Win Back Your Prodigal

Fight for your child and Win Back Your Prodigal! The battle belongs to the Lord. Today, Laine Lawson Craft joins me for an honest conversation about parenting a prodigal.

There’s a unique kind of heartbreak that comes when a child you love deeply walks away — from faith, from family, from everything they once held dear. As a parent, you feel the weight of their choices, the sleepless nights filled with worry, and the quiet prayers whispered through tears.

God sees your child, even in the darkness. He loves them even more than you do, and He is always working, even when you can’t see it. The road back may be long and messy, but restoration is possible. The same God who welcomed the prodigal son home with open arms is ready to do the same for your child — and He will give you the strength and wisdom to walk this path with faith and hope.

“We can take back what the enemy has stolen, but we must know the strategies to activate our victory.” Laine Lawson Craft

Acknowledge the Reality of Your Prodigal

Facing the truth about your child’s struggles is one of the hardest steps a parent can take — but it’s also the first step toward healing.

• Admit the problem without denial or minimizing.
• Understand that addiction and rebellion are complex and often stem from deep pain or unmet needs.
• Recognize that this is a spiritual battle as much as a physical or emotional one (Ephesians 6:12).

Once you face the reality of the situation, you can begin to address it with wisdom and faith.

Respond to Your Prodigal with Love

When a child is caught in darkness, love — not judgment — is the bridge that can lead them home.

• Resist the urge to lecture, criticize, or shame.
• Model the love of Christ — unconditional and patient (Romans 5:8).
• Let your child know you love them without enabling destructive behavior.

Responding with grace doesn’t mean you approve of their choices — it means you’re showing them the heart of God.

Engage in Spiritual Warfare Through Prayer

Prayer is not just a comfort; it’s a weapon in the spiritual battle for your child’s heart.

• Pray specific, bold prayers for protection, healing, and deliverance (James 5:16).
• Use Scripture as a weapon — declare promises of restoration and freedom (Isaiah 49:25, Jeremiah 31:16–17).
• Ask others to join you in prayer and fasting.

Prayer realigns your heart with God’s will and invites His power into your child’s life. While prayer is powerful, prodigals need you st set healthy boundaries.

Set Healthy Boundaries

Love without boundaries leads to chaos — boundaries are an act of love, not rejection.

• Love does not mean allowing destructive behavior.
• Establish clear expectations and consequences (Galatians 6:7–8).
• Be firm yet compassionate when enforcing boundaries.

Setting boundaries may feel hard, but it gives your child the structure they need to heal. Sometimes, you need to seek outside help.

Seek Professional and Spiritual Help

You don’t have to walk this road alone — God places people in your path to help you.

• Encourage counseling or addiction recovery programs rooted in faith.
• Find a Christian mentor or spiritual advisor for both you and your child.
• Connect with other parents who have walked this path — community matters (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10).

Seeking help is not weakness; it’s wisdom and strength.

Fight the Enemy, Not Your Child

Addiction and rebellion may look like your child’s battle, but the real enemy is spiritual.

• Understand that addiction is not just a moral failure but a spiritual stronghold (2 Corinthians 10:4).
• Speak truth over your child — declare that they are not defined by their addiction but by their identity in Christ.
• Recognize that the enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy — but God promises abundant life (John 10:10).

You can fight effectively and purposefully when you see the true enemy.

Leave Room for God to Work

Letting go is one of the hardest things a parent can do — but sometimes, it’s the only way for healing to begin.

• Surrender control and trust God’s timing.
• Allow your child to feel the consequences of their choices without rushing to rescue them (Luke 15:17).
• Keep the door open for reconciliation, but let them come to the Father on their terms.

When you stop trying to control the outcome, you allow God to work miracles.

Conclusion: The Battle for Your Child is Spiritual

No matter how difficult things seem, the child we know and love is still alive on the inside. God is not finished writing your child’s story.

Remember that you are not alone, and this is not the end of their story.