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RE: Praying For Your Enemies - 5/11/2008 5:46:39 PM
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deliveredarling
Posts: 613
Status: offline
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quote:
Matthew 5:44 says "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you".
My question is what do you pray for? I mean yes, you should pray for your enemies, but what do you pray for your enemies about? Do you pray that they stop persecuting you? Do you pray that they be blessed, saved?
I struggle with this because I have people in my life who I consider enemies and it is a struggle! Because I like to be at peace with all men (and women) however this is not always possible. Your replies are greatly appreciated, thanks!
Mike
I have not read any of the responses, so I may be repeating.... When I pray for those who are persecuting me, I pray for blessings to be bestowed upon them. I pray for a guarded mouth for me. I pray for love to infiltrate every area of their lives and any pain that I may have I pray for it to be removed from them. Hurt people, hurt people.
_____________________________
"Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed: but he puts it on a lampstand, in order that those who come in may see the light."
Luke 8:16
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RE: Praying For Your Enemies - 5/12/2008 10:32:25 AM
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Liveloved
Posts: 620
Joined: 1/22/2008
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quote:
Sorry LL, but I have stated that I do not have enemies (save, as someone pointed out, Satan and his angels). How am I deluding myself? So many Christians seem to believe that if other Christians do not have the same experience as them, then they are wrong, or deluding themselves or even not saved. We all have our own tale to tell.
I have no enemies, and I am not fooling myself.
Oh, I'm sorry, SinnerSaved. We do have our own tale to tell. And I am really not one who believes in the cookie cutter Christian pattern---if you knew me, you'd know how far from true that is of me. I celebrate the differences within the body of Christ and love and appreciate those with gifts that are distinctly different and beautiful from those I was given.
But that said, I do believe God's word and I think it is clear that we will have enemies. Therefore the world hates you were the words of Jesus in John 15:19 and I have given them Thy word and the world has hated them in John 17:14. The Sermon on the Mount tells us blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake and when men cast insults at you and persecute you, and say all kiinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. And the Apostle Paul tells Timothy in 2Tim 3:12 that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
I don't think having enemies is optional for a believer. I hear these verses saying we will have enemies. And I not only believe these words to be true, I have found these words to be true.
Perhaps it is how you define what an enemy is---and that is why I said we are fooling ourselves. We don't want to think of ourselves as having enemies. We are to pursue peace with all men. But Jesus was killed because of the hatred men had for him. And Paul caused riots everywhere he went because of men's hatred for him. So we have to realize that if we are living and speaking God's word into this world, the darkness is going to not like it and respond. Yes, pray we must. But I think we will have enemies if Jesus' life is in us.
Hope this clears up any misunderstanding between us. 
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RE: Praying For Your Enemies - 5/12/2008 3:25:42 PM
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lazareth
Posts: 8
Joined: 5/10/2008
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: humbleinspirit
I struggle with this because I have people in my life who I consider enemies and it is a struggle! Because I like to be at peace with all men (and women) however this is not always possible. Your replies are greatly appreciated, thanks!
Mike
Romans 12:20-21 tells us,
" If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap
coals of fire on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good."
_____________________________
"Believe your beliefs, and doubt your doubts-
but never believe your doubts, or doubt your beliefs!"
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RE: Praying For Your Enemies - 5/12/2008 6:28:01 PM
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SinnerSaved
Posts: 206
Joined: 10/28/2007
From: Belfast, N. Ireland
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Liveloved
But that said, I do believe God's word and I think it is clear that we will have enemies. Therefore the world hates you were the words of Jesus in John 15:19 and I have given them Thy word and the world has hated them in John 17:14. The Sermon on the Mount tells us blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake and when men cast insults at you and persecute you, and say all kiinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. And the Apostle Paul tells Timothy in 2Tim 3:12 that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
I don't think having enemies is optional for a believer. I hear these verses saying we will have enemies. And I not only believe these words to be true, I have found these words to be true.
Perhaps it is how you define what an enemy is---and that is why I said we are fooling ourselves. We don't want to think of ourselves as having enemies. We are to pursue peace with all men. But Jesus was killed because of the hatred men had for him. And Paul caused riots everywhere he went because of men's hatred for him. So we have to realize that if we are living and speaking God's word into this world, the darkness is going to not like it and respond. Yes, pray we must. But I think we will have enemies if Jesus' life is in us.
Hope this clears up any misunderstanding between us.
All of the scriptures you have quoted above make me an enemy of those who are persecuting me because I am a Christian. They do not make them (those who persecute me) my enemies.
The online dictionary defines enemy as I would define it thus:
One who feels hatred toward, intends injury to, or opposes the interests of another; a foe.
I hold no ill toward anyone, let alone hatred. I intend no injury to anyone, and have no foes. I have no enemies (mortal that is). Others may consider me to be their enemy. That is a matter for their own hearts.
Are you telling me that I should feel hatred for, or intend injury to, those who persecute me?
_____________________________
"No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
John Donne
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RE: Praying For Your Enemies - 5/12/2008 6:38:54 PM
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armydude
Posts: 10522
Joined: 2/12/2006
From: NC
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: SinnerSaved
All of the scriptures you have quoted above make me an enemy of those who are persecuting me because I am a Christian. They do not make them (those who persecute me) my enemies.
Well said!
Someone said that people ask him if he dislikes anyone. He replied, "Yeah. I hate the devil. Everybody else is okay."
Sometimes I still struggle with that, but God knows how to steer my heart back in the right direction by prompting me to pray for those that have angered me. I don't stay mad long.
_____________________________
Website for sale
The heart of God is the Father. The face of God is Jesus. The voice of God is the Holy Ghost. But the hand of God is the church.
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