Prayer · Fürbitte · AT

Prayer for Enemies (Mt 5:44)

Original Prayer

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 persecute and abuse you.

Context (Old Covenant)

Word of Jesus (Matt 5:44), radical New Covenant ethic of love, which only becomes possible through the Spirit.

What it teaches

Heart attitude; forgiveness; overcoming evil with good.

Realization in the New Covenant

Matthew 5:44 is from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches BEFORE the cross. But the principle applies in the New Covenant:

  • ›Loving enemies is possible because God's love is in you (Rom 5:5)
  • ›Forgiveness is a decision, not a feeling. You forgive because YOU are forgiven.
  • ›Bless instead of curse, that is the power of the new creation
  • ›You also need wisdom for healthy boundaries. Love does not mean tolerating everything.
  • ›In the New Covenant you pray for God's work in the other's heart, without manipulation

Prayer in the New Covenant

Father, I bless this one in Jesus' name. I choose to forgive, because I am forgiven. I pray for your truth and your work in their life. Give me wisdom for healthy boundaries. Amen.
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