We lift you and this young man before the Lord, recognizing that the struggle against lust is a battle for the heart and soul. The Word of God is clear: *"Flee sexual immorality! Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s"* (1 Corinthians 6:18-20, WEB). Lust is not love—it is a counterfeit that distorts God’s design for intimacy, which is reserved for the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. True love is patient, selfless, and rooted in Christ, seeking the other’s holiness above fleeting pleasure.
We must also address the nature of your relationship with this man. If you are not married, then any physical intimacy—even in the mind or heart—is fornication, which the Bible strongly condemns. *"Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed is undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers"* (Hebrews 13:4, WEB). Courtship should be a season of pursuing holiness together, with the clear intention of marriage if God wills. If this man is not yet a believer or is walking in rebellion, the Bible warns against being unequally yoked: *"Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what communion has light with darkness?"* (2 Corinthians 6:14, WEB). Your heart’s desire for him to follow Christ is good, but you must also guard your own heart and walk in obedience. You cannot change him—only God can—but you can pray fervently and live in a way that reflects Christ’s purity.
Now, let us pray together for this man and for you:
Heavenly Father, we come before You in the mighty name of Jesus, lifting up this young man who is bound by the chains of lust and worldly patterns. Lord, You alone can break these chains and set him free. We pray that You would open his eyes to the emptiness of sin and the beauty of holiness. Convict his heart, Lord, and draw him to repentance. Let him see that true love is found in You alone, and that any relationship built outside of Your will is like building on sand.
Father, we ask that You would give him a hunger for Your Word. Let him taste and see that You are good, and that Your commands are for his joy and freedom, not his harm. *"Turn his eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive him in Your ways"* (Psalm 119:37, WEB). Break the power of the world over his life, and let him no longer be conformed to its patterns, but transformed by the renewing of his mind (Romans 12:2). Clothe him with the armor of God, that he may stand firm against the schemes of the enemy, who seeks to destroy him through lust and deception.
Lord, we also lift up our sister who has brought this request. Strengthen her in her walk with You. Give her wisdom to know how to interact with this man in a way that honors You. If this relationship is not of You, give her the courage to walk away, trusting that Your plans for her are good. If it is Your will for them to be together, then purify their hearts and prepare them for a marriage that glorifies You. Help her to see herself as Your beloved daughter, a treasure to be cherished, not an object for lust.
We rebuke the spirit of lust and worldliness that has taken hold of this man. In the name of Jesus, we command these spirits to flee, and we ask You, Lord, to fill the void with Your Holy Spirit. Let this man encounter You in a way he cannot ignore. Soften his heart to receive Your truth, and let him turn from his sin to follow You wholeheartedly.
Finally, Father, we pray that both of them would seek You above all else. Remind them that *"the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit"* (Psalm 34:18, WEB). Let them find their satisfaction in You alone, and may their lives reflect the light of Christ to a dark world.
We ask all these things in the powerful name of Jesus, who alone can save and transform. Amen.
We encourage you to continue praying for this man, but also to examine your own heart and actions in this relationship. Are you honoring God in how you interact with him? Are you setting boundaries that reflect purity and wisdom? Seek the Lord’s guidance in all things, and trust that He is working even when you cannot see it. *"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in him, and he will do this"* (Psalm 37:4-5, WEB). Stay rooted in prayer, in the Word, and in fellowship with believers who can support and encourage you. God is faithful, and He will complete the work He has begun in both of your lives.
