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Syria
theophilus:
Hello everyone,
Matthew 5:44 But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU.
Luke 6:27-28: "But I tell everyone who is listening: Love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO INSULT YOU."
Given the above two verses and the verses about the elect praying for men in authority, I think that we are to pray for a very small SUBSET OF THE WORLD on TWO occasions.
One is to pray for men of authority so that the elect can live in peace (no ongoing persecution), and once persecution starts, one is to pray SPECIFICALLY for those who are persecuting us.
One thing I'm not very clear about is what we should be praying about on behalf of those persecuting us. Should we pray for them to stop their persecution, their conversion or to stop God's wrath from falling on them? It seems to me that our prayer is to stop God's wrath to fall upon them. (Genesis 12.3: "whoever curses you I will curse.")
What do you guys think?
Nathan:
--- Quote ---One thing I'm not very clear about is what we should be praying about on behalf of those persecuting us. Should we pray for them to stop their persecution, their conversion or to stop God's wrath from falling on them? It seems to me that our prayer is to stop God's wrath to fall upon them. (Genesis 12.3: "whoever curses you I will curse.")
What do you guys think?
--- End quote ---
Father forgive me my sins as I forgive those that sin against me.
Kat:
--- Quote ---One thing I'm not very clear about is what we should be praying about on behalf of those persecuting us. Should we pray for them to stop their persecution, their conversion or to stop God's wrath from falling on them? It seems to me that our prayer is to stop God's wrath to fall upon them. (Genesis 12.3: "whoever curses you I will curse.")
What do you guys think?
--- End quote ---
Hi theophilus,
Your questions have made me think on these things and now I look on them in a some what different way. When we are persecuted there is a reason for it, a lesson, to humble us or something... the person afflicting the suffering would be a vessel of dishonor, so that is part the evil experience for us and them. God alone determines when one is to receive conversion and only a very few in this age, so it may be in the next age under the wrath of God that our persecuter may be saved or if it turns out to be in this age and so be it. But I personally do not pray for God to save somebody now and His correction/judgment/wrath whenever it is will be exactly as a person needs.
I would think that we could pray for God to help us understand the lesson of the persecution and pray that He would also help the person persecuting us to see the error of their way. Well that's how I'm thinking about this right now anyway.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
theophilus:
Thank you Nathan and Kat for your input. God bless you both.
Dave in Tenn:
As an example, God raised up kings to execute judgement on His people, then executed judgement on the kings he raised up. Jesus is Lord. Even God's enemies are HIS. One day He will have put all His enemies under His feet, starting with the carnal mind of those He has been choosing "now".
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