Praying for Your Enemies
“Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” (Luke 12: 51 – 53)
What Jesus was teaching was His body of truth and that of the world are opposites. Some would be His followers and others not. Thus, the division.
As with people, so with nations. Some oppose the Bible body of truth and others embrace it. Some opponents become overt, even aggressive ones.
Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…. (Matthew 5: 44) That is applicable to individuals and nations.
How are believers to pray for them? When Christians are told to pray for those who oppose God’s standards most think that means we are to pray for God to send them to hell. Psalm 129 is called the Imprecatory Psalm. Precatory means prayer. The “im” preface means prayer against. It is a lesson on how to pray for those who oppose Bible principals.
First, pray that they will not be honored. What’s there to honor in opposing God’s will? Instead pray that they may “Be put to shame.” Vs 5
Second, pray they will not succeed. “Let them be as the grass on housetops.” Most of the houses of the time had mud roofs. Grass seed sown there grows, but soon dies. May their opposition to the gospel wither.
Third, pray they will not be blessed. “Neither let those who pass by them say, ‘The blessing of the Lord be upon you; We bless you in the name of the Lord!’” Don’t pray God will honor the efforts made against Him.
Every time a believer prays this portion of the Lord’s prayer, “thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as in heaven,” (Matthew 6: 9 – 1) that is equivalent to what is taught in Psalm 129.
Jesus gave us the model prayer contained in Matthew 6 and told us to include it as a part of our prayer life. Join me in praying it several times a day. Keep in mind the One to whom you are praying even more than what you are praying. This passage from Psalm 129 needs also to be prayed often and earnestly.
II Corinthians 4: 10 describes believers in the eyes of the world and of Jesus. The italics are mine inserted for clarity. “We are fools for Christ’s sake, in the eye’s of the world, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, from a worldly perspective, but you are strong! You are distinguished, in God’s sight, but we are dishonored!” by the world. Like the apostles we should consider it an honor to suffer for Jesus’ sake. No whining allowed.