Prodigal Prayer: How to Release Your Faith & See Your Family Restored!

Some of the most remarkable displays of faith were requests for intervention.

Perhaps it is connected to the seriousness of the situation or the motivation of love for that person, but we see impressive examples of faith as people ask Jesus to help their loved ones. For example, the centurion came to Jesus asking for the healing of someone who lived in his house.

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour (Matthew 8:5-13).

He said, “You don’t even have to come to my house. Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Jesus marveled and said to those who followed Him, “Truly, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”

The centurion’s faith provoked a response from Jesus. The Lord said it was the greatest faith He had encountered in the land. What was so remarkable about the faith of this Roman centurion? Let’s look at some of the vital elements of the centurion’s great faith that will help us too.

One essential element of his faith is that the centurion took Jesus’ words as the final authority to heal his servant. He based it on his own experience as a leader in the Roman army. He explained that his authority to lead and direct his soldiers was activated by his words.

Simply, he told his soldiers what to do, and they did it. The centurion applied this same understanding to the authority of Jesus to heal his servant. He recognized that when Jesus sent His words, the things to which Jesus spoke obeyed His commands. In the same manner, we connect our loved ones to the life-saving power of Jesus Christ as we take Him at His Word.

Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour (Matthew 8:13).

Notice the phrase “as you have believed.” Jesus often indicated that the person’s faith was involved in what and how they received. For example, in the case of healing the two blind men who came to Him, Jesus said, “According to your faith.”

When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened (Matthew 9:27-30).

In another instance, we find the woman of Canaan who asked Jesus to help her daughter, who was being tormented by a devil. Here is Jesus’ response:

Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour (Matthew 15:28).

Also, to the woman who had the issue of blood, Jesus said it was her faith that made her whole!

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction” (Mark 5:34).

So, Jesus said, “According to your faith, let it be as you desire,” and, “Your faith has made you whole.” Those statements reveal a lot about how much our faith affects the outcome of a situation. Our faith plays a major role in what God can do in our lives and the lives of those we love. That is why Ephesians 3:20 records, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” God’s power is not limiting us. Our faith, or lack of faith, determines what God can do in our situation.

So, how do we know what the centurion believed? If I asked you, “What do you believe?” you would open your mouth and tell me. Jesus said the mouth speaks what is abundantly in the heart (Matt. 12:34). As we study the words of the centurion, we have evidence of how he believed. The centurion said, “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”

As we examine what Jairus said when he asked Jesus to heal his daughter, we will discover what he believed.

And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him (Mark 5:22-24).

The statement that Jairus made is what he believed. Jairus said, “Lay thy hands on her…and she shall live.” Jesus agreed to accompany Jairus to his home and heal his daughter. Along the way, the woman with an issue of blood was healed. Jesus stopped in the crowd, and while there, people from Jairus’ house came with bad news.

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mark 5:35-36).

When the situation looked worse, Jesus cautioned Jairus, “Only believe.” In other words, “Your faith is already in motion. Don’t take your faith out of gear but allow it to continue moving toward the end result.”

In both examples, these men released their faith through their words, and faith-filled words functioned like electrical wires to conduct God’s power into their loved ones’ lives. As you build faith in God’s willingness to rescue your loved one, you are laying the electrical wires to transmit God’s power to them. As you continue to pray the intervention prayers, resisting the influence of the enemy and releasing the light and wisdom of God, you are making a lifesaving connection!

Your Intervention Prayer

Heavenly Father, You said all things I ask in prayer, believing, I shall receive (Mark 11:24). So, I take You at Your Word. I believe, and I will speak! According to Psalm 84:11, You are my sun and shield. You give me grace and glory. Thank You for Your willingness and Your power to help. There is no good thing that You would withhold from me. Because I trust in You, I have the power to prosper in this battle for (insert your loved one’s name)’s life. I have the victory that overcomes the world.

Father, let Isaiah 61:1 prevail in (insert your loved one’s name)’s life. The Spirit of the Lord has anointed Jesus to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Second Corinthians 3:17 (AMPC) declares, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).” I pray that (insert your loved one’s name) would walk in liberty and seek Your precepts. As Your truth is revealed to (insert your loved one’s name), John 8:32 operates. They will know the truth, and the truth will make them free.

In Jesus’ name, I focus on Your faithfulness. Sarah received strength to conceive Isaac because she counted You faithful (Heb. 11:11). I choose to do the same and develop my trust in You. I consider You to be more trustworthy than what the evidence says about this situation.

Father, Your truth is more powerful than any lie the enemy could implant into (insert your loved one’s name)’s thinking. I pray that Your truth be exalted in his/her understanding.