Some people leave your life and take a piece of you with them. Not physically — spiritually. You’ve moved on in every practical sense, but a part of you is still tethered to a person, a relationship, or a season you know you should’ve closed the door on years ago.
That’s usually a soul tie. And if you’ve never heard the term before, you’ve almost certainly felt what it does.
Quick Answer
| Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|
| What is a soul tie? | A deep emotional/spiritual bond formed through intimacy, covenant, or repeated connection — godly when healthy, ungodly when it controls or defiles you |
| How do I know if I have one? | Recurring thoughts of the person, dreams involving them, feeling “not fully yourself” since the relationship ended |
| What breaks a soul tie? | Acknowledgment, repentance, forgiveness, and a spoken prayer applying the authority of Christ |
| Is one prayer enough? | Usually enough for the initial break — staying free is a season, not a single moment |
Not every unhealthy soul tie forms in a single moment — some are sealed the way a covenant is, through repeated words, repeated intimacy, or a spoken promise that was never God’s to make. That’s what makes it an ungodly soul tie covenant rather than just a lingering feeling: it was, in a spiritual sense, agreed to. Which is good news, actually — what was agreed to in words can be renounced in words. That’s exactly what Step 4 below does.
What Exactly Is a Soul Tie?
You won’t find the phrase “soul tie” printed word-for-word in Scripture, but the concept absolutely shows up. Look at 1 Samuel 18:1 — “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David.” That’s a healthy example: a bond built on genuine love and mutual respect.
Not every soul tie looks like that one.
Unhealthy soul ties tend to trace back to:
- Sexual relationships outside of God’s design
- Toxic friendships or emotional manipulation
- Abusive relationships
- Ungodly covenants or spiritual pacts
- Codependency or quietly idolizing another person
These bonds don’t stay contained to the relationship they came from. They follow you into your thoughts, your emotions, your decisions — and quietly, your walk with God.
How These Bonds Actually Form
Sexual intimacy. 1 Corinthians 6:16 is direct about this — physical union creates a spiritual one, whether or not either person intended it to.
Emotionally intense relationships. Not every soul tie is romantic. Deep friendships built on dependency, manipulation, or shared trauma can bind just as tightly.
Words spoken as promises. “I’ll never leave you.” “We’re meant to be forever.” Statements like these can function as soul-binding declarations, especially outside of God’s actual will for the relationship.
Spiritual agreements. Involvement with the occult, false religious systems, or ungodly spiritual leaders can create entanglements that need to be broken specifically, not just walked away from.
It’s Not Always an Ex
Most people land on this page thinking about one specific relationship — and that’s fair, that’s usually the loudest one. But in the years I’ve written about this, I’ve heard from just as many people carrying a tie to:
- A toxic friendship built on guilt or shared secrets
- A family member whose dysfunction became part of how they see themselves
- A former church or spiritual leader who used influence in ways that left a residue long after they left the room
- A group or community — online or in person — that shaped them in a direction they now regret
If a face other than an ex came to mind while reading this, everything below still applies. Just insert their name where the prayer calls for one.
Signs You Might Be Carrying One
Ask yourself honestly:
- Can I actually not move on from this person, no matter how much time has passed?
- Do they show up in my dreams or thoughts uninvited, on repeat?
- Does my emotional state still rise and fall based on them?
- Have I lost a sense of who I am outside of that relationship?
- Do I feel a weight or heaviness I can’t quite name?
- Am I still doing something I know is wrong just to stay connected to them?
- Do I still want to reach out, even knowing it’s not good for me?
If several of these land uncomfortably close to home, you’re likely not dealing with ordinary heartbreak. You’re dealing with a bond that needs to actually be severed, not just ignored.
Here’s the pattern in its simplest form — and where the prayer actually interrupts it:
THE RELATIONSHIP THE TIE THE PRAYER
(ends — by breakup, → (remains — through → (severs the bond,
distance, death, memory, dreams, returns what was
or estrangement) longing, pattern) taken, restores you)
A Season I Remember
I’ve watched people — and been one myself, honestly — stay in the emotional orbit of someone long after the relationship ended, wondering why “moving on” never quite worked the way it was supposed to. You block the number, delete the photos, tell yourself you’re over it. And then months later you’re still thinking about them at 1am for no reason you can point to. That’s usually not a willpower problem. It’s a spiritual one. No amount of distraction fixes a tie that was never actually broken in the spirit — it just gets quieter for a while before it resurfaces.
Why Prayer Is the Actual Fix, Not Just Time
Therapy and counseling genuinely help process the emotional wreckage. But a soul tie is spiritual by nature, which means it needs a spiritual response — the authority of Christ, spoken intentionally, not just distance and hoping it fades.
Through prayer, you’re doing six specific things:
- Acknowledging the bond exists
- Repenting for whatever sin was involved
- Forgiving whoever hurt you
- Renouncing and severing the tie in Jesus’ name
- Asking for emotional and spiritual healing
- Inviting the Holy Spirit into the space that’s left behind
Skipping any one of these tends to leave a gap the enemy can work back into. That’s also worth knowing if you’ve ever prayed against something and felt it come back — a monitoring spirit prayer deals with a different kind of open door, but the same principle applies: closing the door matters as much as the prayer itself.
The Breaking Soul Ties Prayer, Step by Step (Breaking the Ungodly Soul Tie Covenant)
Before you start, sit quietly for a moment. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind any soul ties you haven’t consciously named yet.
Step 1 — Acknowledge and identify.
“Heavenly Father, I come before You in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank You for Your love and grace. Lord, reveal to me any soul ties that are not of You — emotional, spiritual, or physical bonds hindering my walk with You.”
Step 2 — Repent.
“Father, I repent for any actions, choices, or relationships outside of Your will. I ask forgiveness for sexual sin, emotional manipulation, or spiritual agreements that led to ungodly soul ties. I renounce every sin, every word spoken, every covenant made that wasn’t from You.”
Step 3 — Forgive.
“Lord, I choose to forgive [name] for any pain, abuse, manipulation, or trauma caused. I release them from any debt I’ve felt they owe me. I cancel every emotional hold they’ve had over me, in Jesus’ name.”
Step 4 — Break the tie.
“In the name of Jesus Christ, I break every ungodly soul tie between myself and [name]. I sever the spiritual, emotional, and physical connection formed outside of God’s will. I renounce any lingering effects and declare I am free through the blood of Jesus.”
Step 5 — Invite healing.
“Holy Spirit, heal every broken part of me. Restore my identity, my peace, my joy. Fill every empty place with Your presence. I am whole and complete in Christ.”
Step 6 — Seal it with Scripture.
“Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” (John 8:36)
Staying Free After the Prayer
The prayer is the doorway, not the whole journey. Here’s what actually keeps the freedom intact:
| Practice | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Stay rooted in the Word | Daily Scripture renews your mind faster than willpower ever will |
| Choose healthy relationships | Surround yourself with people who build you up, not people who reopen old wounds |
| Remove the triggers | Unfollow, unfriend, block — whatever it takes until healing has actually taken root |
| Fast and pray regularly | Some ties involve deeper oppression that responds specifically to fasting |
| Get godly counsel | A pastor or Christian counselor isn’t a last resort — it’s often exactly how God brings healing |
If fasting is part of your next step, a consistent prayer life is worth building alongside it — deliverance tends to stick better when it’s followed by rhythm, not a single dramatic moment.
What Freedom Actually Feels Like
People who’ve genuinely walked through this tend to describe the same handful of things: a mind that’s finally quiet, less obsessive replaying of old conversations, restored closeness with God, and — maybe most tellingly — new doors opening in places that felt stuck before. If your mind still feels foggy or pulled in different directions during this process, a prayer against confusion can help clear that particular fog.
Three Myths Worth Correcting
“Soul ties only come from sex.” Sex is one path, but not the only one. Deep friendships, trauma bonds, and spoken covenants can create the exact same kind of attachment.
“Breaking a soul tie is instant.” Sometimes it is. Often it’s a process — the prayer breaks the legal ground, but healing still takes time to fully settle in. If the emotional wound underneath is significant, a prayer for healing and recovery pairs well with this one.
“Marriage can’t have unhealthy soul ties.” It can. Even within a marriage covenant, manipulation, abuse, or spiritual toxicity can create bonds that need realignment, not just endurance.
FAQs
How do I know if what I’m feeling is a soul tie or just grief? Grief tends to soften with time even while it hurts. A soul tie often doesn’t — the pull stays disproportionately strong, or resurfaces without an obvious trigger, long after normal grief should have eased.
Can I break a soul tie without confronting the other person? Yes. This prayer is between you and God — it doesn’t require the other person’s participation or even their awareness. The authority is in Christ’s name, not in a conversation with them.
What if the soul tie is with someone I still have to see regularly, like a family member or coworker? Break the tie in prayer first, then focus on boundaries rather than avoidance. You can maintain a functional relationship without the unhealthy spiritual pull still attached to it.
Do I need a deliverance minister for this, or can I pray it myself? Most people can pray this on their own. If the tie feels unusually stubborn or tied to deeper trauma or oppression, seeking a pastor or deliverance minister isn’t a sign of failure — it’s wisdom.
How long does it take to feel free after praying this? It varies. Some people feel immediate lightness; others need a season of ongoing prayer, fasting, and healthy distance before the freedom fully settles in. Both are normal.
Can a soul tie exist alongside other spiritual attacks, like feeling watched or blocked? Yes — it’s common to deal with more than one thing at once. If sabotage or delay has followed you since the tie formed, a monitoring spirit prayer addresses that pattern specifically.
Walking Forward
Breaking an ungodly soul tie isn’t really about subtraction — it’s about making room. Room for God to heal what the relationship damaged, restore what it took, and redefine who you are apart from it.
You’re not permanently bound to your past, no matter how tightly it’s held on. In Christ, you’re already a new creation. Let this prayer be less of an ending and more of an opening — the start of a chapter with actual peace in it.
Akinkoye Oluwafemi is the founder of Order of Heaven, a blog dedicated to helping readers grow in prayer, faith, and their relationship with Jesus Christ. Writing from a place of real spiritual searching and honest faith, Oluwafemi shares devotionals, prayers, and biblical guidance to encourage believers at every stage of their walk with God. Read About the Author