DAY 11: Pray for Your Enemies!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” - Matthew 5:43-48 

We started this thing by rejoicing when we were persecuted, slandered or lied about. Now, we’re taking it up a notch! Then, we’ll step it up ANOTHER notch by praying for those who have persecuted us. 

Today, we are making a choice to LOVE those that we consider our enemies. If you want to know what that looks like, just look at Jesus, dying on the cross at the hands of His persecutors. Start by forgiving your enemies. Love will come easier after that. 

“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” - Luke 23:34 

Take 5 minutes and write down a list of anyone that you would consider or who would consider you an enemy. List them by name. It should be fresh since we started by rejoicing over what they had done. 

Then, take 5 minutes and PRAY for those people, one by one. Picture their faces and really ask God to help them and bless them. Don’t throw up “Christian Curses”, (ie- BLESS YOU!) pray, out of your heart that they will be blessed. Pray that God would do for THEM what you have been praying for YOURSELF. 

There, you did it! Way to go. Tell us how that felt!