Disciples Pray for Their Enemies in a God-Pleasing Way
We return one more time to the topic of loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. This week we are thinking about our enemies. By “enemies,” we don’t mean people whom you despise or are hostile toward. As disciples of Jesus, such an attitude should not be part of your character. An enemy is one hostile toward you or what you stand for. These are also neighbors Jesus calls us to love.
Your Biblical Identity in Christ
Luke 6:27-36
Love for Enemies
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
In Christ, I am a child of the Most High God, and because He is kind to ungrateful and wicked people, I will be merciful and loving toward my enemies.
The dictionary defines an enemy as a person who is actively opposed to or hostile toward someone or something. Today is a devotion of questions as we consider Jesus’ words: To you who are listening – love your enemies. Are you listening to Jesus? Do you take care not to return hate for hate, spite for spite – but do good to them instead? Are you making an effort to not disrespect those who disrespect you, to bless those who curse you? Are you praying for those who mistreat you rather than wishing them to receive their just desserts?
Here is a list on indicators that you or others have slipped into “enemy mode” (a relational circuits checklist from ThriveToday):
- I just want to make a person, problem, or feeling go away
- I don’t want to listen to what others feel or say
- My mind is “locked onto” something upsetting
- I don’t want to be connected to ______ (someone I usually like)
- I just want to get away, fight, or I freeze
- I more aggressively interrogate, judge, or fix others
To restore connection circuits, the goal is to perceive the Lord’s presence, tell Him about your pain, and receive His comfort so that you can get your relational circuits back on. The strategy is to quiet the body and then talk to God about your emotions and thoughts even if you don’t perceive His presence yet. I know I could use some work here. I imagine that you can too. Let’s pray about it:
Prayer for the Day
Father God, I ask that You help me stay out of enemy mode. When I think about those who oppose me or are hostile toward me, or those who slip into enemy mode, I think of ______. As I pray for them, I ask that You help me love them, do good for them, and bless them rather than speaking poorly of them or wishing evil to befall them. In Jesus I pray. Amen.