Sister

[Dhitlor]

Please pray for me about this: I really don't want a relationship with my oldest sister anymore. She often treats my parents and I (and even our other sister who passed away years ago) poorly in comparison to other people for no reason. There are likely certain factors that have influenced this behavior toward us including certain people in my mother's family influencing her to behave this way toward us. Recently she started behaving negatively toward me randomly (which is a pattern she often displays). I believe her treatment toward me recently may have been due to spiritual warfare that has been attacking me through other people who are vulnerable to being used (in retaliation for me leaving the new age and coming back to Christ) attacking me through her. However, it has still been very hurtful and I feel this is the last straw. When she treats me like this, it's incredibly demeaning and my parents and I are who she always calls when she needs something including childcare for her child - sometimes even if she's been mistreating us, she'll still ask us to do things for her and her attitude toward us will shift toward being nice because she needs us for something. Her husband is also likely influencing her to behave this way toward me. I have never had a good relationship with him and likely never will as there is something seriously spiritually wrong with him (he is not a Christian at all; he was raised in a cult disguised as Christianity which he has never actually denounced and the fruit of his life is clear - he is not a Christian at all; there's something extremely dark about him) and he has targeted me heavily both in front of my sister and behind her back. He has been used strongly by this warfare I mentioned to target me. My sister is a professing Christian. Please pray for me. I'm tired of her treating me like this. I really want nothing more to do with her. I also pray that God would defend me against her. Thank you.

 

[Articles]

We hear the deep pain and exhaustion in your heart, and we stand with you before the Lord, lifting this heavy burden to Him. Family relationships are meant to reflect God’s love, grace, and unity, yet when they become sources of hurt, manipulation, and spiritual attack, it wounds the soul in ways that only the Holy Spirit can heal. You are not wrong to feel the way you do, prolonged mistreatment, especially from a sister who professes Christ, is a grievous thing. The Bible tells us, "If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:18 WEB), but it does not require you to endure abuse or enable sinful patterns. There comes a point where boundaries must be drawn, not out of bitterness, but out of wisdom and self-preservation.

First, we must address the spiritual warfare you’ve described. The enemy seeks to divide, discourage, and destroy, especially those who have turned away from deception and back to Christ. Your return to the Lord has likely stirred up opposition, and the enemy will use those closest to you, even family, to try to pull you back into despair. But we declare with Scripture: "No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that accuses you in judgment. This is the heritage of the Lord’s servants, and their righteousness is from me," says the Lord (Isaiah 54:17 WEB). The darkness in your brother-in-law is real, but it is no match for the light of Christ in you. We rebuke every assignment of the enemy against you in Jesus’ name. We break the power of manipulation, deception, and division in this family, and we command every ungodly influence to flee. The Lord is your defender, and He sees every injustice done to you.

Your sister’s behavior is not just a personal failing, it is a spiritual one. As a professing Christian, she is called to love as Christ loved, to honor her parents, and to treat her siblings with kindness. Instead, she has allowed bitterness, pride, and possibly the influence of others to harden her heart. "But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another" (Galatians 5:15 WEB). Her actions reveal a heart that is not fully surrendered to the Lord, and her husband’s influence is a snare to her soul. We pray that the Holy Spirit would convict her deeply, that she would repent of her mistreatment of you and your family, and that she would seek true reconciliation, not just when she needs something, but out of genuine love. However, if she remains unrepentant, Scripture is clear: "If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring this teaching, don’t receive him into your house, and don’t welcome him, for he who welcomes him participates in his evil deeds" (2 John 1:10-11 WEB). This principle applies not just to false teachers, but to those who persist in unrepentant sin and harm within the family. You are not obligated to maintain a relationship that is toxic and one-sided.

We also lift up your parents in this. It is painful to watch your children treat one another this way, and it is understandable that they would feel torn between love and frustration. We pray for wisdom for them as they navigate this situation. May they not enable your sister’s behavior by continuing to provide for her needs while she mistreats them. Boundaries are not unloving, they are necessary for accountability and growth. "Do not be deceived: ‘Evil companionships corrupt good morals’" (1 Corinthians 15:33 WEB). If your sister and her husband are allowing darkness to influence them, your parents must guard their own hearts and homes.

Now, to your heart: You are weary, and that is understandable. But do not let bitterness take root. "See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble, and by it many become defiled" (Hebrews 12:15 WEB). It is okay to step back from this relationship. It is okay to say, "I cannot continue like this." But do so with a heart that is open to God’s healing, not one hardened by resentment. Pray for your sister, not because she deserves it, but because God calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). This does not mean you must subject yourself to her mistreatment, but it does mean you release her to the Lord and trust Him to deal with her.

We also want to gently remind you that your strength comes from the Lord, not from your own resolve. You mentioned leaving the New Age and returning to Christ, and that is a powerful testimony! But the enemy will try to make you feel isolated in your faith. Do not walk this path alone. Seek out a solid, Bible-believing church where you can find fellowship and accountability. "And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25 WEB). You need the body of Christ to stand with you, especially in times like this.

Let us pray for you now:

Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up our sister in Christ who has been deeply wounded by the actions of her family. Lord, You see every tear she has shed, every word that has cut her to the core, and every moment of exhaustion from this ongoing battle. We ask that You would be her refuge and strength, a very present help in this time of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Father, we rebuke every spirit of division, manipulation, and darkness that has infiltrated this family. We break the power of ungodly influences over her sister and brother-in-law, and we command every assignment of the enemy against her to be destroyed in the name of Jesus. Lord, defend her against those who seek to harm her, and let Your justice prevail. "The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble" (Psalm 9:9 WEB).

We pray for her sister, Lord. Soften her heart. Convict her of her sin and lead her to repentance. If she is truly Yours, bring her back to a place of humility and love. But if she remains hardened, give our sister the wisdom and strength to set boundaries that honor You. Help her to release this burden to You, trusting that You will deal with her sister justly.

Father, we ask that You would heal the wounds in her heart. Replace bitterness with Your peace, anger with Your love, and exhaustion with Your strength. Surround her with Your presence, Lord, and remind her that she is never alone. Bring godly friends and mentors into her life who can encourage her and walk with her through this trial.

We also pray for her parents, Lord. Give them wisdom as they navigate this painful situation. Help them to love their daughter without enabling her sin, and to protect their own hearts from the hurt she causes. May they find their hope and strength in You.

Finally, Lord, we ask that You would continue to draw our sister closer to You. Deepen her faith, grow her trust in You, and let her see Your hand at work even in the midst of this pain. May she find her identity in You alone, and may she rest in the knowledge that You are fighting for her.

We ask all of this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the One who has overcome the world, the One who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

We hear the exhaustion and the deep hurt in your words. When someone repeatedly demeans you and your parents, then cycles back with warmth only when she needs something, it’s not just disappointing, it’s crushing. Your weariness is not a sign of weak faith; it’s a real response to a pattern that has drained you for a long time. And when you add the weight of spiritual attack and the influence of a brother-in-law whose darkness you’ve clearly seen, it’s no wonder you feel you’ve reached the last straw.

You don’t need us to tell you that her behavior is harsh and manipulative, you’ve lived it. What we can offer is this: stepping back, even for a long season, is not the same as unforgiveness. Forgiveness can begin in your heart right now, while you also choose not to hand her more opportunities to wound you. You asked for prayer that God would defend you; sometimes his defense looks like helping you set wise, firm boundaries that protect your own spirit and your relationship with your parents. You are not required to be endlessly available for childcare or to absorb her barbs simply because she calls herself a believer.

A concrete step might be to decide, calmly and ahead of time, what you can and cannot offer right now, maybe a pause on being her emergency helper, or a honest but gentle word that you need some distance to heal. You don’t have to announce a permanent cut-off; you can simply quietly pull back and let the responsibility rest where it won’t harm you. Lean into the safe people around you, and keep asking the Lord to shield your heart.

Let’s pray.

Father, you see this sister’s weariness and the pain of being used and belittled by someone she should be able to trust. We ask you to surround her with your protection, to guard her heart from despair, and to give her wisdom about when to step away and when to pray from a distance. Heal the wounds her sister has caused, and in your own time and way, bring truth and repentance into that relationship. We trust you to be her defender and her peace, in Jesus’ name.

 

[Spurgeon]

The hurt runs deep; I do not dismiss that. When kinship, which ought to be a wellspring of comfort, becomes a repeated scourge, the soul recoils and cries out for distance. You have borne the sting of unkindness from one who shares your blood, and the weariness of having affection met with disregard is a heavy stone to carry. Yet the cry of a renewed heart cannot end with a shutting of the door, for you have been ushered into a kingdom where forgiveness is the very atmosphere you breathe.

Consider the infinite storehouse of divine pardon. There is forgiveness with God, emphatic, perpetual, unbounded forgiveness. It is not a scanty pittance doled out to the slightly stained, but a deluge that sweeps away the blackest ledgers of sin. “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions,” saith the Lord, as if He Himself marveled at the completeness of His own mercy. That same forgiveness, given to you freely for Christ’s sake, is now set before you as both your solace and your pattern. Even as Christ forgave you, so also you are called to do. This is no soft platitude; it is a stern, sweet command that crucifies the flesh and liberates the spirit.

Your sister’s conduct, the coldness, the using, the sudden shifts from scorn to smiling requests for aid, wounds you because love has been trampled. Yet to whom did you fly when the New Age darkness fell away and you rushed back to the Cross? To that same wounded Healer who, when we were His enemies, did not merely tolerate us but loved us to the death. He did not keep a record of our base returns; He blotted out the handwriting that was against us. Have you forgotten how you stood before Him, a debtor with nothing to pay, and He freely, royally forgave you all that debt? That memory must become the engine of your conduct. It is a joint-stock business of mutual forgiveness, and Christians are to take large shares in it. The more you have been forgiven, and oh, the vastness of that remission!, the more natural it should become for you to open your hand and release the petty debts others owe you.

You speak of spiritual warfare, of a husband who is a vessel of darkness, of your sister being used as a tool. I do not doubt it. The enemy of souls delights to strike the child of God through the hands of those nearest to her. But what is our safeguard? It is not to build a fortress of resentment, for that is to give place to the devil. The safeguard of forgiveness is that it keeps our hearts from being poisoned. When David was forgiven, he received it as one who knew the condemnation from which pardon had delivered him; it made sin exceeding sinful to him. So too, when you forgive, you are not saying that the wrong was nothing, but that you have seen a greater wrong, your own, engulfed by a greater mercy. Vengeance is paltry; it shrivels the soul. Forgiveness is great-minded, for it leaves the matter with Him who judges righteously.

This does not mean you must lay your neck perpetually under a yoke of manipulation. To forgive is to cancel the debt in your heart, to desire her true good, and to act without malice. It may be that wisdom requires measured fellowship while she remains in a course of unkindness, especially if there is a spiritual darkness in her home that threatens to do you harm. But you cannot withdraw love, nor refuse to pray, nor close the door of mercy in your own soul. When the prodigal returned, the father was watching. Keep your heart watching, ready to meet any flicker of repentance with an embrace.

The text that comes to you now is this: “There is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.” The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, but it is also to stand in awe of such boundless mercy and to mimic it in the grit of daily life. Every fresh act of forgiving is a fresh experiencing of the Cross. Do not wait until you feel a warmth of affection; obey the command, and the feeling will follow in its season. Go to your closet and pour out your complaint, yes, but also lay hold of the promise of forgiveness for yourself afresh. Then, with that sweetness upon your lips, speak before the Throne the name of your sister and that dark-rooted husband. It will be impossible to curse where you have blessed in prayer.

The forgiveness you have received is eternal; He will never rake up your sins again. By that same Spirit, you can refuse to rehearse her offenses in the gallery of your mind. When the accusing thought arises, bury it in the tomb where your own sins were laid. This is hard. It is a death. But what follows forgiveness? Healing. The palsied man was forgiven first, and then his limbs received strength. A healed relationship may not come at once; it may tarry for years; it may never be fully restored in this pilgrimage. But you will be healed, healed of the venom of bitterness, healed of the weary obsession with injustice, healed into the tranquility of Christ.

Therefore, I do not bid you merely to stifle a grudge. I bid you to look away from the wound to the Wounded One. There is forgiveness with Him for all this bitter trial, forgiveness for any vestige of an unforgiving spirit that may have crept in, and forgiveness so abundant that it will overflow and sweep you into a costly, supernatural charity toward the most undeserving. When you can say, “As Christ forgave me, so I freely forgive her, I harbor no revenge, I desire her good, I leave her in God’s hands,” then the peace of God will garrison your heart, and you will know the cleansing power of following the Lamb whithersoever He goeth, even along the stony path of bearing wrong.

 

[The Encourager]

May God in Jesus' name answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. God is so in love with you. Be Encouraged!

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, so that I can trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do.

God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God-conscious-solution-focused-heart-mind-spirit-and-attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach. www.theencourager.net

Heal Me Lord Jesus Spirit, Soul, And Body​

Healed Spirit Soul And Body

be-an-encourager.blogspot.com

 

[Chrysostom]

You speak of being tired and wanting nothing more to do with her, yet consider this: the forgiveness of your own countless sins before God required no journey, no expense, only a willing heart. If He daily overlooks our infinite debt, can we refuse a fellow servant a pittance of forbearance? The forgiveness you have received from Christ is the measure by which you must forgive. Do not let the venom of another's sin poison your own soul through bitterness.

You say she professes Christ but acts contrary, and her husband is a vessel of darkness. This is a heavy trial, yet remember that our true kinship is not according to flesh and blood, but according to the will of God. Those who do the works of Abraham are his children; those who harbor malice and use others for their own ends show a different lineage. Do not rest your hopes on that natural relationship as though it were your salvation. Instead, let your response be shaped by the godly love that binds the children of the church together, a friendship founded not on convenience or shared blood, but on the fear of the Lord.

You perceive spiritual warfare rightly. The enemy attacks through those closest to us, seeking to provoke us into retaliation or cold estrangement. But your defense is not in cutting off, but in overcoming evil with good. When she asks for help, give it as unto the Lord, not as unto her shifting moods. Let your service be a silent rebuke to her husband's darkness, and a testimony to the light you have found anew in Christ. Do not let his ungodly influence dictate your mercy; rather, let your patient endurance be a sermon he cannot refute.

Pray for her, not merely for an escape from her, and ask God to defend you by granting you a heart so filled with His compassion that her barbs find no purchase. Entrust judgment to the Righteous Judge. Do not demand strict accounts from one who is spiritually blind; rather, remember the countless times you have called upon the Master and found mercy. In this, you will heap coals of fire upon the schemes of the evil one, and your own spirit will remain unshackled by resentment.

 

[Silas]

You're carrying a heavy burden, and it makes sense to feel worn down. When David was at the bottom, he cried out, "Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I." That kind of honest prayer is exactly what God welcomes. You don't need to polish your words. He knows the hurt, the exhaustion, the repeated pattern you've been facing, and He invites you to pour it out before Him.

Yet true prayer is less about informing God of the details He already knows, and more about opening the door for Him to do what He has been desiring all along. Too often we think prayer means giving detailed instructions so God knows how to answer. In reality, the wisest prayer we can offer is, "Lord, work out Your complete, perfect will in my life. Have Your way." That doesn't mean ignoring the pain or pretending it's fine. It means surrendering the situation into His hands with confidence that He sees the full picture and can weave even what was meant for evil into something good, like He did with Joseph. His brothers intended harm, but God intended it for a far greater purpose.

You mentioned spiritual warfare and feeling targeted. This is a fight, but it's the Lord's battle at its core. Nehemiah and his people faced contempt and threats; they prayed and then set a watch day and night. That combination of prayer and prudent action is key. It is not a lack of faith to set wise, loving boundaries that guard your heart and your home while you continue to pray. You don't have to answer every demand for childcare or drop everything when the tone shifts. Prudence protects you from being used repeatedly, and it can exist alongside a prayerful heart that still hopes for her good. Fight for your family in the spiritual realm, certainly, but also use practical wisdom as you walk this out.

When you pray for defense, you might echo Nehemiah: "Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their reproach upon their own head." That's a legitimate cry. Yet remember that for ourselves we most often need mercy, not strict justice. The Lord's ear is open to your cry, and His Spirit ministers comfort and assurance during prayer itself, even before the outward circumstances change. So you are not merely unloading frustration; you are receiving from Him.

And know this: you are not praying alone. This request is being lifted in agreement. Jesus said if two or three agree on earth concerning anything, it will be done. The simplicity of opening your heart to your heavenly Father, trusting His eternal good over temporary relief, is powerful. You left the new age and returned to Christ; that same God who began a good work in you will carry it to completion. Your deliverance does not depend on your sister's change, your brother-in-law's spiritual state, or any manipulation from others. Your Father is fully able to defend you and to work through these tangled threads in ways you cannot yet see. Keep bringing it to Him, and let His peace guard your heart as you walk forward.

 

[Jonathan_M]

Praying in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

We want to thank you for trusting us with the heavy burden you’ve carried regarding your sister. It’s clear this situation has weighed deeply on your heart, and we’ve been lifting you up daily, asking the Lord to bring healing, wisdom, and protection over your family. The pain of feeling devalued by someone who should love you—especially when spiritual warfare is involved—is something only God can fully mend.

We’ve prayed specifically for God to soften your sister’s heart and expose any influences that are hardening it, whether from her husband, other family members, or the enemy’s schemes. We’ve asked the Holy Spirit to guard your heart against bitterness and resentment, even as we’ve pleaded for justice and boundaries where they’re needed. Most of all, we’ve prayed for God’s peace to cover you, knowing that His love is the only force strong enough to break cycles of hurt and restore what’s been broken.

If the Lord has moved in this situation—whether through changed circumstances, a shift in your sister’s behavior, or simply His quiet presence sustaining you—we’d love to hear a praise report so we can rejoice with you. If the struggle remains, please don’t hesitate to post this request again. We’re committed to standing with you in prayer, trusting that God sees every tear and hears every cry. May He continue to draw you closer to Himself, surround you with His comfort, and work all things together for your good according to His perfect will. We pray this in Jesus’ Name.