Prayers to Heal the 7 Deadly Sins

General Instructions

The text in bold is strongly recommended to pray out loud. The words in plain text are optional additions you may include if they resonate with what you identified in your examination of conscience.

As you pray, remember: some terms like fear, guilt, sadness, or anger do not simply mean normal human emotions, but rather unhealthy patterns of response that can block your freedom in Christ.

Renunciations are always made in the name of Jesus. The moment you call upon His name, Jesus is present at your side. And when you renounce any spirit of sin or bondage, He extends His divine authority and, with a single command, drives it out.

Pride

In the name of Jesus, 

  • I renounce the sin of pride and any idolatry of myself above God and others. 
  • I renounce self-righteousness, self-deception, and self-promotion. 
  • I renounce rebellion and disobedience.
  • I renounce self-justification, comparison, perfectionism, striving, and stubbornness.
  • I renounce arrogance, superiority, willfulness, argumentativeness, division, and accusation.
  • I renounce control, self-reliance, independence, and self-sufficiency.
  • I renounce religious pride and false religiosity (e.g., intellectual pride, family name, or any other area of spiritual pride).
  • I renounce judgment, criticism, accusation, comparison, and insecurity.

I ask for your forgiveness Lord…

And in the name of Jesus, 

  • I choose to live by the virtue of humility.

Anger

In the name of Jesus, 

  • I renounce the sin of anger, and any idolatry of power, control or justice. 
  • I renounce all bitterness, judgments, and retaliation.
  • I renounce resentment, unforgiveness, revenge, hatred, rage, violence, and murder.
  • I renounce racism, prejudice, false judgment, stereotyping, superiority, pride, insecurity, fear, and comparison.

I ask for your forgiveness Lord…

And in the name of Jesus, I choose to live by the virtue of forgiveness.

Bonus: Are there any people you need to forgive… Ask Jesus right now… Jesus, are there any people I need to forgive… or forgive again…?

Exercise for Forgiveness of Others

  • Ask Jesus: “Lord, are there any people I need to forgive… or forgive again?”
  • Bring to mind the seven deadly sins you confessed, and the people tied to those wounds.
  • Picture Jesus on the Cross looking to His Father and saying: “Father, forgive ____; they did not know what they were doing.”
  • Bring the person beside you at Calvary. Place them between you and Mary.
  • Allow yourself to feel the pain of how they hurt you. Share that pain with Jesus and Mary.
  • Now picture Jesus looking at that person and saying again: “Father, forgive ____; he/she did not know what he/she was doing.”
  • Hear Jesus and Mary look at you with love. Out loud, say: “In the name of Jesus, I forgive ____ for ____.”
  • Picture the soldier piercing Christ’s Sacred Heart. The blood and water gush forth, washing you and the other person clean. Thank Jesus for His mercy and healing.

Lust

In the name of Jesus, 

  • I renounce the sin of lust, and any idolatry of sex or relationships. 
  • I renounce all immorality, fornication, adultery, pornography, and every form of impurity.
  • I renounce homosexual encounters, adultery, rape, incest, and every distortion of God’s design.
  • I renounce worthlessness, victim identity, powerlessness, helplessness, and self-pity.

I ask for your forgiveness Lord…

And in the name of Jesus, I choose to live by the virtue of chastity.

Envy

In the name of Jesus Christ, 

  • I renounce the sin of envy, and any idolatry of position or status. 
  • I renounce jealousy, selfishness, coveting, and greed.
  • I renounce bringing others down in thought, word, or deed because of envy.

I ask for your forgiveness Lord, 

And in the name of Jesus Christ, I choose to live by the virtue of kindness.

Gluttony

In the name of Jesus, 

  • I renounce the sin of gluttony, and any idolatry of food, drink or drugs. 
  • I renounce all self-indulgence and false comfort through what I take into my body.
  • I renounce addictions—alcoholism, nicotine, drugs, and the idol of food.

I ask your forgiveness Lord… 

And in the name of Jesus, I choose to live by the virtue of temperance.

Avarice

In the name of Jesus, 

  • I renounce the sin of avarice, and any idolatry of security, wealth or money. 
  • I renounce hoarding, stealing, greed, and using others for my own gain.

I ask your forgiveness Lord…

And in the name of Jesus, I choose to live by the virtue of charity. 

Sloth

In the name of Jesus, 

  • I renounce the sin of sloth, and my idolatry of ease and false comfort. 
  • I renounce laziness, apathy, discouragement, and giving up when life gets difficult.

I ask for your forgiveness Lord…

And in the name of Jesus, I choose to live by the virtue of fortitude.

General Rejection of all 7 Deadly Sins

In the name, power, and authority of Jesus, I renounce and reject all unclean spirits that may be afflicting me. I renounce the sins of pride, anger, lust, envy, gluttony, avarice, sloth, and I renounce any affection I have retained for them. I reject the empty promises of Satan and I refuse to be mastered by sin. I hereby offer to God every disordered attachment that keeps me from Him and choose to live in the freedom of the children of God. Amen.