“Praying for my enemies”
But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends.”
Janice writes:
I was working as a Social Worker for the Department of Social Services in a well-known city in North Carolina, when this scripture was born in my spirit. One of my co-workers was really giving me a hard time at work. She was trying very hard to get me fired from my job, simply because of the life that lived as a Christian. Each day, I hated the thought of going to work, not knowing what kind of scheme that she had planned for that day.
One morning, the Spirit of the Lord woke me up at 4:00 am, and encouraged me to pray for this person. The first thought that came to my mind was that if I prayed anything for her, it would be for her to leave me alone and go far away. But, that sweet spirit of the Lord gently nudged me to my knees, and I began to pray for God to have mercy on her soul.
That was an appointed time each morning for me to get on my knees and pray for my enemy from 4:00 am until 6:00 am.
Slowly, as I humbled myself and yielded to God, I began to have love in my heart towards this person. I no longer felt the dreadful feelings that I used to have about going to work. I was feeling the joy of the Lord each day, as I read these scriptures over and over again. I began to grow spiritually. It was not long afterwards that God opened doors for me to preach and teach the gospel on the radio, and to spread the word of God through newsletters and booklets.
This scripture changed my life. It taught me the true meaning of loving, blessing, and praying for my enemies. Soon, I left that place of employment to work in the ministry full-time. Every time I have to face a test when Satan uses a human body to war against me, I remember these scriptures, and I do what I know to best: I pray for my enemies. I am also teaching my children how to pray for their enemies, whenever they are confronted with troubles in school. My youngest son saw the result of his prayers when he began to pray for his classroom bully. They are now best friends and look forward to playing basketball each day at school.
Prayer changes things, and love conquers all.
(c) 2006 by Janice M. Chambers
Please note that the views expressed in this story are not necessarily the views of the American Bible Society. Story posted on March 29th, 2006 and filed under Prayer, Your Stories, Struggles, Loving your enemies, Grace, Most Popular Stories.
December 11th, 2006 at 6:31 pm
Thank You so much for sharing this story, it has helped me so much, i am currently feeling the effects of an attack from an enemy (family member) who hates the fact that i am a christian. She tells my daughter things that she dislikes about the way we live and of course my daughter (14) comes home and tells us. It is so hard not to respond in the way i would of before i became a Christian!!! I will however be getting on my knees with my daughter and praying for this person. Godbless you and thanks again.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
i am george nx from kerala , india . Mathew 5 , 44 is the word that help me to get rid off my hatred that started from the child hood . praying for enemy is poosible when we realised god is love . when i believed god punished adam & eve in the garden for me it was not possible to pray for my enemy . when i realised god never punished adam & eve in the garden i was able to forgive.