A Prayer For Your Enemies

The way the world works is that if you have an enemy, it is natural for you to hate them. After all, they are your enemy. If they have offended you, you are to offend them back. If they have caused you pain, you are not to forgive them but instead ensure you retaliate—an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. However, as believers, God has called us to be holy just as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.). To be holy means to be different or set apart, just like God, who is different from the world. This also applies when we are dealing with our enemies. We don’t deal with them the way the world does but the way Christ would. We are to reflect the character and glory of God to this dying world by how we conduct ourselves (Matthew 5:13-16).

Father in heaven, I pray that whenever I interact with my enemies, I will reflect to them who Christ is by the way I treat them, to show them grace and mercy and deal with them differently than how the world would. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Why Do We Pray for Our Enemies?

We pray for our enemies because, first, Jesus commands us to love our enemies. In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus teaches us to love our enemies and pray for those persecuting us. If truly we are sons and daughters of God who have experienced grace, undeserved love, and mercy from the Father in the person of Christ, then we will also show the same toward our enemies. Loving our enemies is one thing that differentiates us from the world. Sinners would only love those who love them and hate those who hate them. If we believers only love those who love us, then we aren’t different from the world. Hence, being Christlike and holy means loving even our enemies.

In Luke 6:27-28, it is also written that apart from loving our enemies, we are also to do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who abuse us. One of the ways in which we put our love for our enemies into action is by praying for them. Even if they insult us, gossip about us, offend us, betray us, hurt us, and commit all the other kinds of offenses against us, we are to bless them and pray for them. That means seeking their well-being in prayers.

This task of praying and blessing those who curse, abuse, and hurt us might be truly difficult. Indeed, it is. However, in (Luke 6:35), it is written that our reward in God will be great. Perhaps no one sees your effort to repay evil not with evil but with good, doing that which is honorable (Romans 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.). However, God sees everything, and it is a gracious thing in His sight. He is honored, pleased, and glorified, and great is your reward in heaven. When we show mercy toward our enemies, it is like heaping burning coals on their heads (Proverbs 25:21-22).

Heavenly Father, give me the grace to love my enemies and seek their well-being in prayer, even if they are the ones who have offended and hurt me. Remind me of the mercy I have received from You, and may it move me to show mercy to others also. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

How to Pray for Your Enemies

Praying for your enemies is like praying for yourself or your family, friends, and loved ones. Just as you try to carry the burdens of your loved ones in prayers, you also do the same for your enemies. If they are going through difficulties in life, you pray for strength. In general, you seek their well-being in prayer, whatever that well-being may be. If they are sick and need healing, then pray for their healing. If they are suffering, pray for comfort upon them. Whatever their concerns may be, lift them to God in prayers as if you are also praying for your loved ones (Philippians 4:6-7).

Father in heaven, I pray for my office worker who has backstabbed me and gossiped about me in the workplace. Right now, there is turmoil within her family. I pray that You will bring peace to her family and that You will bring comfort to her. Most of all, I pray that she will get to know You and believe in Christ and that she may also have the privilege of being Your child. I pray for good health upon her. Protect her from any danger. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Loving and praying for your enemies is very difficult. However, it is not from inside us that we look for the motivation to show them mercy. Rather, we look to God. We are to be merciful just as our Father is merciful. We are sustained here all because of God’s mercy. We were able to wake up today because of His mercy, eat because of His mercy, arrive home safely because of His mercy, and, most of all, be saved in the person of Christ because of His mercy. If we realize the magnitude of God’s mercy in our lives, it constrains us to also show mercy to our enemies.