Today, I want to address something that is quite sensitive and challenging for many believers. It is something that is often avoided within the Body of Christ, and that is praying for our enemies.
While on my way to work on Friday 16th February, the Holy Spirit led me to read 1 Timothy 2. Among all that I read, verses 1-2 stood out most profoundly. In verse 1, the Apostle Paul urges Timothy to offer “pray for all men through supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life.”
It is important to note that before Paul mentions leaders or those in authority, he emphasizes that we are to pray for ALL people. Although Scripture does not explicitly define what “all” entails, it clearly refers to every kind of person, without exception. This includes our families, neighbors, fellow believers, work colleagues, and yes, even our enemies.
This study also led me to Matthew 5:43-45, where Jesus reinforces this command to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” If we are honest, at times this is not easy to do. It is quite difficult to pray for someone who is hurtful, deceitful, abusive, violent, or openly evil. Yet Jesus goes on to explain that when we love and pray for our enemies, we reflect the character of our Heavenly Father, who causes the sun to rise on both the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. In other words, God extends His general grace and provision to all people, even those who do not honor Him.
But Why Should We Pray for Our Enemies?
Why should I pray for someone who has deeply hurt me, lied about me, used me, or shown hatred toward me? Why should I intercede for those who seem undeserving? Here are several reasons Scripture gives us:
1. Pray for Your Enemy’s Salvation
In 1 Timothy 2:4, Scripture tells us that “God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Consider Luke 23:34, where our Lord Jesus, while being crucified, prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Imagine God answered that prayer immediately, opening the eyes of a Roman soldier who declared, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
This reminds us that when we pray for the salvation of our enemies, God is fully able to respond. As Ephesians 3:20 declares, "He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think”.
2. Pray That Evil Will Not Abound
What if our enemies refuse to repent or turn from their evil ways? Remember this: not only do their actions harm others, but they also bring destruction upon themselves. Pray that whatever evil they intend or carry out will not abound to harm themselves or others.
3. Pray God’s Blessings
In Luke 6:28, Jesus instructs us to “bless those who curse you, and pray for those who misuse you.” He later adds in verse 35 that, “Your reward shall be great.”
There have been many occasions when people openly expressed intense dislike and hatred toward me. I made a conscious decision to pray for them, greet them with kindness, and treat them with respect. At first, this was extremely difficult, and there were times when I tried to avoid them altogether. Yet I asked the Lord to help me see others through His eyes and to love them with His love.
Understand this. Praying for your enemies and asking God for the strength to do so does not mean you will be unaffected by the hurt inflicted, that you are condoning harmful behavior, or that you are allowing yourself to be mistreated. Rather, it is allowing the grace of God to empower you to overcome the pain and to pray sincerely for those who have wronged you. God truly answers prayer, and today I can say with confidence that I can treat my enemies with the same grace I extend to my friends.
This can become a powerful testimony to them when they witness the kindness of God flowing through you, potentially leading them to repentance. Some may mistake this kind of kindness for weakness, but godly love and kindness are a spiritual superpower in the face of our true enemy, the devil, and the evil spirits that often operate through people to stir hatred without reason. God honors and blesses those who choose to pray for their enemies.
4. Pray That God’s Justice Will Prevail
At first, this may seem paradoxical in light of the previous point. However, praying for our enemies and showing them kindness does not mean we are weak, nor does it mean that we condone wrongdoing. Many who oppose us assume that Christianity and God’s love are signs of weakness, believing this permits them to persist in evil. This could not be further from the truth. God hates sin and evil, and to truly love God, we must also reject what is evil. God is both loving and just, and love expressed through justice requires that wrongdoing be addressed.
Praying for God’s justice does not mean asking Him to harm our enemies. Rather, it means asking God to judge their actions righteously, expose the error of their ways, and lead them toward repentance and restoration. We pray that God’s judgment would ultimately cause them to seek His face and turn back to Him.
God’s divine justice, which operates from an eternal and spiritual perspective. When human justice fails, Scripture reminds us not to take personal revenge, but to entrust ourselves to God’s righteous judgment. As Deuteronomy 32:35 declares, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” While there are instances in Scripture and even in present times where individuals who remained violent, corrupt, and unrepentant were removed by God Himself, we must always guard our hearts. When praying for justice, we must ensure that hatred, bitterness, or a desire for revenge does not take root within us.
Conclusion
When we pray for our enemies, God gives us the grace to love them genuinely. Though it may feel like a win-lose situation at first, trust God to help you see others through His eyes. Ask Him to help you forgive those who have hurt, hated, or mistreated you.
Christianity is not for the weak. You are strong, victorious, and more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.
Many, including myself, have faced intense hatred, spiritual attacks, and even threats against our lives. Often, those involved do not even know why they harbor such animosity. This is because our true enemy is Satan, who uses human vessels to carry out destruction. He knows that unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred, and revenge can destroy both the offended and the offender.
When we recognize who our true enemy is, we gain the strength to love our human enemies and release the outcome to God, who alone determines the results of our prayers.
Say this prayer with me:
Father in Heaven, Lord Jesus,
I acknowledge that it is often difficult to love the unlovable and forgive those who have hurt me deeply. As You hung on the cross for my sins, You did not seek revenge or call down angels to destroy Your executioners. Instead, You prayed for them and forgave them.
Help me, Lord, to forgive and to pray for my enemies sincerely, even when they show no sign of change. Forgive me for the times I have harbored bitterness and resentment in my heart. I release every hurt and pain to You and ask that You replace them with peace, love, and a deeper understanding of Your heart.
I expose and dismantle every plan of the enemy that seeks to use people as instruments of harm. In Jesus’ name, I ask that You deliver them from the snares of darkness. Let Your perfect will be accomplished in my life and in theirs.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Author: Kimberly A. S. Williams