A Prayer for the Prodigals to be set FREE

…if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free. John 8:36 AMP

So many in our culture are floundering! More than ever before we see our youth (and probably just as many adults) floundering in their identities. As a culture, there is the LIE that identity is fluid – that you can be one thing one day and the exact opposite the next. But, as people of the Word, we know the only grey that exists here is because of the lies that exist in our mind and in what comes out of the mouths of those around us, but NOT in the heart of God!

You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside
and my intricate outside,
and wove them all together in my mother’s womb.
14 I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex!
Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking.
It simply amazes me to think about it!
How thoroughly you know me, Lord!
15 You even formed every bone in my body
when you created me in the secret place,
carefully, skillfully shaping me from nothing to something.
16 You saw who you created me to be before I became me!
Before I’d ever seen the light of day,
the number of days you planned for me
were already recorded in your book. Psalm 139:13-16 TPT™

Before we ever existed, we were set apart. We were designed by the CREATOR of the universe – without flaw! We were “fearfully and wonderfully made”, designed before time, made for His Glory!

My heart breaks for those who do not know who they are, for those who feel as if God made a mistake. The enemy is the father of lies – he alone is the one that speaks the language of confusion, deception and death.

“Listen to this eternal truth: The person who sneaks over the wall to enter into the sheep pen, rather than coming through the gate, reveals himself as a thief coming to steal. ²But the true Shepherd walks right up to the gate, ³and because the gatekeeper knows who he is, he opens the gate to let him in. And the sheep recognize the voice of the true Shepherd, for he calls his own by name and leads them out, for they belong to him. ⁴And when he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them and they will follow him, for they are familiar with his voice. ⁵But they will run away from strangers and never follow them because they know it’s the voice of a stranger.” ⁶Jesus told the Pharisees this parable even though they didn’t understand a word of what he meant.

⁷So Jesus went over it again, “I speak to you eternal truth: I am the Gate for the flock. ⁸All those who broke in before me are thieves who came to steal, but the sheep never listened to them. ⁹I am the Gateway. To enter through me is to experience life, freedom, and satisfaction. ¹⁰A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow! ¹¹I am the Good Shepherd who lays down my life as a sacrifice for the sheep. ^12–13But the worker who serves only for wages is not a real shepherd. Because he has no heart for the sheep he will run away and abandon them when he sees the wolf coming. And then the wolf mauls the sheep, drags them off, and scatters them.

¹⁴“I alone am the Good Shepherd, and I know those whose hearts are mine, for they recognize me and know me, ¹⁵just as my Father knows my heart and I know my Father’s heart. I am ready to give my life for the sheep. John 10:1-15 TPT™ (emphasis is mine)

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. John 10:10 AMP

Pray for the prodigals to have ears that are in tune with the good Shepherd – that His gentle, tender voice is the one they learn to tune into.

I do not personally know what it is like to struggle with addiction, depression, anxiety, gender dysphoria…and so many other things that our youth struggle with today. And yet many of these have been battles in my family. I do know the daily struggle for IDENTITY; as a teen I struggled daily to believe in my value, believing it would have been better had I never been born. I have children who daily struggle with their identity.

The enemy is real and he never goes off the clock. His tactics are not sneaky. He would love nothing more than for us to reject who God says we are! In those times and places, with those I love and with those I simply hear of and know by name, I choose to stand in the gap, for our battle is NOT against flesh and blood… We are battling in the heavenlies!

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Ephesians 6:12 AMP

PRAYER: Father, I pray that you would soften the hearts of the prodigals, of ___________, open blind eyes, break the chains of bondage and help them to discern the voice of the enemy vs. the voice of a loving Father. I pray that as their hearts are softened, that their hearts and minds would be protected from the shame, condemnation and fear that the enemy will speak to keep them in captivity.

I pray that as their hearts are entertaining this move out of the darkness that they will hear story after story of those who have been set free and delivered from similar struggles. I pray that they will believe these stories and feel real hope! I pray that as they are moving towards – that God will supernaturally dull their hearing to the enemy’s voice (that it will be muffled and unclear) while the voice of the Good Shepherd will ring strong and clear!

I pray Psalm 107:10-16 TPT™ over ________________:

Some of us once sat in darkness,

living in the dark shadows of death.

We were prisoners to our pain, chained to our regrets.

11 For we rebelled against God’s word

and rejected the wise counsel of God Most High.

12 So he humbled us through our circumstances,

watching us as we stumbled, with no one there to pick us back up.

Our own pain became our punishment.

13 Then we cried out, “Lord, help us! Rescue us!” And he did!

14 His light broke through the darkness and

he led us out in freedom from death’s dark shadow

and snapped every one of our chains.

15 So lift your hands and give thanks to God for his marvelous kindness

and for his miracles of mercy for those he loves!

16 For he smashed through heavy prison doors and

shattered the steel bars that held us back, just to set us free!

I pray that you would surround ___________ with BELIEVERS who will meet them where they are at — and speak truth (about your heart and your love). I pray for safe believers who will love and not assault with judgement, believers who are WARRIORS in prayer — who trust you to lead them in these relationships and trust your Spirit to convict when they are ready to hear and receive.

We praise you already for the testimonies to come and we THANK You that the one the Sons sets FREE is free indeed!

To You and You alone be all the praise, glory and honor that is due your holy name! Amen.

And if this is you, if YOU are the prodigal, there is NO hopelessness in Jesus Christ. Your pain is real; you are not alone – never, not one day. The devil is a LIAR – he wants nothing more than to keep you stuck in the place of despair. If you call out, HE, Father God, WILL PROVIDE A WAY! I don’t know how, I can’t imagine what it will look like – but HE is MORE than able! You are not strong enough on your own to silence the accuser, but with HIM, with Him on your side, YOU are MORE than a conqueror in Christ Jesus!!! And ALL things are possible to those that believe.

Make a call, tell a friend, call a church…find help – and I am praying and believing that you will find EXACTLY the help and the hope that you need!

God is REAL! The Word is TRUE! I have story after story, of my OWN, to KNOW this in my heart! And with all this in mind, IF He is real, IF He is true, then BELIEVE in the truth of this:

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. John 10:10 AMP

Father God promises SO much more, the enemy only wants to destroy you. Find someone to stand in the gap for you, with this truth. And one day, LIFE, an abundant, full life will follow you!