Prayer Fuel

Pray as the Lord leads you as you read today’s verse

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48) ESV

Praying with insight

The whole Muslim world continues to watch the war that started between Israel and Gaza on October 7, 2023. Emotion runs high. Hatred for the enemy is strong. Only Jesus’ teaching that we read in Matthew 5:43-48 and the transformation He brings through His Spirit can turn hatred into love. Today, as you pray for this people, beg God that Christians who live there would live out this teaching and for Muslims to be convicted by it.

For believers

After suffering in prison, dignity and bones were both broken because of declaring allegiance to Jesus, and it was hard for Simon to forgive. “They don’t deserve to be forgiven. They need someone to come in and wipe them out. I’m not Jesus. I’m not the sacrificial lamb. He is.” It is a natural fleshly reaction to want to pay back evil for evil, to love only those who love us. We hear these words with compassion and understanding. But Jesus, we ask for supernatural love that forgives even before there is repentance. We know that this does not ignore or excuse the sin. Forgiveness declares the power of the blood of Jesus and the glory of His grace.

For the lost

“This verse makes no sense,” Sophia said when her friend told her that God asks us to love our enemies. She was angry about the suffering in Palestine, angry at the countries that seemed to have power and would not help. Sophia continued, “It’s impossible. Should we love evil?” O Jesus, we know that you paid a great and terrible cost for the evil of the world when you allowed them to pound nails into your hands and feet and lift you up and expose you before the world. You do not love evil. You defeated evil. And you are broken-hearted at the hatred between the precious people you made in your own image. O Jesus, let Sophia and those like her see that to love our enemy is to defeat evil. Those in slavery to sin always hurt others. Love is the most powerful weapon of freedom.

For the church

May the existing church and the future church in this region live out Romans 12:20-21, “…if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” ESV

For areas of influence

Places of Business

Pray for Christian entrepreneurs in this country to live out this teaching with their competitors and for those watching to be impressed by the love Christians have for others.
Pray for employees all over this country to see how little it costs to love people who love you or who you hope will advance your agenda. Pray for Christians to model love for one’s enemies in the workplace and for nonbelievers to be convicted by selfless love.

Declaration of the scripture

God, you pour out blessings (sun and rain, for example) on those who hate you, reject your love, and despise your message.

We pray for simple churches in every neighborhood to form and for their lives to be marked by love for their enemies and blessing to those who may never repay them. Allow such costly love and sacrifice to make Muslims ask questions about Jesus’ teaching in the Injil (New Testament) and begin to read His Word.