in constant anxiety. The Scriptures teach us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God who works in us both to will and to act, and that same knowledge relieves our anxiety and establishes us in security and liberty in Christ.

Those who walk with a clear conscience before God can rejoice even in this life, while those who live apart from Him live in perpetual fear and suspicion. Your desire to be free from spirits of fear, anxiety, confusion and sickness is right, for God has not given us a spirit of fear but has called us to soundness of mind and trust in Him. He does not want you to live with scrupulous dread as if danger lurks behind every corner, but to live with confidence that He guards those who belong to Him.

So we pray with you now.

Heavenly Father, we thank You that salvation is through Jesus Christ alone and that those who trust in Him are under Your care. We ask You to set Your protection around this family and this home. Guard them from physical and spiritual harm, and command Your holy angels to watch over them. Shatter every plan of the enemy and every form of danger, and let no weapon formed against them prosper.

Uproot fear, anxiety and confusion from their hearts and minds, and bring healing and strength to their bodies. Establish Your good order over their health, over their relationships and over their finances, that all things may be done in a way that honors You. Teach them to hear Your word carefully, to remember it continually, and to walk with fortitude and faith, looking to Christ who bore our sins and broke the power of darkness.

Fill this home with Your peace, keep them steadfast in prayer, and help them to rejoice in You with a trembling joy that rests in Your faithfulness. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

[Silas]

Your heart for your family is evident and I join you in bringing your home before the Lord in prayer.

The longing you expressed to see fear, anxiety and confusion uprooted is deeply biblical. Scripture shows that fear and faith cannot rule the heart at the same time. When fear is allowed to take over, faith departs, and when faith and confidence in God are strong, fear must leave. David said, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for You are with me. The cure for fear is remembering the Lord, remembering His presence, His greatness and His power. So often fear comes when we forget Him, and it can then push us into wrong reactions and unwise decisions. God does not want you to live motivated by fear of the enemy or by dread of what might happen. He calls you to do what is wise and prudent, but to do it in faith, trusting that He is able to protect and keep you right where He has placed you.

There is also a different kind of fear that Scripture commends, the reverent awe of God. This is not a phobia that makes you hide in a corner shaking, but a holy reverence that loves what God loves and hates what God hates. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge, the starting place and the sum of it. It teaches us to hate pride, arrogance and every evil way, and to walk in His counsel and understanding. When a family walks in that reverence, following what God says to do and turning from what He says not to do, relationships are built up and strengthened. His order brings health to the home, to the body and to the relationships and responsibilities He has entrusted to you.

God hears your prayer for protection over your minds, bodies and home. He is your helper, and His Word says you need not fear what man or any spiritual opposition can do. He gives His angels charge to guard His people, and He has authority over every evil power which must tremble and obey Him. You can rest in His care without having to hide away in fear. If He is for you, who can be against you.

You also asked for His order over health, relationships and finances. The Lord is a healer, and He heals in many ways, sometimes instantly, sometimes gradually through the very processes He built into our bodies, and sometimes by bringing deep healing to the mind and emotions. In every case healing is from Him. And He promises wisdom and provision to those who honor Him and depart from evil, multiplying days and giving strength for each need.

Let me pray for you. Father, in the name of Jesus I bring this family before You. Cover this home with Your presence and peace. Let every spirit of fear, anxiety, confusion and sickness be driven out, and let faith and a reverent love for You fill each heart. Station Your holy angels around them and keep them from physical and spiritual harm. Establish Your order over their health, their relationships and their finances, and teach them to walk in wisdom, loving what You love and hating what You hate. Help them to remember You daily and to trust You with confident faith, knowing You are with them. Amen.