Tag: praying for the enemy

1 Samuel 3-4

Ps 45

Acts 25

-Devotion by Kristy Cisneros (SC)

I believe Psalm 45 refers to Jesus and the upcoming wedding of the bride, the Church, to her bridegroom Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1 confirms this assumption as it quotes Ps. 45:6-7, 

⁸ But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
    by anointing you with the oil of joy.” (NIV)

I was especially struck by verse 5 of Psalm 45, “Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath your feet.” (NIV) This piercing of hearts could be literal as Revelation depicts Jesus wielding a sword and subduing his enemies. “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” (Rev. 19:15, ESV) However, I couldn’t help but wonder if this verse also has some metaphorical significance. Jesus tells us to pray for our enemies. Do we pray that their hearts will be pierced by the gospel message so that they have the hope of salvation? Acts 2:36-38 beautifully illustrates what happens when our hearts are pierced by the gospel message:

³⁶ ‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.’

³⁷ When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do? ’

³⁸ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (CSBA)

Are there enemies of the kingdom that you could pray for at this time? Remember, God’s heart in this matter: “This is good, and it pleases God our Saviour,  who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4, CSBA).

Reflection Questions

1. Who are the enemies of the kingdom that you could pray for at this time?
2. Will you pray that their hearts will be pierced by the gospel message so that they have the hope of salvation? Are there other words and actions that you can take that would support this prayer?
3. In what ways can you pray for and act towards a heart that more aligns with God’s heart?

Prayer

Dear God, I praise you for being the perfect One True God. You are the absolute perfect God of love, compassion, mercy, grace, righteousness, truth, power and justice. Help me God to see Your heart and recognize where mine needs adjusting. Help me God to develop a heart, thoughts, words, prayers and actions that strive for salvation for all. I know that your justice and judgment and timing is perfect. Show me who are the enemies of Your Kingdom, and how You want me to pray for them, warn them, and model a better way that leads to life with You and Your Son.