Did you know you should be praying for your enemies? It seems counterproductive right? But as Christians we should be praying for your enemies. I promise it will be quite the surprise when you see the changes in your life and their lives. So, let’s look at what it means, why we should, and what happens when we take time to pray for our enemies rather than cursing them and allowing them to control our thoughts and actions.
Pray For Your Enemies
Nowadays it seems like everyone is enemies. Whether it be because of ideals, politics, different walks of life, people for some reason believe that being different makes you their enemy. And sometimes these things do make people your enemy.
However, our society has also embraced hate and spite. So many people have made it a mission to curse and hate their enemies, whomever they may be, and be full of bitter and misery. They allow the actions of people they detest to dictate their feelings and actions. And we’ve seen time and time again that it tends to bubble up to violence in our country and extreme division.
Even Christians are becoming bitter, jaded, and full of spite and hate and it is heartbreaking. Christians should be leading by example. Grant it, it does not mean you have to lay down and allow someone to hurt you. You should stand up for yourself and correct people out of love and protect your own. BUT, we should be showing kindness, love, and praying for our enemies when we can. Instead of being the salt of the earth people have decided to salt the earth.
But why do you need to be praying for your enemies?
Related: Struggling with hardships? Protect yourself from your enemies by putting on the Full Armor Of God!
Scripture On Praying For Your Enemies
Well, because the Bible tells us to. We should not only be praying for our enemies, but we should also love and forgive our enemies. I know, it can be hard, but this is what God expects of us. Let’s look at the Bible verses.
1. Matthew 5:43-44 – Pray For And Love Your Enemies
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…
Bible Gateway
This Bible verse tells us to not only pray for our enemies, but love them, as well as those who persecute you. We see a ton of persecution nowadays. May it be because you’re a Christian, Conservative, Democrat, man, woman, whatever, we are to love and pray for all who do us wrong.
2. Luke 6:27-28 – Love Your Enemies, Pray For Those Who Hate And Abuse You
But I say to your who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse your, pray for those who abuse you.
Bible Gateway
We don’t want to forgive and love those who hurt us. It’s hard. It is really really hard. But this is why we have to rely on God to help us see people the way He sees them and love them the way He loves them and to have forgiving hearts.
3. Proverbs 24:16-18 – Do Not Celebrate When Your Enemy Falls
For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.
Bible Gateway
People tend to be all about “karma” which is FYI occultish and Christians should be hoping for karma. But people want bad things to happen to people and want their own justice done. And grant it, there are circumstances where bad things have to happen to bad people (i.e war etc.) But on day to day basis, we should not be cheering for bad things to happen to someone who cut us off, made us angry, offended us, etc.
4. 1 Peter 3:9 – Do Not Repay Evil With Evil
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Bible Gateway
Do not get even. Vengeance is not ours. It is the Lord’s. We pray blessings over our enemies so that we may be blessed. If we repay evil with evil then we are no better than our enemies.
5. Romans 12:14-21 – Do Not Take Revenge
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Bible Gateway
You should be blessing and praying for your enemies, not getting revenge or cursing. We are to emulate Christ, and cruelty, spite, revenge, is not fruits of the Spirit. We are to show mercy, love, the same way God does and how can people see God in us if we aren’t emulating Christ?
What Happens When You Start Praying For Your Enemies?
Okay, so now that we have taken a look at the previous Bible verses (there are many more not listed here), and we know what we should be doing. But why should we be praying for our enemies? Loving our enemies? And forgiving our enemies?
We talked about Matthew 5:43-44, but let’s look further in that verse… particularly verses 45-48.
…that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Bible Gateway
What does this mean? This means that obeying God and loving and forgiving as He does will bring us closer to God and make us more Christ-like. Plus, the Romans verse we were talking about previously is actually from Proverbs 25, but there is a line I want to touch on.
Praying For Your Enemies Will Heap Coals On Their Head
“In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” What does that mean? That means when we pray for our enemies and showing them kindness will make them miserable. Do we want them miserable? No, we want them to see our kindness and pray that it changes them. “Kill them with kindness” comes to mind when we talk about this verse.
But the key is to be sincere in your kindness and blessings and not hope for misery. This will set us apart from our enemies. Revenge is the Lord’s not ours (Romans 12:19).
Forgiving And Praying For Your Enemies
When you repeatedly pray for your enemies you learn to forgive them. Not only that, but it sets us free from that hurt and bitterness. Plus, you learn to look at your enemies with compassion. Prayer and spending time with God and trusting Him to deal with our enemies not only builds a stronger relationship with Him, but God softens our hearts. Which allows to be more Christ-like as well.
But Didn’t David Pray Against His Enemies?
There are times in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, where we see people such as David praying against their enemies. Is that wrong? Is that something we should be doing?
God does want us to pray against our enemies. Now, I’m not sure whether what David did was wrong or right in what he prayed for. Times then were a LOT different and there was a LOT of murder and sacrifices happening. God doesn’t want us to die and harmed (this is a great post about self-defense if you are not sure.)
Now back to the other point. God does want us to pray against our enemies. In this I mean bring our enemies and problems to Him. This doesn’t mean God will smite our enemies, but God will take care of our enemies as He chooses fit. God counts every tear and He knows you’re hurting. Lay it down to Him, vengeance is His, and He is your Father. Fathers protect their children. That doesn’t mean nothing bad will ever happen to you. But that means justice will be brought.
And sometimes it takes a long while to see that justice. In my case, someone hurt me really bad as a child, and it took almost a decade, but eventually justice was served and that person can’t hurt anyone ever again. In that time though, I was able to get help, heal, and help others.
God will turn your hurt into something beautiful. It may not feel like it, and it may be overwhelming, but trust God. Sometimes you have nothing in this world and sometimes you don’t even want to pray, but cry out anyway. God wants to hear everything.
How To Start Praying For Your Enemies
This is the hardest part, but take time each day to pray for those who hurt you. I’ll leave this prayer here and I hope and pray it helps you and brings change in your enemies life.
Lord,
I come before you today and ask forgiveness of my sins. Lord, I’m struggling with hurt and pain and anger and hate. I pray you soften my heart and let me see people the way you see them, let me love them the way you love them. I forgive those who have done me wrong or done my loved ones wrong and I release them of their debt.
Lord, I pray over my enemies. Pray that you change their heart. Soften their harden heart and let them see you. Change them according to Your will. I pray blessings over my enemies and release any curses I have spoken over them whether intentional or unintentional.
Bless them, O’ Lord, and use that blessing to further Your will and reveal Yourself to them. Your will be done in their lives and my life.
I also pray protection over myself, my home, my family, and friends from those, physical or spiritual, who would seek to harm us in anyway. I pray your Holy Spirit into us and our home and that you would send your angelic warriors to protect my family and home.
Please heal me, O’ Lord, free me from this hurt and give me your supernatural peace. Fill me with Your grace and love and make me Christ-like. I let go of all my problems, fears, anger, doubt, and enemies and leave them to You. And I thank you for every blessing in my life, every lesson, and most importantly for the relationship I have with You. I love and trust your Father, with all my heart and soul.
In Christ’s name I pray,
Amen.
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Have you been praying for your enemies? I know it’s hard and I struggle with it sometimes, but I’d like to hear from you!
