Last week I shared how God used an addict, my brother, to convict me of Godly compassion. I was overwhelmed by the support and outreach from readers who have had addiction touch their lives. It touched my heart, because you see, I was scared to share that with you. I even considered taking the article down when I first hit publish.
So I want to talk about prayer, specifically praying for an addict.
Prayer is the most powerful tool we have in our arsenal when it come to fighting addiction, and my dear friends, it is a battle.
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the author, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Simply put, addiction is from Satan, for his goal is to steal, kill, and destroy us. John 10:10
When we pray on behalf of someone else we are standing in the gap before that person and God. You are also engaging in spiritual warfare.
First, if Jesus is your personal savior, then through His blood the enemy has been defeated (Revelation 12:11) and as His heir you have claim to this promise and power.
When praying ask God to put a hedge of protection around you and your loved one. Job 1:10
Second, you need to plead the blood of Jesus over yourself and the person you are praying for. It is only through Jesus' blood shed on the cross that we have any authority over the things of this earth and the things of the spiritual world.
Third, the word of God is powerful and living. Pray aloud God's promises from scripture. Isiah 61:1 is an excellent verse in regards to addiction.
Many of you have prayed and may not see immediate results. Do not become disheartened. In Daniel 10:13 we read that an angel coming to the prophets aid was detained in battle for 21 days. Our prayers are heard and are effective, but the battle must still be fought.
God tells us to pray without ceasing. Our prayers allow God to work where sin has shut Him out.
Let us pray together,
Dear Lord,
We pray a hedge of protection around ourselves, our homes, family, and name of person. We plead the blood of Jesus over _________'s addiction. We plead the blood of Jesus over their desire for drugs/alcohol. Your word promises to set the captives free and to release from darkness for the prisoned. We pray that your Holy Spirit would work in our hearts and ________, that your name would be uplifted and glorified.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
What verses do you to proclaim God's promises to us?
Remember to sign up to receive posts for free to your email. I'll be hosting author Donna Pyle from her Bible study on God's Armor and fighting spiritual warfare. Just go here and click on the subscribe button.
My Girlfriend Kimberly has been very sick for a long time now still in the hospital pray for me she is finally cured of her illness by the doctors right now. And that she responds to my Hotmail and Gmail messages today I sent her and that she comes onto messaging.
I prayed ♥️
Can you please pray my husband, he have been battling with drugs for a while now
Thank you for your encouraging and knowledgeable guidance and for giving hope. I humbly ask for prayers for loved ones Shane and Paul who are both long-time drug and alcohol addicts but who are good people. I pray not only for their addictions but for both of their timely salvation as well. Though I feel as if I am losing hope for having prayed for so many years I am trying to lean on a strong community such as this and lean on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to carry me (and them) through this horrific time.
I will pray for your husband and I ask for you to pray fo my son Zachary. My grandson Isaac and daughter in law Mindy. They have been addicted to drugs and alcohol too long. Any length of time is too long.m
May the Good Lord Jesus cure them completely from their addiction 🙏Dear Abba Father,we keep all those drugs ,drinks and mobile and gadget addictions of people, those satanic forces which prevent people from a normal, happy and peaceful life under your feet.Please take away all those satanic stuffs from our dear ones by the most precious blood of your Son Jesus Christ.In you alone are our hope dear Abba Father ,in Jesus name we pray 🙏 Fill us and all those people ,who struggle with many kinds of addiction ,fill all of us with your Holy spirit.Heal them Lord 🙏 We pray in Jesus name, Amen 🙏
Can you please pray for my husband and I
Thank you so much for your message. I am standing in the gap right now for my son who has finished about three weeks of rehab for a prescription drug addiction. He has struggled often most of his adult life. Praise God He says he has had a spiritual epiphany
Non-ceasing prayer is the reason for this breakthrough. Put on your armor and fight the battle with Satan. You will win if you do not faint
Thank you for sharing this. I am battling for my son as well. Did you pray with him? Was he open to prayer?
Needing prayer for my husband of 6 months. When we met he was 8 months sober. He has relapsed 3 times since we have said “I do”. He has relapse again for the third time. I’m just praying that the Lord would heal him completely of his drug and alcohol addiction. Please pray for my husband his name is Byron.
How is he doing now? I will add his name to my list as well while I pray for my son. I am fighting for his salvation and freedom from addiction to alcohol. Please also pray for him. His name is Vince.
Im so happy I found this thankyou I want to stand in the gap for my husband and children
Good morning ?, my son David is addicted to drugs, he had a lite stroke 3 weeks ago, doctors told him he is at high risk of having another one unless he changes his life style. I pray the prayer that was posted daily. Pray for him.
Thank you for posting this. As I sit here tonight feeling defeated trying to arrange and intervention for my boyfriend who is an alcoholic and his disease is threatening his life I turned to God for answers. Through reading my Bible and verses online, God led me to your post. Please pray for Obed I love him so much the whole family does he’s an amazing beautiful person sober and we need he back.
I ask for all you prayer warriors to lift my two sons, Jason and Sean up in prayer! Jason has just returned home from a residential alcohol program and Sean is due to come home this Thursday from a residential drug program. They have both struggled for years and this is the first time they have both been clean and sober at the same time. Please pray for them and for me! Thank you
Please pray for my husband he’s addicted to video games. Pray for me to learn and stand strong to pray for him, pray in and for God’s will!!
Thank you so much. In the natural I’m afraid that my grandson’s life will be negatively affected. I pray that God will surround Miqual with his love wisdom and Grace to free him. from the need to self destruct. I see my grandson as God See’s him in the Name above all names my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Heavenly Father, your people need you. Have mercy on us and touch us with your power once more, for our eyes are still on you. We thank you for we know you have heard us. Amen
My girlfriend Kimberly in the hospital right now the doctors cure her right now of her illness. Respond to my Gmail messages I’ve been sending her and my Hotmail messages and my Duo messages. Listen to all the messages I left on her cell phone call me on mine I gave her my cell phone number come onto messaging so I can talk to her. I worry about her very much and I care about her very much and have very strong feelings for her.
Thank you very much my elder brother who has graduated from the university for 15yrs is addicted to alcohol please help show me the way to help him
I have a 28 tear old son who is not only addicted to meth but also an alcoholic. When he can’t get meth he becomes annoyed and will take over the counter meds in excess to help him get either tired or tired. He has ulcers, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anxiety and I believe slight psychosis. He has a 5 tear old son and a 3 month old son as well. He was doing good for some months and then out of no where he started using again and hasnt slowed down. He has list about 30 jobs in the course of this year. He has a lot of guilt, shame, and hurt. It kills me to see him destroy himself and I dont know what to do or what to pray for anymore. My other children have disowned him and he literally has not one person or friend but myself and his father whom I am separated from. Please help me…
I love your article on intercessory prayer
I have a granddaughter that I love dearly but Satan has dragged her into the darkness of addiction. She was raised to know and live Jesus but as she grew into a young woman she began to drift away from God. She went into the Gay life style and thendrugs. For at least 10 years she has been in a dark dark place and I have been praying and interceding for her continuously. She is now living in a big crime ridden City, homeless and in a tent in-some park and I fear for her life. Please pray for her she will be 35 this August and I want her delivered from this addiction and her life restored and living for Jesus
Hi Melissa,
My husband and I separated 2 weeks ago because I found out he was cheating on me. He drinks almost every day and would come home to fight with me. Both my children and I have endured a lot of verbal and emotional abuse. I love my husband and know he is dealing with a battle of attention because of neglect and negative upbringing. We both started seeing a counselor individually but I want my husband back. I know God can restore our marriage for the better and would like to know how to step in the gap to pray for him. Please help me.
Thank you for this awesome prayer.
I love yhst i can stand in the gap for my family
My husband was delivered from drugs while in prison. He was clean from mid 2006 until 3 years ago when he started smoking pot again. Now he has a medical marijuana card and smokes every few minutes. He says it is for pain but I know he is lying because he is constantly negotiating with me to allow him to do it, then comes the anger and “you’re not going to tell me what I can or can’t do”.
I am scared & my faith is crumbling. I need guidance & scriptures to pray as well as prayers for my own strength, courage & faith.
thank you I just found your website and started praying and standing in the gape for my son and his girlfriend they are both drug addicts ay son sees demons and yells it is so
awful please pray for my son and his girlfriend
thank you Ellie, Villafon
Please pray for my husband. I’ve been praying for my husband, he is an alcoholic. I just don’t know what to do anymore. We have been together since grad school, 49 years. 5 years ago after his Dad died he got so bad, but he said he had enough and he detoxed and was sober for 3 years. Best 3 years that I ever had. Started drinking again 2 years ago. I can’t stand it, it’s everyday. I’m praying so hard, but need some help please. We have 3 kids and 4 amazing grandchildren. I
How do I pray to stand in the gap of a broken famil. It goes back to my mother’s mother (notice I don’t call her my grandmother). She left my mom when she my mom was 3 and created a lifetime of trauma and a fractured life for my mother.
Now I have very young grown adult daughters of my own. Because of the infraction and my mother’s lack of structure and discipline I feel that this is the reason my own daughters don’t take simple advice from me. They would rather suffer a life less rewarding than to take my advise on how to be better. They are somewhat cold towards me. I may also add that their father, my ex husband, for many years mentally abused them and made the m side with him during our last custody hearing. They now regret that.
I just need help and prayer. I want them to live to their best potential and I want them to push their selves to be better and not settle or make the mistakes that have been made in this fractured family line.
Thank you !
An exgirlfriend of mine who I still care for and love deeply is dealing with drug addiction can you please help to stand in the gap of intercessory prayer for her her name is Stephanie please help
Thank you. I thought I had given up. My faith says no to that!!!!!
My son is an alcoholic and I am terrified I will bury him when it should be him burying me. I had prayed, called on prayer warriors, asked God to take my life and spare his, but I have never prayed the blood of Jesus to cover him and I..thank you for your message!
Toni Achterberg
Good Word, Blessings, Rest and Peace attach to you in Jesus Name
Melissa, As a family through four generation I hear about this curse on our family.I would not like to divulge on a public forum like this the addiction…I have been trying to find and discover the fail proof way…so that I in turn can share it with the rest…I ve been a Christian for years …and presently working to improve the lot of the poor here in the North Eastern part of India…am an Indian myself from down south…apart from praying fasting etc etc…I ve still not found a perfect way out of addictions …though I hear some rare cases here and there…but no universal standard way out…Do you have something new…which I ve not tried…?
I need prayer for my son Earl Simmons and his friend Adam whom introduced him to meth, he was already using cocaine and marijuana now meth and only God know what else please pray with me that God deliver them both thanks
Thanks so much for this. Sometimes I forget that this is a true spiritual battle that must be fought & not just God not answering my prayers. I will continue to stand for the cost is too great to do anything else.
Please pray for my husband Joe , for healing from meth addiction . It’s taken it’s toll on my family . We need a total miracle . Thank you so much
Thank you for sharing this information. I believe in the power of prayer, but I fall in to trying to fight the battle myself. I’d like to ask this community to join me in prayer for my boyfriend, DR, for alcohol and nicotine addiction. He doesn’t think the alcohol is a problem because he gets up and goes to work and church, and isn’t mean. I know only God can change the mind, heart and desires of an addict, and it’s time I stop stressing and crying over something I can do nothing about and leave it in God’s hands.
Please pray for my son Tommy as he’s been battling addiction for many years. He has 2 daughters who need him. I have been praying for 15 years and have not given up, but it’s getting so hard to believe he will change.
Please pray for my son Darden, 40 yrs old, crack addict. He has been clean for 3+ years and is using again.
Thanks for the info. Very beneficial for me
Please pray for my brother. His name is Shikhar. He is addicted to alcohol. He is not himself under the influence on alcohol. He becomes violent and scary. Please pray that God would deliver him and bring my brother to Him. Thank you.
Please pray for healing of my son, Kevin’s addictions.to God the Father, in the name of Jesus.
Please pray for my boyfriend . He is suffering from depression and addicted to alcohol and cigarettes.
Please be in prayer for my son Austin, he was raised in a spirit filled church, and he himself with no pressure from anyone asked to be saved and later baptized but later has been caught in the snare of the enemy and is addicted to drugs. I too am a intercesor but am feeling so weighted down for my battle with my son.Please remember us.:) Thanks
Dear Melissa my boy Mitchell is in grave danger of being lost forever to prescription drugs and heroine smoking Mitchell sometimes looks as if he is possessed by demons i pray and am a great believer in St Micheal The ARK ANGEL my son now as i am writing this a patient in a mental hospital and is self harming himself i need extra help in driving his demons out i like Micheal the ark angel fight fire with fire i cant leave this fallen child behind Mitchell is 19 years of age. Regards Martin
My nephew Daniel (age 35) needs desperate deliverance from crystal meth. He has always suffered with depression and now he has fallen prey to this drug. He has had a lot of disappointments in relationships and he has a hearing on Nov. 7 to see his 12 year old son Jonathan. We desperately need prayer and a miracle.
Mary, thankfully, our God is a God of miracles. Dear Jesus, we pray that you would work in a mighty way in Daniel’s life and that of Jonathon’s. May your might hand be upon them. We know you’re a God of healing and You promise to set the captives free. We claim freedom for Daniel, that his life may be a testimony for You and Your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.
My name is Kat I have my life and need power of holy Spirituality to say no to drugs my husband. Of 15YEARS AND JUST OUT OF REHAB STATE PRISON FOR 7 CLEAN HAS JUMP OFF THE WAGON PLEASE PRAY GOD WILL STIR HIS HEART TO RETURN TO RECOVERY CLASS AND CHURCH WITH ME I STAND IN THE GAB FOR ADDICTS EVEN AS ONE THANK YOU. JESUS FOR LOVEING US.IT IS ALL COMING FROM THE NEED OF MONEY PLEASE PRAY FOR OTHER JOBS TO COME HIS WAY SO HIS NOT USEING TO MAKE MONEY
ALL.STEAMING FROM THE NEED OF MIN
My boyfriend needs prayer for n his addictions…we have a 6 month old baby and he was the everyday dad to my teenage daughters. I kicked him out after finding drugs and have tried everything to get him back to our family. Satan is destroying nick and our family. I have been praying and praying but nick still denies wrongdoing…what more can i do to save him if he isnt willing or able to save himself?
Hi i have a 24yr old son who was brought up in the church. And now he is gay, how can i stand in the gap for him as he has totaly turn away from God. when i tell him to pray he tells me he dont do pray. this is not how he was brought up this way.
Can you plz tell me how to stand in the gap?
Barbara,
First off, realize that you can’t change your son. Only God has the power to change any of us. Release your son to Jesus. Pray that your son’s heart would be softened to hear Jesus and His call. Take your son by name before our heavenly Father. Even when we don’t have the words to say, the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf. Jesus knows your heart. Give all your sorrow, pain, and frustration to God. Tell Jesus out loud what your feeling about your son. Ask Jesus to give you peace. Ask Him to turn your son’s heart back to Jesus. And you’ll probably have to do this daily and perhaps for years. But know God hears our every prayer from a sincere heart.
Dear Jesus,
You know Barbara and her situation. We pray that you would send your Holy Spirit to minister to her and her son. We pray that you would set the captives free, Jesus. You are a God of peace. Please give her peace and show her how to live out a godly and pure love to her son. We pray that you would lift her up, in Jesus name, Amen.
I have a 34 yr old son who has started smoking meth an uses alchol he is a stage 4 cancer survivor. Please help me to pray for him an his deliverance from this addiction. He also needs deliverance from homosexuality, the spirit of perversion , an fornification. I pray right now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ thatvmuy son is delivered healed blessed saved an sanctified through the blood of Jesus Christ an no weapon formed against him will nit prosper i bind an rebuke all spirits of perversion homosexuality fornification drug abused alchol abuse an bind an rwbuke all bondage an strongholds down from around his mind in the mighty nme of Jesus Christ an cast them back down to the pits of hell in Jesus mighty name. I plead the blood of Jesus Christ over my son his body mind spirit an soul an stand in the gap for him an believe in Jesus name that he is healed transformed an redeemed through my Lord an savior Jesus Christ i lray this pray an stand on God’s word an believe that my son is healed an saved an delivered in Jesus name amen.. Please stand in agreement an i will stand in agreement with u for ur son also in Jesus name. We have to pray for our children. I also have a 31 yr old daughter who needs deliverance from adultry fornification an i pray an bind all strong holds down from her mind an pray in Jesus name an break all bondage an rebuke all spirits of perversion down from around her mind in Jesus mighty name an i pray in Jesus name an rebuke an bind all generational curses off my of me my children an all my family in Jesus name. Father God thank u for healing delivering an protecting me an my family from all sin sickness an disease an dor keeping us safe with a hedge of protection in ur nme amen
God is great keep praying keep faith the lord has set me free from my addiction to meth and woman and my homosexuality it’s a long process and is so new to me but I’m embracing it it as much as possible it is due to prayer and giving my life over to god. For him to start cleaning my mind of all the chaos and perverted things and addiction it’s a life long fight for addiction but with gods will he will proclaim victory
Look up Dennis Jernigan. He has a book about his journey out of homosexuality and is a musician. His songs also would be a comfort to you. Though I am female. It has been 21 years now that Jesus has delivered me from homosexuality. Don’t give up,It takes time.. meanwhile keep working on your relation with God our loving father.
[…] If someone in your life suffers from addiction, here is my post on intercessory prayer. […]
My son is an addict and doesn’t seem to want to change. He will be going to prison soon and I’m afraid he will be in prison when God call me home and this bothers me more than it does him m
Eleanor – I will pray for your son and also for you. Hold strong to your faith. Jesus knows you and your son and loves you both. He knows that your heart is breaking as you watch your son go through so many situations that you never planned for him. He is the answer. Hold tight, keep praying.
My spouse needs serious prayers
Praying for your spouse Liz! Please pray for my boyfriend to turn to God for guidance and strength in addiction recovery.
Have faith- the Lord is taking care of you both.
I will be praying at the feet of Jesus, holding yall up in prayer. Please, Please pray for my husband and deliverance!!!!
My spouse is a addict
My son has submitted himself into a rehab facility for drugs and alcohol. I pray that l god will keep Curtis on track to desire a clean and sober life. I also pray the scripture over him god sent his word and delivered Curtis from all his destruction. Let the joy of the lord be Curtis strength and that gods would remind Curtis he can do all things through Christ that strengthens him.
Petition for my son Gary who needs deliverance from drugs, alcohol, even fron people who are an influence to that behavior. And healing from his brokenness since his sister whom he was soo very close to passed away at a young age, we were all depressed and I know everyone deals with deal in different ways. Please always keep in your prayers and any God fearing men that you may know to pray for him as well I want him to change and serve tge Lord our God with every fiber of his being , . Also from anything that does not align with God’s Kingdom I Pray in Jesus name
My son is a drug addict and my niece an alcoholic. My sister-in-law and I have been having nightly prayers from our own homes at a designated time. Please help us pray for deliverance of drugs and alcohol for our adult children, 44 and 35 years old. My niece has recently lost her girls due to her addiction.
Thank you and God bless you.
Needing prayer for my husband of 6 months. When we met he was 8 months sober. He has relapsed 3 times since we have said “I do”. He has relapse again for the third time. I’m just praying that the Lord would heal him completely of his drug and alcohol addiction. Please pray for my husband his name is Byron.
I feel your pain. I have been standing in the gap for almost a month for my son who is in a really good rehab right now. He has told me he has grown spiritually and when I told him I was now caught up on praying, he said keep it up because it is working. I know that Jesus calls us to stand in the gap, but we all know this is warfare and a battle with Satan and we will become very tired and weary. Just don’t let up or lose hope. Every time you think about your family member during the day send up another prayer and see yourself as a soldier.
[…] family member is clean now. I know this is only due to us standing in the gap and our intercessory prayer that God was able to deliver […]
My son Jason has been a heroin and crack addict for 20 plus years. This past year he has od’d several times. He is back on methadone, but still using. I am just waiting for the call that we all dread. He has a girlfriend and 2 children, but she is definitely done. He left for rehab yesterday for the upteenth time, but he has been saying how he feels satan is controlling his life and asked if i would pray for him. I prayed over him with the prayer you have posted and then we pulled up a prayer for him to pray while he is in rehab each day. I plan to do this for 21 days with this prayer and probably longer. I pray that this time he is released from satan’s grip.
Don’t give up keep pleading the blood of Jesus over him and yourself every time he comes to your thoughts and place a hedge of prayer around yourself and your son psalm 118:17 he shall not die but live Gods word is truth amen and praise God every chance you get God loves you and your son
Thank you for your prayer. My mothwr died of drugs when i qas 2yrs old. Now I feel my 19yr old daughter may beheading down the same path.. She only concern about herself smoking weed & drinking around certain loved ones.. I am so scared for her. I also feel i am under Generational curses. I don’t believe i am praying right.. right now I’m on my 3day dry fast trying to praying right, but I know i don’t know how to pray right
It may seem disheartening but keep praying. Somethings are harder to break through. I suggest praying and fasting with a close and trusted friend(s). Two shall put 10,000 to flight. Remember the Holy Spirit is with you!
I know your post was from a year ago but it hurts my heart that you are praying and want to pray better. Your heart is pure wanting that and I have been there too. A Better Way to Pray is a free resource rooted in scripture by Andrew Wommack. Once I learned how to pray effectual prayers, how to pray the Word of God, many many breakthroughs manifest, glory to God. God bless you.
Pray for my son heroin addict to be healed
I am currently in a rehab myself I have chosen to do this on my own and the feeling of being clean and sober is amazing. I wake every morning grateful and lay down every night thankful.
I would like to know what the prayer that prayed the 21 days with your son, as I have a friend who is still out there, and its doing so much damage to his brain, so much that he has started hearing voices that are not there, and thinking everyone is against him. It breaks my heart. I don’t want to see him like this and I know that only GOD can help him, Satan has a stronghold on him and I need help. I pray but I’m not sure if my prayers are strong enough. Thank you.
I read your concerns about Jason and him going into rehab for the umpteenth time. I was wondering how he is doing now. Is doing better?
My son is now homeless and struggling with a drug addiction. Please pray for the addiction to be broken in Jesus name. He has been in and out of the hospital many times due to psychosis and they just want to inject him with anti psychotics but its the drugs that cause the psychosis. He also has crohns disease so does have chronic pain which is also an issue. He is in need of a miracle and a desire to get well and be the man God wants him to be.
My boyfriend is currently in rehab. He also has chrons disease and was a major part in his addiction. Trauma as well. Satan has a grip on him as he feels he’s unworthy of Gods love and unworthy of help. I pray that your son finds redemption and is set free, as well as my boyfriend. In Gods almighty name it will be done. In the end he wins.
Prayer for God to deliver my two sons from the spirit of alcohol, Denzil and Samuel.
I am intercessing on behalf of my daughter drug addiction and alcohol; and sex. I have cried out day and night that God will deliver her and set her free.
But she keeps going back to this bad area and men are using her.
Please pray with me that God will set her free those addictions.
Thanks in advance
I feel your pain. I have been standing in the gap for almost a month for my son who is in a really good rehab right now. He has told me he has grown spiritually and when I told him I was now caught up on praying, he said keep it up because it is working. I know that Jesus calls us to stand in the gap, but we all know this is warfare and a battle with Satan and we will become very tired and weary. Just don’t let up or lose hope. Every time you think about your family member during the day send up another prayer and see yourself as a soldier.
My son is using methadone for almost 2 years. He is out of control, bully and a university dropout. I’m a broken hearted mom