Podcast Episode #167: Praying For Our Enemies

Find more at this link: https://rickleejames.com/2016/07/26/a-guide-how-do-we-pray-for-our-enemies/ On Tuesday, July 26th, an 84 year old priest, Father Jacques Hamel, was murdered in cold blood while he was leading a mass in France. He was forced to his knees before his throat was slit all while being videotaped. How marred the image of God must be in the people who do things like that, one of them a 19 year old. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). He also said, “Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27–28). So how do we pray for enemies like this? How do we possibly love them like Jesus taught us? Maybe we try praying the Lord's Prayer for them. Our Father in heaven, we pray that our enemies would be converted by your hallowed, holy, sacred name. We pray that your Kingdom would come upon our enemies and Your will would be done in them and to them. Let this happen on earth before they have to stand before your heavenly throne in judgment. Give them as little or as much provision as is needed to drive them unto you and to beg for forgiveness of their trespasses. Do the same for us until we have prayed to a place where we are able to forgive them, lest we be accountable in Your judgement. Lead them away from the path of temptation and deliver them from this evil that has overcome them, because Lord, Your Kingdom is the only Kingdom with power, authority, and glory. As we pray this for our enemies we pray it for ourselves as well. Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy. In our lives and especially in our deaths, may the love of Jesus be seen in us by everyone, especially our enemies who need Your love so desperately. Our lives are yours Lord, and with our final breath, help us to tell our enemies, "God loves You and what the enemy has intended for evil, our God will work for good."