Some of the hardest people to pray for is people we don't like or have animosity towards. Yes, we know should pray for our enemies and people we don't like. But let's be honest, do we really pray for them like we should?! When I pray for one of my enemies my go to prayer is, "Lord, bless them." In my mind, by reciting those three words I have obeyed God's commandment to pray for them! Key words, in my mind! But that's not what God wants! A three worded prayer is not going to cut it! Our enemies deserve as much devotion in our prayer life as the people we like and love. In fact, they deserve more because God's doesn't want us to hold anger, bitterness, resentment, and hate in our hearts towards anyone.
Well if you are like me, you need help in this area. Because if I don't like you or if you have made me mad, my chances of voluntarily praying for you is slim to none. But this is where the Holy Spirit comes into play! Understand, the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). When we surrender the people who have hurt us and offended us to the Holy Spirit, we give Him full permission to pray about them to God on our behalf. It's not natural to go into depth prayer for people you have enmity with. That's why we need the assistance of the Holy Spirit! Remember, Romans 8:26 says:
And in the same way—by our faith—the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don’t even know what we should pray for nor how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words.
You need the power of the Holy Spirit to pray your enemies and people who have offended you! Thought it is hard, the people who have hurt and offended us deserve and need our prayers. Jesus said our Heavenly Father will forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors (Matthew 6:12). Only through prayer in the Holy Spirit and faith can you truly forgive your debtors. Today, take some praying for those you have fault with in the Holy Spirit.
Don't be just a hearer/reader of the Word, but be a doer! Write down three people you need tp forgive/reconcile with. After writing these people down, pray for God to show you these three people through His eyes. I challenge you to pray for them persistently for the next seven days. As He begins speaking to you about them, write what He says or shows you down. When you begin to see the people you have fault and offense with though God's eyes, you will change your attitude and disposition towards them. I will be praying for you and with you during this process! Lord, helps ups and open are eyes so that we may see them as You do! In Jesus name, Amen!
Here is a prayer I wrote for praying for those you don't like! Use it and pray it as much as you need it!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for Your unconditional love that You graciously bestow on me each and every day. Though I fall short of Your glory every day, you love me anyways! And what a blessing that it is! Blessed it be Your Name! You are good and Your mercy endures forever!
Now I Father I commit to You humbly in prayer asking you to change my heart towards those I have dislike and have amonisty towards. For I know that it is Your will on earth as it is in heaven for me to strive to live in peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). According to Your Word in Ephesians 4:31, “Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives.” Though my spirit is willing to obey this Word, my flesh is not.
Because You are watching over Your Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12), I am asking You to change my heart (Proverbs 21:1) towards my enemies and those who have offended me . Help me to pray and bless those who have harmed and hurt me. While I see them through the lens of the pain they caused me, open my eyes to see them as you do in the Spirit. Remove my view of their brokenness, inconsistencies, weaknesses, and mistakes.
Help me be an imitator of Christ and see them through the eyes of grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness.
In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen
