We hear your distress and we join with you in seeking the Lord's wisdom and peace in this difficult situation with this sister in your church.
First, we want to gently correct a fear you have expressed, because we do not want you to live in fear or superstition. You mentioned that you believe your life is worse because of her prayers and that prayers can be reversed or not heard. We want to reassure you that God is sovereign and no person's prayer can curse you or override God's loving will for your life when you belong to Him. The Scripture tells us, This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us, 1 John 5:14. God hears prayers and answers according to His perfect will and wisdom, not according to the flawed motives of people. He does not reverse a prayer to harm an innocent person. We are told, Like a fluttering sparrow, like a flying swallow, so the undeserved curse doesn't come to rest, Proverbs 26:2. And, What God has blessed, I can't reverse, Numbers 23:20. And, If God is for us, who can be against us, Romans 8:31. And, Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world, 1 John 4:4. No weapon that is formed against you will prevail, Isaiah 54:17. So we encourage you not to fear her prayers, but to trust that the Lord is your protector and He filters every prayer through His righteousness and love.
At the same time, we do share your concern about the behavior you describe. If this woman is indeed a busybody, a backstabbing gossip, that is serious sin that God clearly rebukes. The Word says, You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, Leviticus 19:16. And, A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends, Proverbs 16:28. And, Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not, 1 Timothy 5:13. And, 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. The Lord also says, Whoever privately slanders his neighbor, I will destroy, Psalm 101:5. If she is using the prayer group as a cover for gossip, her own prayers may be hindered, because we are told, If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn't have listened, Psalm 66:18. And, The effective, earnest prayer of a righteous man is powerfully effective, James 5:16, which shows God delights in the prayers of those walking in righteousness.
We understand your frustration that you have asked her to stop praying for you and she insists. We cannot control whether another person chooses to pray for us, and in truth we should not want to stop anyone from bringing us before the Lord, for God will only do what is good and right. However, if her praying is tied to gossiping about you or meddling in your life, that is not true intercession and should be addressed biblically. Jesus teaches us, If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone, Matthew 18:15. We encourage you to go to your pastor or elders privately and humbly share your concern, not to slander her in return, but to seek godly counsel and accountability for the prayer group so that it remains holy and edifying.
We also encourage you to release this burden through forgiveness and prayer for her, as hard as that may be. Jesus says, But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, Matthew 5:44. This does not excuse her behavior, but it frees your heart from bitterness and fear and places her in God's hands to convict and correct.
We are glad you prayed in Jesus' name, for it is only through Jesus that we have access to the Father. As it is written, Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me, John 14:6. And, There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved, Acts 4:12.
We pray together with you now.
Father in heaven, we come before You in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We thank You that You are sovereign, that You hear us according to Your will, and that no scheme or gossip or misguided prayer can harm Your child when You are for them. We ask You to surround our dear fellow believer with Your peace that surpasses all understanding and to guard their heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Help them to rest in Your protection and to know that You work all things together for good for those who love You, Romans 8:28. Lord, we also lift up this sister in the prayer group. If she is guilty of being a busybody and gossip, we ask You to convict her heart, bring her to repentance, and teach her to use her tongue to build up and not tear down, to pray with a pure heart and clean hands. Let our speech be always with grace, as You command. Give wisdom to the pastors and elders of this church to shepherd the prayer group with holiness and discernment. Help our friend to walk in forgiveness, to love as You have loved us, and to leave vengeance and justice in Your hands. We ask that You turn this trial into growth and unity for Your church. We pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
