People Are Expecting Jesus to Destroy Enemies Today Again
A Powerful Prayer for Your Enemies
- www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com
- 2018 7 Dec
"Pray for those who persecute you." Perhaps one of the hardest commands Jesus gives to us as His disciples is to bless, love, and pray for our enemies. But how tin you lot pray for someone who wants to harm you? In ourselves, we can't. But through the ability of God'south Spirit working through us, all things are possible. Through Jesus, nosotros tin can pray for our enemies. Here'south one fashion you might pray:
What Does the Bible Say about 'Pray for Those Who Persecute Y'all'
In the Sometime Attestation, even righteous people prayed for God to destroy their enemies in cruel ways. Their prayers were not prayers of blessing. Proverbs and other passages talk about how to treat our enemies in positive means. But Jesus turned life upside down with His control to bless, to love, and to pray for our enemies. While not defining who our enemies were, in the Beatitudes Jesus described enemies as those who mock the states, persecute us, lie virtually u.s.a., or despitefully use united states of america. And that nosotros were blessed if we experienced those things. He added that those who were not for Him were against Him. Jesus taught a new way to live life: with love, not detest. He encouraged us to recognize that the true enemy behind all wrongs is Satan—and how to resist him. But regarding our earthly enemies, when we don't know how or what to pray for them, we tin trust the Holy Spirit to pray through us.
A Prayer for Your Enemies
Lord Jesus, post-obit Your case and command, we pray for our enemies today. We ask showtime that You would saturate our lives with the Holy Spirit's ability and might. Transport Your honey flowing through us, and forgive us for holding on to annihilation that could hinder our prayers. Nosotros release any unforgiveness, thoughts of revenge, or hateful emotions that tin can quench Your Spirit in our hearts. Then give the states wisdom every bit we seek how to bless, to love, and to pray for our enemies.
We pray for y'all to anoint our enemies and to orchestrate events in their lives that volition leave their hearts exposed before you. As You characterized approval in the Beatitudes, we pray that Y'all would requite them a poverty of spirit that recognizes their deep need for You lot. We pray they volition discover Your condolement in times of mourning, and they would exist humbled before Y'all—in Your mode and Your time. Nosotros pray You would show them mercy before it is likewise tardily—knowing we were all God'due south enemies before Yous extended mercy to us—and that they would, in turn, be merciful to others.
Lord, we pray that instead of lusting for pure evil, they would hunger and thirst for Your purity and righteousness, go advocates of Your justice and that their warring spirits would be inverse into peacemaking. Remove the façade of well-being; tear downwards the lies that accept deceived them; and hedge their ways until they can meet no style out merely up. We pray You would bear witness them the futility of what they are doing because in opposing God's kingdom and in their darkness, they are oftentimes oblivious about the truthful reasons for their behavior and resulting consequences. Reveal to them any deep hurts or traumas in their own lives that may be contributing to their destructive actions.
Knowing how you sometimes use pain and difficulty to bring approval to our lives, nosotros pray the same for our enemies. Use whatever means You lot need to soften stony hearts, open bullheaded optics, and to help them realize their ultimate neediness for You. If necessary, permit persecution in their own lives and then they tin feel Your approval. Speak to them in miraculous, supernatural ways if necessary, through a dream, a picture show, some other believer, Your Word—or even through our own lives if we are ever confronted. In some way, let them witness Your power and recognize that Yous are the source. Nosotros pray for confidence, for an honest evaluation of their own destiny, and for a sense of agony if that's what it takes for them to consider Your claims and to discover Who You lot actually are. Pursue them, even allowing goodness to lead them to repentance. And give us patience and a deep trust in You, Lord, fifty-fifty when we can't see whatsoever alter in our enemies. When nosotros waver, not wanting to pray for our enemies, help united states of america to recall Your grace in our own lives, and what we would exist without Y'all.
Why Should Nosotros 'Pray for Those Who Persecute You'
Why should we pray for our enemies? Because Jesus did. He prayed for those who opposed Him, for those who devised evil against Him, and ultimately as He hung on the Cross, Jesus prayed for His Begetter to forgive all those who had a part in His death—because they didn't know what they were doing. Jesus modeled unconditional love and how we should pray for our enemies, and so allowable us to do the same.
Prayer is an astonishing discipline and privilege. What normally happens when we pray for anyone, is that the prayer acts as a boomerang. God may or may not answer in the fashion we prayed, but God often chooses to bless and change us as a result of our obedience to pray. Information technology's hard to stay angry at someone for whom you earnestly pray. Prayer as well leaves the consequences, revenge, and complete justice to God. It'south a transference of our will into God'south hands. By praying for our enemies, God's Spirit can supernaturally testify dear and kindness through the states or some other that may ultimately change them. That process can also eradicate our fearfulness of our enemies because perfect love casts out fear. Jesus said not to be afraid of those who could destroy the states physically. Instead, nosotros are to fear—a reverent attitude—the I Who determines and fulfills our soul's destiny.
7 Bible Verses that Requite Us Perspective about Praying for Our Enemies:
- Proverbs 16:7 NASB, When a human being's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
- Matthew 5:44 KJV,Only I say unto you, Love your enemies, anoint them that curse you, exercise proficient to them that hate you lot, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
- Luke 23:34 NIV, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
- Marking xi:25 NIV, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Male parent in heaven may forgive you your sins."
- Romans 12:20-21 MSG, Our Scriptures tell usa that if you lot see your enemy hungry, get buy that person lunch, or if he'southward thirsty, go him a drink. Your generosity volition surprise him with goodness. Don't permit evil get the best of you; go the best of evil by doing good.
- 1 Peter three:9 TLB, Don't repay evil for evil. Don't snap back at those who say unkind things about you. Instead, pray for God'southward assist for them, for nosotros are to be kind to others, and God volition bless u.s.a. for it.
- Proverbs 20:22 NLT, Don't say, "I will go even for this wrong." Wait for the Lord to handle the thing.
To Jesus, every person mattered. He came to show united states of america the Father's complete love, fifty-fifty while we were still His "enemies." And when He chosen us as His followers, He didn't exit united states of america without a model. Knowing we would be mistreated and fifty-fifty persecuted for belonging to and believing in Him, He allowable us to pray for our enemies. When we do, God's power is unleashed in them—and in us.
Further Reading
How Can Nosotros Pray for Those Who Persecute Us?
How Practice We Pray for Those Who Hurt Us?
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This article is role of our Prayer resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when y'all confront uncertain times.Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Think, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you tin't find the words to pray.
Repose Prayer
The Lord'due south Prayer
Prayer for Peace
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Practiced Night Prayers
Prayer for Healing
Prayer for Protection
Prayer for God'southward Help
Prayer for Anxiety
Prayer for Force
Source: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/a-powerful-prayer-for-your-enemies.html
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