Hello Reborn…
The word that came to my mind is the “Word of their Testimony”. It is found in Revelation 12:11…”And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
We will never understand the struggles and lies people face daily… and I am sure that it is the same with your mother. My mother never went to casinos, but she did go to bingo games a lot and read a lot of romance novels. This was a way for her to escape the hurts in life or go into denial. Many of us have our escapes to cope with the pressures of life.
But by the Word of our Testimony, we can be a light to those in the darkness. Now I am not talking about preaching at her for I am sure deep down she feels the shame of it. Reach your mother by being a light of love to her in your helping around the house or giving her an encouraging word that she is loved and valued. But in your closet (so to speak) take your prayers to the Father to intercede on her behalf. Pray for her healing of past hurts, for her to be restored to the Father and even ask Him how to help you to help her during this time.
I’ve always been encouraged to pray the word over people by taking a scripture and placing the name of the individual into it. For example….. Ephesians 3:14-19
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you [my Mother] to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your [her] inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your [her] hearts through faith—that you [she], being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you [she] may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Now don't expect the change to happen overnight... it takes time. But during this time as you pray for your mother, allow this time to allow the Lord to work in your heart too. You may never know what the Lord is working in both you during this time. His wraparound presence is life-giving and in my heart I believe the Lord is going to breathe in new life in both of you.
With Blessings.
