Although it can be fitting to ask God to intervene in the affairs of government and society at large by judging those who are doing evil, our Lord told us to pray for those who persecute us and who are our personal enemies.
You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-45 (ESV)
The natural response when people try to hurt us is to fight back or wish them harm. God’s kingdom operates by different principles because we have different objectives. Our highest priority is not survival. Instead, we are here to spread the Good News of God’s kingdom and make disciples by whatever means necessary. When we pray for our enemies, Jesus asks us to make it our hope that they will be able to repent and find forgiveness in Christ for themselves. Our eternity is secure, but theirs is not. They need someone to pray for them.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:10 (NASB)
The Bible says that Jesus died for us when we were still his enemies. If Jesus did that for us, is it too much for him to ask us to pray for the same blessing to come to our own enemies?
God will actually turn the evil being perpetrated against us for good. (Romans 8:28) We simply need to maintain our faith. We can emulate Stephen, the first martyr, who prayed while being stoned to death by enemies of the gospel who became his personal enemies because he identified with Jesus.
Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:58-60 (ESV)
Our Lord asks us to do what he did: trust God to handle all judgment against the wicked, who will be sure to bring justice and exact vengeance upon all his enemies who do not repent.
For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 1 Peter 2:21-23 (NASB)
Prayer
Father in heaven who judges justly, you have been merciful to me, even when I was your enemy. You see how I am being mistreated by (name the persons). I ask you to be merciful to them as you were to me. Please forgive them for hurting me and my family. Bring them to repentance and faith just as you did in my life. I trust you to uphold me by your grace during this time of testing. I also trust you to maintain justice. I know that you will bring all unrepentant evil doers to judgment in your good time.
