Pray For Your Enemies

Matthew 5:43: Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 6:14: For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

We should certainly count our enemies as men who trespass against us. When we pray for our enemies, God might just turn them into friends. That has happened in my life. David prayed for judgment to fall on his enemies in Psalms 35 and other places, God instructed Jeremiah not to pray for certain people and Jesus prayed not for the world.

Jeremiah 7:16: Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.

Jeremiah 11:14: Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

John 17:9: I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

Unless we have as close a relationship with God as David, the man after God*s own heart or Jeremiah, we get on dangerous ground if we pray against our enemies. And we are not omniscient (all-knowing) as Jesus is.

Romans 8:26: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Ephesians 6:18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

We will pray correctly when we are filled with the Spirit (in God*s will). Our prayers will be sinful when we pray in the flesh.

James 4:3: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Psalms 66:18: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

Care to discuss Pray For Your Enemies with Ron?

He'd also like to hear your prayer requests