Do you pray for your enemies? Even the ones who have done you or others unbelievable harm?

Question

Do you think that praying for them will help either you or them in any way? If so, has your prayers had any affect on you or them? Can you cite an example?

Answer 1

Yes, and I have seen healing when I have done this.

I had alot of bitterness for my exhusband who was abusive to me. I stopped the negative thoughts and comments. Started to pray for him, and be concerned for him. And I noticed not only did his attitude change but mine did as well.

Answer 2

They are sinners just as we all are, so yes. I pray for mine.

Praying for your enemies usually helps you overcome your anger/hatred toward them. It won't have any effect on their actions, because only they can develop a relationship with their Savior that will lead to salvation, but it certainly can't hurt, either. The New Testament says when two or more pray for the same thing, God hears and answers. Just maybe not in the way we think we want Him to answer it.

Answer 3

I do pray for my enemies but do not know exactly how my prayers are affecting them (Deut.29:29; Rom. 11:33), nor can I cite a specific example, but in addition to prayer, I want the very best for them, namely salvation.

Answer 4

Every night, I pray that G-d (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) would have mercy on the soul of all those who are His enemy. I ask that He continue to send messengers, to people around the world; with the message of salvation in Christ Jesus. I close the prayer with found in Our L-rd's Prayer. "Forgive us our wrongs as we forgives those who wrong us and His Will Be Done on Earth, as it is in Heaven"

I have seen a tremendous change in my attitude towards others, I have a lot more patience with people; than I did before starting this routine. The best replies to anything that a person says or does against you is "That's okay G-d still loves you." or "Your forgiven."

Answer 5

Yes I have prayed for the protection of the innocence from others who harm and that the ones who harm will lose whatever they use to harm others with.... I feel releasing even your anger of others to God by praying is a healthy attitude.... I look at it like God is the Ruler of the Universe and when I tell him about a sore or fungus on his beautiful planet I know he will take it out.

Answer 6

Of course, I reaaly don't have any that have done me unbelievable harm. In my past i was bad towards my step kids, and they grew to hate me, i pray for them off and on and I am happy to report that one is able to talk to me and likes me. He is also much better, having been delivered from his drug adiction, and is working at being a productive member of scociety.

I don't know if my prayers were the cause, but I believe that as God has His hand on my life now more that ever, those that have been dear to me in the past that I have offended, God is fixing it.

I give him the Glory and Praise.

Answer 7

I'm sure the On-Line Church has a lot of enemies !!!
especially with what you all preach on-line.
Your church is doing Humanity unbelievable harm, but do you realize it???

Praying will not help.

Look what pray does for the pope, or anyone else stupid enough to be a religious believer.

Go beyond doing unbelievable harm, and DO this:

Have UnConditional Love and Peace by accomplishing this:
Create Your Relationship with Our Creator.

UnConditional Love and Peace is the only answer.

Answer 8

Jesus says not to hate the person because of their sin but to hate the sin itself.
All of us are born into this world a slave to sin and blind to the truth.
We are in fact in bondage to Satan because we're separated from God like sheep without a Sheppard.
Some of us were lucky enough to be saved and escape the torments Satan places upon us through sin because Jesus Christ took our place on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins.
Although some people fall so deep into sin that they cannot be saved because they are in a sense already in Hell.
Those people we are to stay away from but pray for anyway even though it may not make any difference.

But there are still others who can still be saved even though they are lost and dead in their sins.
We are not to hate them but show them through example the way to Salvation.
So yes,I pray for my enemies and I hope that they will listen to the small voice which speaks to all of us and turn away from sin and embrace life instead.

Read Psalm 22.
You will see that Jesus literally took our place on the cross and suffered for us as Prophesied by King David.
All of us are brothers and sisters and we should act like it with understanding and forgiveness.

Answer 9

I don't really have any personal enemies (no, I did not kill them all). I just try not to leave myself open to be harmed - you know, the whole gentle as a dove but wise as a serpent thing.

But I do pray for world leaders and enemies of God (Fidel, Osama, Chavez, Jesse, Hilary, Etc.) They are such charismatic and powerful people - imagine what they could do once accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior!

Answer 10

If you consider everyone who has done me wrong, an enemy, yes. I pray often (usually when I eat). Forgiveness is a talent that needs exercise. As for enemies actively out to get me, they'll have to surrender, totally, before we talk...

Answer 11

I pray they blow up or die in some horrible ripped apart way and then I pray that I can lose my hatred and not actually do it since I couldn't take prison. Unfortunately I don't think I have the power to change anything but believe people's negativity could potentially bring about the bad karma I wish on them. In other words, they will trip themselves up some day and I don't feel bad for feeling good about it.