God had to correct a lot of people because when they became angry with their enemies, they would sometimes go into prayer and begin praying bad things against them. They may have believed that because somebody hurt them, betrayed them, talked about them, or treated them unfairly, God was automatically going to destroy that person on their behalf. But we have to be careful about turning prayer into a weapon for personal revenge. Jesus Christ taught something very different about how His followers should respond to their enemies.

One of the greatest examples comes from Jesus Himself. Think about what happened to Jesus during His crucifixion. He was mocked, beaten, humiliated, falsely accused, and crucified. Yet even while suffering, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, New International Version). If there was ever someone who could have asked God to punish His enemies, it was Jesus. Instead, He demonstrated mercy and forgiveness in one of the most painful moments imaginable.

Jesus Told Us Exactly What to Do With Our Enemies

Jesus made this lesson even clearer in Matthew:

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
— Matthew 5:44 (New International Version)

Notice that Jesus didn’t say we have to agree with our enemies. He didn’t say that what they did was acceptable. He didn’t tell us to pretend that evil behavior isn’t evil. He specifically taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

That means prayer shouldn’t become an opportunity to ask God to destroy somebody simply because we’re angry with them. Sometimes the prayer needs to be, “God, change their heart. Deliver them from whatever is influencing them. Give them wisdom. Help them recognize what they’re doing. And while You’re working on them, work on my heart too.”

We Have Become Too Quick to Call People Demons

I also believe Christians have to be careful about calling every person who does something wrong a “demon.” Somebody can say something completely out of pocket. Somebody can hurt you. Somebody can behave wickedly. That doesn’t give us the ability to pronounce a final spiritual judgment over that person’s entire identity.

Ephesians 6:12 gives us an important perspective:

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood…”
— Ephesians 6:12 (New International Version)

Paul goes on to describe a spiritual struggle involving rulers, authorities, powers of darkness, and spiritual forces of evil. The lesson I take from this is that Christians should recognize that there can be a spiritual dimension behind evil and destructive behavior, while remembering that the human being standing in front of us is still a person whom God can reach, change, forgive, and redeem.

That’s important because sometimes Christians become so focused on identifying an enemy that they forget about redemption. We start saying, “Cancel them. They’re evil. They’re demons. God is going to get them.” But where is the prayer for repentance? Where is the prayer for transformation? Where is the prayer that asks God to bring that person out of darkness?

Forgiveness Does Not Mean You Have to Stay Around Someone

There is also something important that needs to be understood: forgiving somebody doesn’t mean you have to continue giving them access to you.

You can forgive someone and still establish boundaries. You can pray for somebody and still walk away from a destructive relationship. You can love your enemy according to Christ’s teachings without allowing that person to repeatedly mistreat you. Forgiveness is not the same thing as pretending something didn’t happen, and it doesn’t eliminate accountability.

Romans 12:19 teaches Christians not to take personal revenge but to leave judgment to God. A few verses later, Romans 12:21 says:

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
— Romans 12:21 (New International Version)

That is powerful because sometimes another person’s behavior can change us if we’re not careful. Someone hurts us, and suddenly hatred starts growing inside of us. Someone talks about us, and now we’re praying for their downfall. Someone attacks us, and now we’re consumed with watching for something bad to happen to them.

At that point, their wrongdoing has started controlling our hearts.

Sometimes God Wants to Work on Both People

When you’re praying about an enemy, don’t automatically assume God only wants to correct the other person. Sometimes God may reveal something that needs to change inside of you too. Maybe it’s bitterness. Maybe it’s pride. Maybe it’s unforgiveness. Maybe it’s the desire to get even.

Jesus taught His followers to operate differently.

That doesn’t mean Christians should ignore evil. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expose wrongdoing, report crimes, protect ourselves, establish boundaries, or hold people accountable. Christianity doesn’t require somebody to become a permanent victim of another person’s behavior.

But our desire for justice shouldn’t become a desire for personal vengeance.

There is a difference between saying, “God, bring justice to this situation,” and saying, “God, destroy this person because I hate them.”

The Lesson: Don’t Let Your Enemy Change Your Heart

Maybe one of the biggest tests isn’t simply how you behave around people who love you. Maybe the real test comes when somebody gives you every earthly reason to hate them.

Can you still pray?

Can you ask God to change them instead of destroy them?

Can you forgive while maintaining your boundaries?

Can you recognize wrongdoing without allowing hatred to consume you?

Jesus demonstrated this from the cross. After everything people had done to Him, forgiveness was still coming out of His mouth.

That doesn’t mean evil doesn’t have consequences. It means vengeance doesn’t have to live inside of us.

So the next time somebody hurts you and you go into prayer, think carefully about what you’re asking God to do. Instead of immediately praying against the person, perhaps the prayer should become:

“Lord, deal with this situation according to Your will. Correct what is wrong. Protect me from what is evil. Change their heart where change is needed, change my heart where change is needed, and don’t allow what somebody did to me to turn me into somebody You never called me to be.”

That’s a very different kind of prayer.

And sometimes that may be the lesson God was trying to teach us all along.

Scriptures for Further Study

Matthew 5:43–48 — Jesus teaches His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them.

Luke 6:27–28 — Jesus teaches His followers to love their enemies, do good to those who hate them, and pray for those who mistreat them.

Luke 23:34 — Jesus asks the Father to forgive those involved in His crucifixion.

Romans 12:17–21 — Paul teaches Christians not to repay evil for evil or take personal revenge.

Ephesians 6:10–18 — Paul describes the Christian struggle as ultimately spiritual rather than merely against “flesh and blood.”

References

Biblica. (2011). Holy Bible, New International Version. Zondervan. (Original work published 1973)

The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Zondervan.