Praying for the Prodigals

Praying for a prodigal, especially one that you love, is gut-wrenching work. In my season of such work, God continually challenged me to believe Him to do what looked impossible to me. It took time, tears, and a refusal to back down from believing God, but He did what I was believing Him to do. I am forever grateful. Wherever they have wandered, dear one, we can believe that Jesus will find them and bring them back. Do not give up!

Lord I pray for those in the Church who have wandered from the faith, for all who have left their Father’s house in search of a life they can live on their own terms. May they come to their senses quickly, Lord. I pray they will tire of a life away from You, and will choose to come home, to find You waiting for them with open arms. (Luke 15:11-32)

Your word tells us that bad company corrupts good character, so I ask that You would sever their bonds with bad company. I pray that in Your jealousy for those who belong to You, that Your Spirit would disrupt every relationship that hinders their return to You. I pray You would thwart the corruption of the character of those who belong to You. (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Father, in the story of the lost son it says “After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.”, so I ask for a famine to come to the prodigals of the Church. I pray for a severe famine of peace that will drive them to return to the only true place of peace, in the presence of the Prince of Peace. I pray for a famine of enjoyment in the far country. I pray that what used to be exciting would now give them no pleasure. I pray that after they have spent themselves on a life of rebellion, they will find themselves in great need of the safety of home. Bring them a great famine, Lord.(Luke 15:11-17)

I pray that You would awaken a desire for You that far exceeds any other desire. May they find themselves unable to not think of You, unable to forget about You. I pray that every sinful longing and desire would fall short of satisfying their heart, and that a pure longing for You would begin to penetrate their heart and mind. (Psalm 73:25)

I pray they would be ransomed unharmed from the battle against them, that the damage the enemy desires to inflict would be swiftly and completely healed by Your power. (Psalm 55:18)

Wake them up, God! I pray they will lay aside the darkness they have embraced, and bravely and boldly put on the armor of light. Take hold of them and rescue them, draw them out of what is drowning them. Contend with the one who is contending with them. I declare that nothing can thwart Your plans and purposes for them, and that every purpose you have for them will be fulfilled, in the Name of Jesus. (Romans 13:11-12; 2 Samuel 22:17-18; Psalm 35:1; Isaiah 49:25b; Psalm 138:8)

A word of encouragement…

Our God is a pursuing God. He came looking for Adam and Eve in the garden, He found Hagar, He came for His people in Egypt, He pursued Jonah into the belly of a whale, and in a picture of Himself, He sent Hosea to bring back his adulterous wife.

You can pray with confidence for God to pursue your loved one, knowing that there is no place they can go from His Spirit, and that no matter how dark is the place they have run to, that darkness is as light to God.

“I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.
You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.” Psalm 31:7-8

Declare it and pray it over the prodigals! Believe God!