Remedy for a Troubled Heart
“Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27b
“Let not your hearts be troubled.”
That’s easier said than done, right?
“Let not your hearts be troubled.”
It was what Jesus’ said to the disciples.
It’s likely we’ve heard that statement a lot. We’re familiar with the passage of scripture. But have we really considered the meaning of those words and the context in which they were spoken a little more closely.
It was at the Last Supper, the Passover, when Jesus predicted His betrayal and death to the disciples. There was much going on, both around the table and in the spiritual realm. The disciples didn’t fully understand and there were whispers of “Ask Him who it is” and questions of “Lord, will I be the one to betray You?” The Lord was trying to prepare the disciples for what was to come both in the immediate hours and in the days, months, and years following.
Ponder that. Jesus knew His death was near. He understood the pain and suffering He would endure. He knew that His death and resurrection would seal eternity for all who confessed and believed in His name, but it would cost Him everything to secure that for us. He also knew the spiritual battles would be strong and the powers of heaven and hell would be raging. Satan would rejoice, thinking he had won- finally defeating the Son of God. The demons would become even more aggressive against anyone bearing the name of Christ. Heaven would sorrow at His death and then rejoice at the mighty victory over sin and eternal death. And Jesus knew His disciples would face persecution and death because they carried His name. The battle was only beginning.
In the context of all of that, Jesus said something profound that we should ponder. He said, “Let not your heart be troubled.” Let not… meaning, do not allow it.
Jesus knew the disciples would be faced with a choice: they could come undone at the death of their Lord and hide in fear, or they could embrace the power of the Lord Jesus and be bold and courageous and do what He had instructed them to do. And Jesus knew, centuries later, we would need to hear the same message because we, too, would be faced with difficult choices, with mistreatment and derision for our faith, and with hardship and suffering because we represent the name of Christ.
Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,
In this world we will have trouble (John 16:33), because this world is not our home. This world is the kingdom of the Prince of the Power of the Air- Satan (Ephesians 2:2). And we are aliens and strangers here (1 Peter 2:9-11), unwelcome by and a target of the spiritual authorities under the control of Satan (Ephesians 6:12).
Anytime we are faced with a struggle, with pain, with hardship, with terror, with uncertainty, we have a choice. We can either allow our hearts to go ‘there’ and be filled with anxiety and paralyzed by fear, or we can take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5).
As a parent, this is a daily struggle, whether or not we choose to admit it. We worry. We panic. We fear. There are so many things that can threaten the safety and well-being of our sons and daughters. But friends, giving into that fear is a choice that we make. It is socially acceptable to be a worrying parent. We let our hearts be troubled and we don’t make an intentional choice to stop.
The word troubled, in Greek, is the word tarasso, and it means “to stir or agitate, as if to boil water, to trouble a thing by moving it’s parts to and fro; to cause one inward commotion, take away his calmness of mind, disturb his equanimity; to disquiet, make restless" 1
We allow our minds to run with all of the scenarios, we worry, we stress, we lie awake at night and our minds tumble like a washing machine on the spin cycle, all of the ‘what ifs’ are followed by the ‘and thens’ and we spend more time meditating on the troubles rather than on the Lord.
When we choose worry and fear, we choose to model to our sons and daughters a lack of trust in God. We’re demonstrating that we are not sure He will do the best thing for us and for our sons and daughter. We pray for what we need Him to do, yet balk at surrendering our will to His. We try to fix the situation ourselves. We stay awake at night, working through the details in our minds and praying for what we want to see happen or the resolution we believe is the right one. We wrestle with all of the feelings, but friends, feelings lie. The heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) and to give in to the angst is to play into the hands of the enemy who wants us consumed with anything but Jesus.
Jesus told His disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me” John 14:1. When we are troubled we need to stop and ask ourselves, “Do I believe in God?”. If the answer is “Yes” then the next questions should be, “How am I demonstrating that belief?”.
We need to work on taking every thought captive and making it into obedience to Jesus Christ. You see, those worrisome thoughts and nagging fears are the arguments and pretensions that set themselves up against the knowledge of God. They distract us from God and pull us from faith in His ability to solve our problems and from believing in His sovereignty over them…and isn’t that exactly what the enemy desires?
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5
When those fears arise, when that anxiety begins to swell in our throat, when our stomach churns with worry, we must be intentional to take every thought captive rather than marinate in the worry. (I’m preaching to myself here, friends. I struggle with this too!)
So, maybe we are determined to capture those thoughts…but then what? The next step is Philippians 4:8,
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
We have to be intentional to refocus our thoughts. We have to choose to dwell on those things that will strengthen our faith in the Lord. We need to focus on the promises of God and choose to obey what He commands us to do.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
“And when your faith is weak, pray as the father did who had a son possessed by a demon and asked Jesus to bring deliverance and healing, “I believe, help my unbelief.” Mark 9:14-27
Jesus knows how much we love our sons and daughters. We would give our life for them- He knows, because He gave His life for us, even when we were undeserving. He has compassion on us,
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;” Ps 103:13
But He also desires that we would grow in our wisdom and knowledge of Him and His Word so that we would not be easily tossed by hardship.
When you’re tempted to worry and fear, let not your heart be troubled. Don’t give into the temptation to feed the fear. Focus on the Truth of Scripture and of Who God is. The more you dwell on the Father, the further the fear recedes from your thoughts and from your heart.
Take time to meditate on these Scriptures:
Psalm 17:6 “I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.”
Proverbs 3:5 5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;”
Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord .
Psalm 33:20-22 “We wait in hope for the Lord ; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord , even as we put our hope in you.”
Psalms 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
These seven Scriptures can be your meditation throughout the week. Write them down, keep them where you can be reminded. Know that the Lord, alone, is your refuge. He hears your prayers and He will answer…He WILL. His timing isn’t akin to ours nor are His ways - they are so much higher and better. Be careful that you are looking for Him to work, not looking for Him to follow what you determine is the best course of action. Surrender yourself to Him, to His timeline and to His plan.
Take time to study God’s Word. The more you dig into HIs Word, the more reassurance you will have in His Sovereignty. You can rest in Him, knowing He will always do what is best. Grow in your knowledge of Him, meditate on His words, rest in His character.
There IS a remedy for a troubled heart…do you want it? Or would you rather wrestle with your angst and insecurities. Sometimes we become too comfortable with what we know, even though it’s painful and hard. Get to know the God of the universe! Rest in His power! Hide in the shadow of His wings. Nestle into His loving embrace.
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[f] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:9-14
“Heavenly Father, I give you all of my uncertainties. I release all of my worries to You. I trust You. My troubled heart is too focused on the cares of this world and I know that is not what You ask of me. Take my heart and mold it into a heart that loves Jesus and craves time with Him. Give me a hunger and thirst for righteousness, not a craving for drama and anxiety. I pray that I would model what it means to trust and rest in You to my sons and daughters. I pray for (name) that they, too, would learn to trust and rest in You, not in the daily troubles that surround them. Lord, lift their eyes to focus on what is eternal. Help them set their heart on things above (Col. 3) and set aside the weight and sin that weigh them down and, instead, fix their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of their faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Lord, I pray for the prodigal who is running from You. Lord, they are dragging the weight of this world along with them, their heart is troubled and their mind is filled with everything the enemy throws at them, yet they refuse to surrender to You. Bring them to the end of their prodigal pathway. Let them hit the dead end that shows them there is nothing for them apart from You. I pray, Lord, that You would be a balm to their troubled heart. Help them to see that You are their refuge and strength. You hear their cries. You will carry their cares and sustain them through anything they might face in this world and You will guarantee an eternity at Your side, where every sorrow is erased and every tear is wiped away. Lord, work in (name)s heart and mind today. Be the balm and remedy for their troubled heart. May Jesus be praised in every moment, every change, every heart that cries out for Him. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”
Pray without ceasing. Rest in His promises.
1. G5015 - tarassō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5015/niv/mgnt/0-1/
Where Do You Go for Refuge?
“I will say of the Lord , "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."“ Psalm 91:2
Recently we’ve had some crazy weather in the Midwest, so safety is on everyone’s mind when the forecast starts to look nasty. When the weather turns bad, the news stations break in and the meteorologists begin a real-time explanation of what is happening. When you hear them say, “Get to your safe place, now!”, you know it’s time to run.
But before storm season even approaches, people are encouraged to be storm-ready, with supplies and a storm-safe space to which they can run for safety. The key is to be prepared, to know where to go, and to be ready.
Earlier this week was just such a time. I was in a deep sleep and was awakened to sirens wailing and my husband saying, “It’s time to go to the shelter!”. The urgency was palpable.
Here’s the thing. We knew exactly where to run. We didn’t ask questions. We didn’t stop to ponder if there was a better choice. We grabbed the pets and made our way right to our storm shelter. We stepped inside, closed and bolted the door, and then we waited, listening and praying. But we waited in confidence knowing that whatever happened outside, we were safe inside. We knew where to run. We were confident of its strength and stability.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
As believers, we have the ultimate shelter that provides supernatural ability to survive the storm. Do our sons and daughters seek the same safety and shelter in the storms of life? To what refuge do our sons and daughters run? Are they running to God or are they pausing to consider their options?
Far too often we fall prey to the schemes of this world. The lies that tell us our security is in our financial stability, or our possessions, or our relationships. Those lies only serve to pull us away from the Lord and turn our eyes to temporary, insufficient things that will not protect or shelter us from spiritual attacks. Sadly, too often God becomes our ‘backup plan’ if our other options don’t deliver.
We resist embracing the One option that is fail proof every time. Why is that? Why do we resist trusting the Lord as if He has a spotty record of success? Has He ever been unreliable? Has He ever failed?
God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:5b-6
God protected Daniel from the lions (Dan. 6), David from Goliath (1 Sam. 17), Noah from the flood (Gen. 7-8). Scripture is filled with His supernatural, omnipotent deliverance that reaffirms His love for us and His extraordinary ability to overcome whatever we might face. He is sovereign, there is none stronger or with more authority. The earth is the Lord’s; He reigns supreme. There is nothing under the sun that can harm us if God is our refuge and strength. He is faithful. We can trust Him.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9
Our hearts should be burdened if we see our sons and daughters running to hide themselves in a semblance of shelter that is not God. We should be speaking words of truth that point them to the Rock. We should model what it means to find our refuge in Him. If we sit idly by, we give passive agreement to their misdirection.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3
Let’s pray for and direct our sons and daughters to the One who is their refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble. God needs to be our first and only option every time. He is storm safe, refuge ready, and powerful enough to withstand anything the enemy can throw at us. He WILL keep us safe. But we need to run to Him. No wandering in the storm, wondering if there might be a better option. We need to run straight into His sheltering arms and trust that He will protect and sustain us, no matter what comes our way.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5
“Lord, forgive me for too often trusting in things I can see, things that I can arrange for myself, those resources that peddle false security to the gullible. You are my refuge and strength, You alone. I pray for (name) today. Lord, speak into their heart. Help them to hear You clearly and see that You, alone, are their refuge and strength. Impress upon their heart a desire to run to You for shelter and protection. I pray that You would give me discernment to model this well. Lord, be my shelter- help me not to complain or seek solace from anyone or anything other than You. You are my safe place. When life gets hard, painful, and stretches me thin, be that voice that says “It’s time to run to the shelter!” I pray that (name) would hear Your voice. Give them refuge from all of the pressures and pains of this life, not that You would remove them, because I know hardship brings growth, maturity, and a deeper love for You. But protect them, Lord. Teach them in that quiet place under Your wings. Show them Your love and care. Set them on solid ground so that they can withstand the storm and find their rest in You. I pray that as they find refuge in You, they would sing for joy because they love You and trust You. Surround them with Your favor, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Prodigal Prayer
“Oh, Father, my heart is heavy for (name). They are seeking shelter and refuge in every place but You. Lord, they are in the storm and the enemy continues to deceive them. I pray You would open their eyes to SEE You. Make Yourself real to (name) today. I ask that they would run to You for refuge and would find protection and shelter in Your great name. Draw them, Lord. Let your Holy Spirit speak into their heart and mind so they can’t help but be drawn to the beauty of Your Presence and the protection of Your covering. I pray that even today, You would draw them into a personal relationship with You. Show them their need for a Savior. Bind the enemy so his lies cannot interfere. Bring (name) to salvation today, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12
Passing through the Valley
“Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” Psalm 84:5-7
The Valley of Baka in Psalms is also known as the valley of weeping. We can all likely look to a time when we experienced a difficult, dark time. Maybe we encountered hardship and it seemed as if we were in a dark valley of grief or sorrow that weighed us down and seemed to last longer than we had strength to endure.
It’s one thing to go through it personally, but ask any parent who has watched their son or daughter go through hard things and they’ll tell you, it’s not only difficult, it’s downright painful. We want to fix it. We want to bring it to a quick end. We want to make everything okay and get things “back to normal”, yet, we’re powerless to do it.
As parents, the valley experience of our children calls us to a deep and abiding faith in Jesus. It calls us to trust Him more than we can see in front of us. It calls us to rely on His strength and Sovereignty over our own power and ingenuity. It asks us to relinquish our parental ‘controls’ and trust in the One Who parents them best. The valley is a tough place to be, that’s certain. And, as parents, we can either be the voice of spiritual encouragement that points our son or daughter to Jesus, or a detractor that pulls their focus to their current situation and supports their despair.
But Psalm 84 gives us a beautiful, powerful picture of the valley as a place of victory, not defeat. Yes, the Psalmist writes about being in the valley of weeping, but he says, “Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” Blessed. It’s the Hebrew word “eser” and it means “happiness, or how happy” (1). Our sons and daughters can experience deep happiness and joy, in spite of the valley experience if they’re focused on Jesus! They may be in the valley, but if they’re still pursuing Jesus, they are blessed!! Their location and their situation do not determine their joy. Jesus is joy!! That’s a lesson we should all be reminded of daily.
The second thing to remember is that the valley isn’t their destination, it’s just a part of the journey. And the valley shouldn’t be the focus of their heart, the passage to Jesus should be their focus! The joy is generated and determined by the Source of their strength. The One who walks every step of the way with them through the valley and the One in whose Presence they long to stand. The journey is one of reliance on Jesus and trust in His Presence and leading.
Not only will the valley bring blessings, but it can become a place of refreshing. Imagine that! A valley of weeping becomes a journey of refreshing?! “As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.” The word “spring” in Hebrew is the word “mayan” and it means "fountain or source of satisfaction” (2). Psalm 87:7 gives us another perspective on Who and what that fountain represents, “All my fountains are in You.” In other words, all of my blessings and Source of joy, delight and pleasure are in You, Lord. The valley doesn’t supply the source of satisfaction, the believer traveling the valley does through his full reliance on Christ and his delight in His presence. So, if our sons and daughters are in the valley, they can make it a place bubbling with delight, joy and pleasure if they remain focused on and grounded in the Lord. Blessings bubbling over, generatd by the Source of Life.
Then, there are the autumn rains. To some that may seem odd, but in Israel, the hot dry summer gives way to autumn rain that softens the soil and makes it pliable, easily broken up for cultivation and planting. It creates fertile ground- and isn’t that what God seeks to create in our hearts? The autumn rains in the valley of weeping can soften hearts and make them ready to receive the Word and be fruitful. The springs and fountains of delight, pleasure, and joy along with the refreshing, nourishing rains that soften the hardened ground make the trek through the valley a journey from strength to strength. This word, strength, is “hayil” in Hebrew and it means “resources, ability, and might” (3). Do you see? God uses the valley to bring joy in Him- not generated by our circumstances. He brings delight, not in the location, but in His Presence. He brings growth because of the believer’s focus and reliance on Him, not on the situation or location. He draws the traveler to Himself and in doing so, the situation and location become secondary.
Finally, the destination of walking through the valley is the anticipation of standing before God, in His presence. Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” If our heart is set on pilgrimage to God’s presence and Jesus is our Guide and Companion, there is strength and joy in the journey because we know the valley isn’t the destination, nor does it hold what we’re seeking, and there is so much more that awaits us. We will ALL stand before the Lord, whether we intend that as our destination or not. It is determined beforehand for us.
How will we pray for our sons and daughters in their faith journey? Will we pray the valley is short and the weeping is minimal? That’s likely and why wouldn’t we? God understands our parent-heart well. But, maybe we should pray that the focus of our son or daughter is Jesus alone and that He would be their source of joy, delight and strength. And maybe, just maybe, we should pray for autumn rains that soften the ground of their hearts so they can receive the Word of God and bear fruit. Perhaps we should pray that their journey is not just a short one, but is one of moving from strength to strength until they appear before God in Zion and that ultimately, they would hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Let’s pray that the valley is a place of blessing and growth and that if He wills, the Lord would allow us a window on all of it while we lift our sons and daughters in prayer. There are features of the valley experience that can lead us and our sons and daughters to a stronger, more certain faith. And yes, even deep joy. That’s how we can pray effectively and fervently for their journey.
Pray without ceasing.
1. H835 - 'ešer - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h835/kjv/wlc/0-1/
2. H4599 - maʿyān - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4599/niv/wlc/0-1/
3. H2428 - ḥayil - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2428/niv/wlc/0-1/
Pray That They Won’t Drift Away
“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Hebrews 2:1
The possibility that our kids would drift away from the Lord is real. The enemy wants nothing more than to see our sons and daughters pull away from the Lord. Drifting is subtle. It’s not a willful rebellion or running from God. It’s not a sudden change of heart that takes them away or that has them running in a different direction, it’s a passive indifference. It’s inaction toward or a downplaying of the dangers and deceptions. It’s literally ‘going with the flow’.
What does Hebrews mean when it cautions us against drifting away? The words “drift away” come from the Greek words “para” to be near (1) and “rheo” to flow (2). Strong’s Concordance words it this way “lest we be carried past” (3). Picture it… a boat near the shore or close to the dock, yet unanchored. Those nearby can see the boat and because it’s floating (as a boat should) and lingering near the dock, no one takes notice that it’s not tethered. The current is mild and nothing seems amiss. But soon enough, it becomes evident that the boat is drifting and eventually it moves noticeably out of reach, away from the safety of the dock. It’s at the mercy of the current. No one is navigating; it’s simply drifting, but soon would be lost. It’s a great illustration and it shows us that although someone may be ‘near’ the gospel or “kind of” following Jesus, if they’re not anchored, they will easily drift. It’s not radical, it’s not sudden; it’s a slow drifting that, once realized by those around, often has that person out of reach and moving away, further and further.
Drifting is enabled by many seemingly harmless things and legitimate excuses: busyness, weariness, distractedness…but they’re all dangerous because they lull us into passively ‘being’ instead of actively clinging.
How can we pray that our sons and daughters don’t drift? Hebrews is FULL of all kinds of encouragement on this!
Pay the most careful attention. (Hebrews 2:) The Greek word used here is prosecho which means to “turn the mind towards, be attentive to” but it also means to “bring a ship toward land or to put in” (4). Do you see what the author of Hebrews is doing here? It’s a beautiful dual use of a word!
I Peter 1:13 (NIV) tells us, “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” The NASB says it this way, “Prepare your minds for action”. There is nothing passive in this, it is active, intentional, and forward looking. If you’re alert, fully sober and preparing for action, you won’t fall victim to drift.
Fix our thoughts on Jesus. (Hebrews 3:1) The word “fix” is katanoeo in Greek and it means to perceive, understand and consider attentively (5). It’s an active verb.
Hold onto our courage and the faith we profess. (Hebrews 3:6, 4:14) Hold on, or “katecho” in Greek means to detain, hold back, retain to keep from going away” (6) Again, it’s an active verb.
Do not harden your hearts. (Hebrews 3:8; 3:15; 4:7)
Don’t have an unbelieving heart that turns away from the Lord (Hebrews 3:12)
Encourage one another so that no one is hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13)
Hold firmly to the end with the confidence we had at first (Hebrews 3:14)
Don’t follow the example of disobedience and fall (Hebrews 4:11)
Take hold of the hope offered, this hope is an anchor (Hebrews 6:18-19)
Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. (Hebrews 10:23)
Drifting away is a real danger for all believers and it’s rarely drastic. No, it happens subtly. It often doesn’t garner attention until one day we might recognize that our loved one has drifted from their faith and they’re further away than we thought. Let’s pray over our sons and daughters that they would not be passive in their faith but always actively pursuing Jesus, aware of the dangers and the things that would pull them away. As parents, we can’t let our guard down just because everything “seems good” and they’re walking with Jesus. Praise God if things are good and their faith is strong! But it’s only good, until it’s not. And that can happen any time, friends. Our sons and daughters are a target of the enemy. Let’s pray for protection over their faith and their walk with Jesus. No drifting.
“Almighty Father, I pray for (name) today. Protect them from drifting away from You and from their faith. Lord, please help them to pay the most careful attention to Your Word and to fix their eyes and thoughts on Jesus. They are surrounded by those who do not believe and by temptations and influences that would pull them away from You. The enemy would love nothing more than to see them become indifferent and to be passive toward their faith. Help (name) to be alert. Give (name) strength to hold on to the hope that they profess. Protect (name) from an unbelieving and/or hardened heart. Keep them tender towards You, growing and deepening their faith as they read and study Your word, pray, and fellowship with other believers. Keep them in fellowship, Lord, that’s such an easy drift to fall into- pulling away from church and from the commitment to worship corporately. They need encouragement from other believers, so I pray that You would surround them with others who love and serve You. Lord, bring strong believers into (name)’s life, even today, who would challenge and encourage them. Pursue (name) and don’t allow them to drift. Remind (name) of the hope they have in Jesus- this hope is an anchor. Keep them from cutting the ties that bind them to You- strengthen those ties and help (name) to hold unswervingly. Lord, you are mighty to save. I pray that You would protect your child today, keep them from disobedience and from indifference. Fan the flame of faith and lead them in righteousness for Your name’s sake. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
G3844 - para - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3844/kjv/tr/0-1/
G4482 - rheō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4482/kjv/tr/0-1/
G3901 - pararreō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3901/kjv/tr/0-1/
G4337 - prosechō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4337/kjv/tr/0-1/
G2657 - katanoeō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2657/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G2722 - katechō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2722/niv/mgnt/0-1/