Day 38 Prayer – Verbal and Emotional Abuse

Dear Prayer Warrior:

Please use this prayer as a guide.  As you pray, listen to the still, small voice of God.

Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you.  Pray for persons or situations you may be personally aware of concerning this issue.  Use scriptures you know as the sword of the Spirit.

Scripture Praise Focus:
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
(Isaiah 41:10)

Dear Heavenly Father,

Father God, we praise you that you promise to help those who are in fear and in need of your help, particularly those who suffer from the wounds of verbal, emotional and/or physical abuse.  Thank you for your promise to strengthen them.  We praise you that you are always available to your children to heal them with your righteous right hand, the hand of the Lord Jesus and his redemptive work on the cross.

We pray for the huge number of college students who suffer or have suffered from verbal, emotional and physical abuse.  May you prove to them that your arm is not too short to save or your ear too deaf to hear (Isaiah 59:1).  We ask that these young people allow your words to define who they are, not the lies of their abusers. We pray that you deliver them from feelings of inadequacy, worthlessness, self-hatred, bitterness, fear and hopelessness. May your Holy Spirit bring a renewed sense of meaning and purpose to their lives as they deepen their dependence upon Christ.

Give these precious ones the courage to confront the wrongs that have been done to them; then give them the courage to change their behavior in ways that will produce healthy self-esteem and positive relationships.  Help them establish healthy boundaries.  Help them take responsibility for their own attitudes.  Help them to forgive and love unconditionally, even those who have hurt them deeply.  God implores us to allow him to mete out justice.  We pray that they would learn the power that is theirs in forgiveness.  “Those that avenge are conquered and those that forgive are conquerors.” (Matthew Henry)

Finally, help them walk in a prayer life that will produce healing and a peace that passes all understanding.

We pray that campus life would not serve as an escape for students hurting from abuse, but rather a safe place to deal with the wounds.  Surround them with mature, faithful, and loving friends whom they can trust and professional counselors, when needed.  Please help them refocus their attention from themselves and what they have suffered to all that is good, acceptable and praiseworthy.  May the Apostle Peter’s words (1 Peter 5:10, 11) bring encouragement:  “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus.  So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.  All power to him forever!  Amen.”   Thank you, Father, for your faithfulness to fulfill all your promises.

We pray this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen!

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