21 Days of Prayer and Fasting With Rock City ChurchSample

DAY 15: MY ENEMIES

Read: Luke 23:34; Luke 6:27-28; Proverbs 24:17; Matthew 5:43-45

Multiple times throughout Scripture, we are instructed to pray for our enemies. The most familiar passage is from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where He challenges us to love and pray for our enemies. This response is not easy or natural.

Hurt people hurt people. While this does not excuse those who hurt us, or minimize the pain our enemies cause, it can help explain the why behind an offense. When we are wronged, it is important to learn to shift our perspective away from our hurt. While Jesus was nailed to a cross, He had sympathy for His enemies and prayed for their forgiveness. Pause, re-read, and meditate on that statement for a moment. We are not commanded to do something that Jesus has not already done. This is why, in praying for our enemies, we are becoming more like Jesus and aligning our actions with the will of God.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, today I lift up all those who have hurt me in the past, and I pray that You would touch their hearts with Your unconditional love and grace. Bless them and pour out Your Spirit and favor upon them. Help me to completely forgive them, and to see them the way that You see them. Search my heart and remove any remnants of pain or bitterness. Give me the strength I need to love the way that You love me and to forgive the way that You have forgiven me.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Is there someone in your life that you have not forgiven for the pain or wrongdoing they caused in your life? What are some positive qualities about that person?

2. What are some practical ways that you can show love to someone who has hurt you?

3. Think of a time when someone hurt you. What may have been the root cause behind their behavior?