Pray For Those Who Persecute You

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,” — Matthew 5:43 - 44 NKJV

Probably, your parents or guardians trained you to love your neighbour and hate your enemy. That was not bad. At least it saved you from getting involved with evil people. Right?

For example, when I was a little child, my parents didn’t want me to share food with strangers in school or take another child’s food purposely to save me from contracting demons. It helped me, but later forged a kind of selfishness in me that only Jesus has transformed me to overcome it. To them, it was training; but it wasn’t in line with the patterns of God concerning the expression of love to evil people.

Jesus knew that the Israelites were told to hate their enemies (although it wasn’t scriptural – check Leviticus 19:18). But to transform their thinking, He taught them that they should, instead, love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. Why? Because that act exemplifies the unconditional love of God in man.

Loving our enemies exemplifies the unconditional love of God in us as children of God.
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God supplies rain to everyone, whether saved or unsaved. He provides food for birds who never pray. So even though some people are wicked and not saved, God still loves them enough to provide for them. How much more should we?

We’re being transformed in Christ till we reach the total conformity of Jesus (Romans 8:29), who’s never selfish and even loves His Church full of stubborn believers. Come on.

Not many of us obey God wholeheartedly. Right? Loving the way God loves will lead you to do so many uncommon things for the benefit of people, including those who’re ungrateful to you.

Don’t allow the media to cancel you for what God has called you to do just because you did one or two things wrong. Follow Jesus because He knows your scars and capabilities. Pray for those who persecute you and those who use you for their selfish benefits, that they’ll get transformed by the power of God for eternal exploits.

You’re a blessing.

Prayer

Father, I pray that You’ll help me to love people sacrificially as Christ loves the Church. No matter what I face, give me unwavering strength to remain committed to Your mission in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Devotional Code: KGD – 2023 – 040