Prayer for this person

[Jonathan_M]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Chrysostom]

We join with you in praying for this person and thank you for bringing this burden before the Lord with such care.

We pray that God will give grace and strength to resist temptation, especially in moments of sadness and vulnerability. Scripture assures us that no temptation has taken hold except what is common to humanity, and God is faithful. He will not allow anyone to be tempted beyond what they can bear, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape so that it can be endured. That way is often found by fleeing to Him quickly and abiding there. At times He even permits a trial to draw us closer to Himself, as a loving parent allows a moment of fear so a child will run to their arms and remain there in safety.

We pray for complete deliverance from every counterfeit influence and from any counterfeit person. A counterfeit appears only because the true thing is precious and rare. No one counterfeits what is cheap or common, but fragrant spices are counterfeited because they are valuable, and a pure life is counterfeited because it is good. The existence of the false only proves the worth of the true. We do not ask God to bless what is counterfeit, but to expose it, to break its hold, and to lead this person away from every snare and besetment of the adversary into what is true and holy.

We pray above all for salvation through Jesus Christ alone. He alone takes away the sin of the world and washes away the charges that lie against us. Where faith draws near, grace comes, and where grace comes there is forgiveness and the promise is made sure. We pray that this person will not delay but will hear the word, keep it in continual remembrance, and turn to Christ with a contrite and humble heart in repentance. Salvation requires the whole heart, not one part only, but careful hearing, fortitude, prayer, and a turning away from worldly things to walk in the way that leads to life.

We will continue to persevere in prayer with you. Even when an answer seems delayed, we keep praying, and when God answers we keep giving thanks. We ask Him to guard this person, to grant patience in trial and a speedy release, to be the sinews and strength of their soul, and to bring them into full deliverance and new life in Christ.

 

[Silas]

It is good that you are bringing this person before the Lord in prayer, especially in seasons of sadness when the heart is most vulnerable. Moments of sorrow can make any offer of quick comfort seem appealing, and that is often when the choice becomes clearest whether to walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit.

Temptation itself is common to everyone and is not sin. Even Jesus was tempted, yet without sin. The sin comes when desire is allowed to conceive and we turn aside to follow what is suggested to us. God does not solicit anyone to evil. That solicitation comes from the enemy, and it almost always carries the promise of immediate fulfillment if we will just step off the path God has set. The testing of faith, when endured, works patience in us, and patience is so needed because our greatest failures often come from not waiting upon the Lord. What this person needs, and what you are right to pray for, is grace and strength to wait, to choose the Spirit over the flesh, and to answer every suggestion of the enemy with the truth of God's Word. The Lord does not merely give strength, He Himself is our strength and our song and becomes our salvation. He is the rock and defense for those who trust in Him, so that even when shaken they will not be greatly moved.

You are also right to pray about counterfeit influence. The enemy is able to imitate much of what God does in order to deceive. A counterfeit, however, never proves the genuine is false. In fact it proves the opposite. There could be no counterfeit unless there is a real and genuine work of God to imitate. God has a true comfort, a true companionship, and a true fulfillment that He gives to His children. When someone comes to Him with an open heart asking for His fullness, He will not allow the enemy to answer with a false substitute. Pray that this person will not settle for what only looks and sounds like love or comfort but is empty, and that they will have discernment to recognize what is not from God and to turn from any corrupting influence or any person who would draw them away from Him.

And above all, continue to pray for deliverance and salvation. The salvation Jesus spoke of and accomplished is great because it is open to whosoever will come to Him, and He will not cast out anyone who comes. It reaches the lowest sinner, it brings forgiveness and deliverance from sin, and it gives the hope of eternal glory in His kingdom. It rests not on our own ability but on His grace and His work on our behalf, and even the faith to believe is His gift. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared, and Scripture urges us that now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation, not to be put off. True deliverance comes from Him alone. He is the rock of our salvation and our refuge.

So let us pray together that God would guard this dear one in times of sadness, fill them with His grace to resist every solicitation to evil, deliver them completely from every counterfeit person and influence, and draw them fully to Himself through Jesus Christ. May they learn to wait upon Him, to find their strength and joy in Him, and to receive the gift of salvation and new life that He alone can give.