Pledges / oaths
We enter into a covenant relationship with God once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Our entire body and soul now belong wholly to Him. Any pledge of allegiance to earthly organisations or vows to honour man-made decrees violate God’s sovereign lordship in our lives. Moreover, many oaths have pagan origins. Sometimes, we may even bind ourselves to serious consequences by our oaths, as in the case of secret societies or cults. By doing so, we debase our bodies and profane the Holy Spirit. Indeed, Jesus warned us to not take any oath of any kind*. Here is a prayer to repent of and renounce all oaths.
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1 Corinthians 6:17,19-20 ESV But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him… Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Matthew 5:34-37 ES ’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
* This does not apply to marriage, which is the other covenant relationship we have that belongs to God.
Malachi 2:14 ESV … the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
A prayer to renounce our oaths to persons, groups, or organisations
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Jesus, thank you for warning me to not make an oath to any persons, groups, or organisations. If I wish to follow You with all my heart, mind, and soul, I cannot be yoked to anyone besides You. You gave Your life for me and I now belong to You. Thank you for Your Word and for washing me clean of my offences once I obey You and repent.
Matthew 11:29 ESV Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Ephesians 5:25-27 ESV … Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Where I have thoughtlessly made oaths in the past, whether to do good or to do evil things, please forgive me. Today, I confess that I have vowed to (please list all oaths and sworn statements), and renounce them all in Jesus’ name.
Leviticus 5:4-6 NIV … if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt— when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned.
Where I have taken Your name in vain by swearing in Your name or by taking the Bible out of context, I now repent.
Exodus 20:7 ESV “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Deuteronomy 4:2 NLT Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you.
I am here on earth to serve the Almighty Creator of heaven and of earth, first and foremost, not man. Where I have sworn to obey certain people or uphold the name of any group, I now repent in Jesus’ name and cut ungodly soul ties with them, including (please list all organisations, groups, and persons.)
Acts 4:24 NIV When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
Colossians 3:23-24 ESV Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Romans 14:8 ESV For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
Father in Heaven, I repent of subjecting my body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, to pagan rituals that were part of my oath taking, including (please list all rituals, ceremonies, gesture, secret hand shakes, songs, chants, ornaments, tools used etc.)
1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
In particular, I repent of bowing down before (list any statues, altars, spirits, deceased persons, and other idols) and making any blood pacts with (please name them, where relevant.) I should not have offered my body up to or been in partnership with human entities that have no reverence or fear of You. Also, see testimony, Jesus frees manager from dark magic blood pact.
Romans 12:1 ESV I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Ephesians 5:6-12 ESV Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
Acts 15:29 ESV That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
Today, I will destroy and discard all objects related to these oaths, which in Your holy eyes, are idolatrous. These include (please list them, for example, insignia rings, clothes, bells, scrolls, etc.)
Please forgive me for making any marks or tattoos on my body (if any) in honour of these idols. Also, see Tattoos defile our blood and temples.
Leviticus 19:28 ESV You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.
Where I have agreed to subject my body to curses, violence, or death as a result of breaking these idolatrous oaths, I now repent and ask for Your forgiveness. I should not submit to the destruction of God’s temple. I renounce all past grievous agreements in Jesus’ name. Where there have been demonic powers behind these oaths, I now command you to leave me in Jesus’ name, never to return.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 ESV Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Father, where I have carelessly said things such as (please list as relevant to you, for example; “promise to … until I die,” “cross my heart and hope to die,” “swear by my mother’s grave,” “swear by all the angels and saints of heaven,” “vow to take revenge,” etc.), please forgive me for my defiling words. How I must have grieved the Holy Spirit with my words.
Matthew 12:36-37 ESV I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Hosea 10:4 ESV They utter mere words; with empty oaths they make covenants; so judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field
Ephesians 4:29-30 ESV Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Lord, I confess I made some of these oaths to follow the ways of this world and I now find myself in an awkward situation that may be difficult to get out of. Please give me the courage to break off completely with those that pressurise me into committing idolatry against You.
Matthew 10:28 ESV And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Proverbs 29:25 ESV The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.
Today, I choose to pray Psalm 86:8-12 and thank you for Your faithfulness to those who seek You first.
Psalm 86:8-12 ESV There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
In Jesus’ all-powerful name I pray, amen.“