So thankful for my friend, Debbie, who blogs at The Architect and The Artist, for sharing this post and these verses for us to pray over our enemies! I think you are going to LOVE this post, Debbie is such a kindred spirit and I love her heart in wanting to bless those that have hurt her.
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28
It started with a fight: first among people and then within my heart. I didn’t want to do what He was asking of me. It was too much to require. There was too much pain to even attempt it, but in a moment of weakened reluctance I said a short prayer. It wasn’t much, but it was all that I could muster at the time. I had begun the journey of praying for my “enemies”, the ones who had rejected and hurt me.
Debbie lives in central Alaska with her husband and two teen boys. She loves to read, write, and spend time with loved ones. She homeschools her sons and runs an in-home business offering Spanish lessons to other homeschoolers. She blogs about faith at The Architect and the Artist and about teaching Spanish at Debbie’s Spanish Learning.
Growing up in church, I always wondered why God called us to pray for our enemies. It sounds like a strange idea from the beginning. Who is really going to be motivated to bless those who oppose, hate, and despise? What kind of crazy person would do such a thing? I never understood it until the day I felt compelled to actually do it…
God is all about creating heartstrings between people. He knows heartstrings make the heart sting less. As a pastor put it once, “God wants them {your enemies} in your heart so they won’t get under your skin.” Praying for our enemies is one way to create a place in our hearts for those who we don’t see eye-to-eye with. You can’t actively hate a person you are praying for. God knows that it is easier to forgive someone if you are praying blessings over them. He knows while you pray for them you will not only be blessing them, but yourself. While you are creating heartstrings He heals your heart.
For the past year or so I have been praying for those people in my life I once thought I could never pray for. The benefits have been enormous! The bitterness has subsided. The anger lessened. The heart is on the mend. Two years ago, I would have told you there was no way I could pray blessings over those who caused such devastation. Today I will tell you it has been one of the best activities I have done to move past the past which haunts me.
Each month here, Candace provides you with Scriptures to pray. Praying God’s Word back to Him is one way to pray effectively. When we don’t know what or how to pray, His Word can fill in the blanks. This is especially true when praying for our enemies. It is hard to even get the prayer out if the hurt is deep enough. Sometimes you need Someone else to provide the words. So this month I am giving Candace the Scriptures I have used in praying for those who have hurt me. It is my prayer that if you are struggling with someone in your life that you will use these verses to pray blessings over them. You will be amazed at how your heart changes.
So, maybe it’s time to create some heartstrings?
Let’s pray these verses over those that have hurt us this month! Who will join me?
Click on the link or the graphic to open your PDF and print!
Debbie lives in central Alaska with her husband and two teen boys. She loves to read, write, and spend time with loved ones. She homeschools her sons and runs an in-home business offering Spanish lessons to other homeschoolers. She blogs about faith at The Architect and the Artist and about teaching Spanish at Debbie’s Spanish Learning.
I love this! I will definitely be praying these! Thank you!
I’m so glad, Donna! Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Thank you so much. I have been struggling with forgiving my now ex- husband for 26 months. I place his name on the alter at church weekly, I have been studying forgiveness in the bible, talking about it with my friends & family, realizing that God forgives me daily & yet I still struggle with letting my pain go. The offenses continue to weigh on my heart, they are not as nearly as heavy as they were 2 years ago or even 5 months ago, but they are still there in my heart … My heart repeats the offenses over and over again, like a tape recorder or an old scratched album, constantly.
I read your 31 prayers for your enemies and they were absolutely beautiful. I have been meditating on them since the first of the year. ” may your goodness pass in front of them.” Is my favorite! These are prayers /blessings that I would want for myself or for a prayer warrior to pray over me. And now I pray for my offender as if I were praying for a friend.
I am very appreciative for these prayers that you have so elogantly put together. And my prayer for you is that God’s goodness will continue to pass in front of you.
Nicole, thank you so much for taking the time to comment and let me know how these verses are helping you. I am saying a prayer for you now!!
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Thank you for this beautiful post, so needed and one I will practice. Sharing with others-Blessings to you!