1 00:00:00,150 --> 00:00:02,070 Speaker 1: Teach Us to Pray is brought to you by Life 2 00:00:02,170 --> 00:00:05,510 Speaker 1: Audio and is a part of our Faith Toolkit series. 3 00:00:06,700 --> 00:00:12,020 Speaker 1: For more inspirational, faith-affirming podcasts, visit lifeaudio.com. 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:16,900 Speaker 2: Welcome back, friend. 5 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:19,700 Speaker 3: You are listening to the Teach Us to Pray podcast, 6 00:00:19,780 --> 00:00:23,700 Speaker 3: where we teach believers practical and real-life tips on how 7 00:00:23,739 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 3: to grow your faith and relationship with God through the 8 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,590 Speaker 3: power of prayer. I'm Christina Patterson, host of the Teach 9 00:00:30,630 --> 00:00:34,029 Speaker 3: Us to Pray podcast and founder of Beloved Women, where 10 00:00:34,130 --> 00:00:37,130 Speaker 3: I encourage, equip, and empower women in the love of 11 00:00:37,190 --> 00:00:41,290 Speaker 3: Jesus Christ and the truth of God's Word. I'm excited 12 00:00:41,330 --> 00:00:44,330 Speaker 3: to be here with you again today talking about the 13 00:00:44,409 --> 00:00:50,030 Speaker 3: very important discipline of prayer on this podcast we've talked 14 00:00:50,070 --> 00:00:53,930 Speaker 3: about why prayer is important a few episodes ago we 15 00:00:53,970 --> 00:00:57,810 Speaker 3: talked about the eight different types of prayer we've talked 16 00:00:57,850 --> 00:01:00,650 Speaker 3: about how to pray but today I want to get 17 00:01:00,670 --> 00:01:03,140 Speaker 3: a little bit more specific and I want to talk 18 00:01:03,180 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 3: about how to pray for your. 19 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:19,330 Speaker 2: Enemies Now, I didn't just make this up. 20 00:01:20,010 --> 00:01:24,150 Speaker 3: As we read in Matthew 5, verse 44, Jesus says, 21 00:01:24,990 --> 00:01:27,420 Speaker 3: love your enemies and pray. 22 00:01:27,220 --> 00:01:29,260 Speaker 2: For those who persecute you. 23 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:35,420 Speaker 3: We have discussed the powerful discipline of prayer. We've discussed 24 00:01:35,459 --> 00:01:38,500 Speaker 3: how we can transform lives and how beautiful it is 25 00:01:38,900 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 3: in connecting us to the God of the universe. So 26 00:01:42,550 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 3: I think that it can be challenging sometimes. to connect 27 00:01:46,300 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 3: this beautiful discipline of prayer with our enemies and the 28 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:56,330 Speaker 3: idea that we would pray for them. But I want 29 00:01:56,350 --> 00:02:00,090 Speaker 3: to point out that while Jesus was on the cross, 30 00:02:00,690 --> 00:02:04,410 Speaker 3: while he was dying for our sins in Luke 23, 31 00:02:04,410 --> 00:02:09,790 Speaker 3: verse 34, he prayed for his enemies. He prayed for 32 00:02:09,850 --> 00:02:14,290 Speaker 3: those who cursed him, for those who abused him. He said, Father, 33 00:02:14,870 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 3: forgive them for they know not what they do. So 34 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,900 Speaker 3: as the scriptures call us to pray for our enemies, 35 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 3: God is not asking us to do something that he 36 00:02:27,820 --> 00:02:31,380 Speaker 3: has not done. God's not asking us to do something 37 00:02:31,419 --> 00:02:34,890 Speaker 3: that he has not set an example on how to 38 00:02:34,970 --> 00:02:40,110 Speaker 3: do through the life of Christ. So today we're going 39 00:02:40,130 --> 00:02:42,490 Speaker 3: to talk about What things we need to keep in 40 00:02:42,570 --> 00:02:45,050 Speaker 3: mind when it comes to praying for our enemies and 41 00:02:45,130 --> 00:02:48,389 Speaker 3: how we can actually get to a point where we 42 00:02:48,450 --> 00:02:52,100 Speaker 3: pray for them sincerely. I do want to make some 43 00:02:52,139 --> 00:02:55,820 Speaker 3: clarifications before we get deeper into this episode. And that 44 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 3: is what praying for your enemies does not mean. Three 45 00:03:00,090 --> 00:03:03,890 Speaker 3: things here. First, praying for your enemies does not mean 46 00:03:03,930 --> 00:03:07,410 Speaker 3: that you don't have healthy boundaries. The call to pray 47 00:03:07,450 --> 00:03:09,410 Speaker 3: for your enemies does not mean that you just let 48 00:03:09,550 --> 00:03:11,570 Speaker 3: anybody into your life and treat you any kind of 49 00:03:11,590 --> 00:03:14,859 Speaker 3: way and be a doormat and just continually be abused. 50 00:03:15,380 --> 00:03:17,180 Speaker 3: That's not what it means to pray for your enemies. 51 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 3: That is not being a good steward over the life 52 00:03:20,980 --> 00:03:25,940 Speaker 3: that God has given you. Two, praying for your enemies 53 00:03:26,139 --> 00:03:30,549 Speaker 3: does not mean ignoring your hurt feelings. It does not 54 00:03:30,610 --> 00:03:34,019 Speaker 3: mean that you overlook the real abuse and struggle and 55 00:03:34,139 --> 00:03:37,980 Speaker 3: shortcomings that have been caused in your life because of 56 00:03:38,060 --> 00:03:41,020 Speaker 3: someone else. God tells us that we are to cast 57 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 3: our cares on him because he knows that we have 58 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:47,470 Speaker 3: feelings and emotions and we struggle with negative feelings sometimes 59 00:03:47,530 --> 00:03:50,610 Speaker 3: and he wants us to process them so that we 60 00:03:50,650 --> 00:03:53,930 Speaker 3: can be healed through him. So praying for our enemies 61 00:03:53,990 --> 00:03:56,030 Speaker 3: does not mean that we don't pray for ourselves. It 62 00:03:56,050 --> 00:03:59,070 Speaker 3: doesn't mean that we ignore ourselves. It doesn't mean that 63 00:03:59,250 --> 00:04:03,210 Speaker 3: we stuff down the emotional pain that we've endured and 64 00:04:03,350 --> 00:04:06,620 Speaker 3: act like it doesn't happen. And third and finally, praying 65 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 3: for your enemies does not mean that you obsess over 66 00:04:09,900 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 3: those who hurt you. It doesn't mean that you have 67 00:04:12,220 --> 00:04:15,500 Speaker 3: to constantly, always, every second of every day be praying 68 00:04:15,540 --> 00:04:20,029 Speaker 3: for them and thinking about them. That would not be healthy. 69 00:04:20,210 --> 00:04:22,690 Speaker 3: The thing about prayer is that as we pray, we're 70 00:04:22,730 --> 00:04:25,330 Speaker 3: releasing it to God and then we leave it there. 71 00:04:25,950 --> 00:04:29,349 Speaker 3: I had a friend who was struggling with forgiveness and 72 00:04:29,850 --> 00:04:31,410 Speaker 3: she came to me and this is why we were 73 00:04:31,430 --> 00:04:34,190 Speaker 3: in college. And she said, Christina, well, how long do 74 00:04:34,210 --> 00:04:36,300 Speaker 3: I need to be praying for my enemy? Because I 75 00:04:36,339 --> 00:04:39,339 Speaker 3: really don't want to be thinking about them. And I 76 00:04:39,380 --> 00:04:43,980 Speaker 3: was like, I completely understand that. And that's the beautiful 77 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,540 Speaker 3: thing about prayer is that it's a release. So when 78 00:04:46,580 --> 00:04:49,750 Speaker 3: you pray for something, you don't have to constantly be 79 00:04:49,810 --> 00:04:52,010 Speaker 3: praying for it over and over and over again. You 80 00:04:52,029 --> 00:04:54,670 Speaker 3: can trust that you've given it to God. You give 81 00:04:54,710 --> 00:04:57,260 Speaker 3: that enemy to God and you leave them there. So 82 00:04:57,460 --> 00:04:59,500 Speaker 3: those are just some key things that I wanted to 83 00:04:59,580 --> 00:05:03,740 Speaker 3: point out when it comes to praying for our enemies. Now, 84 00:05:04,220 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 3: how do we get to a point where we can 85 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:12,510 Speaker 3: pray for our enemies? What does that even look like? Well, first, 86 00:05:12,890 --> 00:05:14,750 Speaker 3: one thing that's going to be really important is to 87 00:05:14,810 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 3: forgive our enemies. In the second episode of the Teach 88 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:24,100 Speaker 3: Us to Pray podcast, we talk about how to pray. 89 00:05:24,620 --> 00:05:29,380 Speaker 3: And we base this episode on the Lord's Prayer found 90 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:34,060 Speaker 3: in Matthew 6. In verse 12, Jesus asks God to 91 00:05:34,710 --> 00:05:38,070 Speaker 3: forgive us. He's telling us, ask God for forgiveness of 92 00:05:38,150 --> 00:05:43,370 Speaker 3: our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. He 93 00:05:43,430 --> 00:05:45,770 Speaker 3: expounds upon that in verses 14 and 15 where Jesus says, 94 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,900 Speaker 3: For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father 95 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,500 Speaker 3: will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive 96 00:05:55,620 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 3: others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 97 00:06:01,410 --> 00:06:04,990 Speaker 3: I think forgiveness is a really important place to start. 98 00:06:05,580 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 3: Because what forgiveness does is it releases us of any 99 00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 3: negative bitterness or resentment that can harden our hearts. And 100 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,780 Speaker 3: we have to remember that forgiveness isn't for our enemy, really. 101 00:06:19,620 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 2: It's for us. 102 00:06:20,990 --> 00:06:22,990 Speaker 3: It's so that our hearts can be soft enough for 103 00:06:23,020 --> 00:06:25,710 Speaker 3: God to come in and move and do the miraculous 104 00:06:25,770 --> 00:06:28,230 Speaker 3: heart work that only he can do when we are 105 00:06:28,310 --> 00:06:32,930 Speaker 3: hurt and when we need healing. But it's important to 106 00:06:33,029 --> 00:06:36,110 Speaker 3: note that there is a connection here that the scriptures 107 00:06:36,390 --> 00:06:41,690 Speaker 3: outlined between our forgiving others and God forgiving us. Ephesians 108 00:06:41,690 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 3: 4.32 says, Colossians 3.13 says, And if one has a 109 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,140 Speaker 3: complaint against another, forgiving each other as the Lord has 110 00:06:46,160 --> 00:07:06,620 Speaker 3: forgiven you, So you also must forgive. God is intentional 111 00:07:06,690 --> 00:07:10,330 Speaker 3: to make this connection between our forgiving others and our 112 00:07:10,390 --> 00:07:14,570 Speaker 3: remembering that we have already been forgiven by him to 113 00:07:15,270 --> 00:07:18,989 Speaker 3: help us to actually forgive others. Because who are we 114 00:07:19,310 --> 00:07:23,370 Speaker 3: not to give something to someone that God has graciously 115 00:07:24,030 --> 00:07:29,350 Speaker 3: over and over again given to us? He's led by example. 116 00:07:29,630 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 3: I'm forgiving you. Now follow his example and forgive others. 117 00:07:37,060 --> 00:07:39,100 Speaker 3: And I think the key thing about this is when 118 00:07:39,140 --> 00:07:41,739 Speaker 3: we get to that point where we can forgive others 119 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,630 Speaker 3: and we're reminded that we need forgiveness, it strips us 120 00:07:44,670 --> 00:07:48,410 Speaker 3: of pride. It really humbles us and reminds us that, hey, 121 00:07:48,530 --> 00:07:52,530 Speaker 3: you know, we're not perfect either. That we've hurt people too. 122 00:07:53,100 --> 00:07:56,260 Speaker 3: that we've messed up too, that we've made mistakes too, 123 00:07:56,300 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 3: that we need forgiveness as well. We've all fallen short 124 00:08:02,220 --> 00:08:05,570 Speaker 3: and God gives his forgiveness to others. And as we 125 00:08:05,610 --> 00:08:08,610 Speaker 3: walk out lives to be more like Christ, we're called 126 00:08:09,030 --> 00:08:11,970 Speaker 3: to forgive like he has. The next thing we need 127 00:08:12,010 --> 00:08:15,130 Speaker 3: to remember when it comes to praying for our enemies 128 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,430 Speaker 3: is really knowing who our real enemy is in the 129 00:08:19,470 --> 00:08:22,510 Speaker 3: first place. Now when I said we're praying for our 130 00:08:22,590 --> 00:08:26,210 Speaker 3: enemies today in the verses I gave you, Matthew 5 131 00:08:26,210 --> 00:08:29,490 Speaker 3: verse 44, Jesus is talking about those who hurt us. 132 00:08:30,010 --> 00:08:33,079 Speaker 3: Jesus is talking about those who curse us. Jesus is 133 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:36,020 Speaker 3: talking about the people in this world that cause us harm. 134 00:08:36,380 --> 00:08:39,700 Speaker 3: But we have to realize that our true enemy is 135 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 3: not flesh and blood. It's not a person on this earth. 136 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 2: Ephesians 6 12 tells us. 137 00:08:46,270 --> 00:08:50,010 Speaker 3: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but 138 00:08:50,110 --> 00:08:54,070 Speaker 3: against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers 139 00:08:54,230 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 3: over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 140 00:08:58,500 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 3: in the heavenly places. There is a real spiritual battle 141 00:09:03,059 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 3: that is going on between light and darkness, between God 142 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:10,860 Speaker 3: and the enemy that is real in this life. Now, 143 00:09:10,900 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 3: we may not physically see it, but we need to 144 00:09:13,940 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 3: understand the spiritual implications of what that means. Because many 145 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 3: times the people that we think are our enemies are 146 00:09:21,900 --> 00:09:25,730 Speaker 3: really only being used by our true enemy. And then 147 00:09:25,790 --> 00:09:29,069 Speaker 3: there's this plan, you know, the Bible tells us that 148 00:09:29,110 --> 00:09:32,290 Speaker 3: the enemy has schemes against us to keep us to 149 00:09:32,330 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 3: have unforgiving hearts, to keep us in bitterness, to keep 150 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,780 Speaker 3: us in self-pity so that we don't really walk out 151 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 3: the calling that God has for our lives so that 152 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,540 Speaker 3: we stay stuck and we don't really walk in the 153 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,699 Speaker 3: purpose that God has for us and that there's this 154 00:09:48,780 --> 00:09:52,270 Speaker 3: real battle that's going on in the unseen world and 155 00:09:52,309 --> 00:09:54,190 Speaker 3: I think that when we pray for our enemies we 156 00:09:54,230 --> 00:09:56,390 Speaker 3: need to keep that in mind. We need to keep 157 00:09:56,410 --> 00:09:59,470 Speaker 3: that in mind about who our true enemy is and 158 00:09:59,530 --> 00:10:02,510 Speaker 3: just like we're battling him, our enemies are battling the 159 00:10:02,630 --> 00:10:07,719 Speaker 3: same real enemy, the devil that we too are fighting. 160 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 2: And the enemy, a lot. 161 00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:13,420 Speaker 3: Of times likes to use division to cause us not 162 00:10:13,460 --> 00:10:16,620 Speaker 3: to see God's victory in our lives. As you saw 163 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 3: the title of today's podcast, maybe you thought of a coworker. 164 00:10:20,179 --> 00:10:23,260 Speaker 3: Maybe you thought of your spouse. Maybe you thought of 165 00:10:23,340 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 3: a neighbor who constantly gets on your nerves and you're like, 166 00:10:26,380 --> 00:10:28,660 Speaker 3: I need to pray for my enemy. And in the 167 00:10:28,730 --> 00:10:32,550 Speaker 3: context of today's verse, an enemy is someone that has 168 00:10:32,630 --> 00:10:36,090 Speaker 3: hurt you, that has caused you pain. But there is 169 00:10:36,150 --> 00:10:40,370 Speaker 3: a true, real enemy that we must not forget is real. 170 00:10:40,910 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 3: We must not get distracted by our grievances caused by people. 171 00:10:45,830 --> 00:10:48,230 Speaker 3: That we forget that there's a real spiritual battle going 172 00:10:48,309 --> 00:10:51,070 Speaker 3: on and we need to put on our spiritual armor 173 00:10:51,230 --> 00:10:54,100 Speaker 3: so that we can fight the true enemy that is 174 00:10:54,130 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 3: against us. Next, we need to release our grievance and 175 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 3: offense to God if we want to pray for our enemies. 176 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,350 Speaker 3: I think a lot of times we want to hold 177 00:11:05,410 --> 00:11:08,470 Speaker 3: on to unforgiveness. because we feel like it's somehow hurting 178 00:11:08,590 --> 00:11:12,510 Speaker 3: the other person. We want to hurt them back, right? 179 00:11:12,910 --> 00:11:15,530 Speaker 3: Because in our minds, we feel like that's what true 180 00:11:15,590 --> 00:11:21,809 Speaker 3: justice is. But Romans 12, 19 says, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, 181 00:11:22,370 --> 00:11:24,969 Speaker 3: but leave it to the wrath of God, for it 182 00:11:25,050 --> 00:11:29,990 Speaker 3: is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. 183 00:11:30,450 --> 00:11:34,990 Speaker 3: When we pray for our enemies, we're releasing them to God. 184 00:11:35,290 --> 00:11:38,770 Speaker 3: We're saying, God, I trust that you can take care 185 00:11:38,910 --> 00:11:42,150 Speaker 3: of this matter. Now, sometimes we don't understand that because 186 00:11:42,190 --> 00:11:44,570 Speaker 3: when we're hurt, we immediately want to see our enemies hurt. 187 00:11:45,090 --> 00:11:47,150 Speaker 3: What they did to us, we want to see happen 188 00:11:47,170 --> 00:11:50,090 Speaker 3: to them. And we feel like that is the ultimate judgment. 189 00:11:50,990 --> 00:11:53,969 Speaker 3: And really, there's a trust issue here. Do I really 190 00:11:54,110 --> 00:11:57,390 Speaker 3: trust God to not only heal me, but to bring 191 00:11:57,510 --> 00:12:02,110 Speaker 3: justice in this situation? And the Bible is telling us 192 00:12:02,410 --> 00:12:05,030 Speaker 3: that is what we should do. We need to be 193 00:12:05,090 --> 00:12:07,350 Speaker 3: trusting God. Proverbs 20, 22 says, Many times we want 194 00:12:07,370 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 3: to deliver ourselves. We want to bring about our own justice. 195 00:12:10,890 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 3: We want to control the matter. And what that does 196 00:12:14,540 --> 00:12:17,150 Speaker 3: is prevent us from truly surrendering to God. 197 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 2: As he calls us to do. 198 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,340 Speaker 3: As we release our grievances to God, as we release 199 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,730 Speaker 3: the offense that we have to God by trusting that 200 00:12:33,790 --> 00:12:36,250 Speaker 3: he can handle it, we also have to cast our 201 00:12:36,270 --> 00:12:38,430 Speaker 3: cares on him. We also have to pour out our 202 00:12:38,510 --> 00:12:42,390 Speaker 3: hearts and say, God, this hurt me in this way. Lord, 203 00:12:42,500 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 3: I felt so abandoned. I felt so alone. I felt rejected. 204 00:12:47,470 --> 00:12:51,220 Speaker 3: by this person and it hurt me because X, Y, Z. 205 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,580 Speaker 3: Pour out those cares to God. Leave them at his altar. 206 00:12:55,660 --> 00:12:59,310 Speaker 3: Let him heal your heart by being honest that you 207 00:12:59,570 --> 00:13:02,910 Speaker 3: felt that hurt in the first place. I think about 208 00:13:03,190 --> 00:13:08,949 Speaker 3: Joseph in the Bible whose brother's abandoned him in a 209 00:13:09,030 --> 00:13:12,990 Speaker 3: pit and he was picked up and sold into Egyptian slavery. 210 00:13:13,250 --> 00:13:17,510 Speaker 3: He was a prisoner and eventually, through the hand of God, 211 00:13:17,630 --> 00:13:22,020 Speaker 3: Joseph rose up to become second in command of Egypt. 212 00:13:22,380 --> 00:13:24,980 Speaker 3: His brothers came to him one day because there was 213 00:13:25,020 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 3: a drought in the land and they didn't recognize him. 214 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:34,219 Speaker 3: And four times throughout their reconciliation, Joseph wept. He wept 215 00:13:34,860 --> 00:13:39,090 Speaker 3: bitterly that there was this sorrow that overtook him as 216 00:13:39,130 --> 00:13:43,349 Speaker 3: he processed the rejection from his brothers and all the 217 00:13:43,410 --> 00:13:48,750 Speaker 3: hurt and pain because of that years of that. Eventually, 218 00:13:49,190 --> 00:13:53,380 Speaker 3: Joseph forgives them and shares with them that what they 219 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,939 Speaker 3: meant for bad, God meant for good. 220 00:13:57,679 --> 00:13:58,540 Speaker 2: But there was. 221 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 3: This season of processing. There was this season of mourning. 222 00:14:01,780 --> 00:14:04,540 Speaker 3: There was this season of grievance that he had to 223 00:14:04,580 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 3: go through and that we will have to go through 224 00:14:07,100 --> 00:14:09,439 Speaker 3: as well. So I want to share that praying for 225 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,099 Speaker 3: your enemies isn't ignoring the hurt that you're feeling. If 226 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 3: you want to truly be able to sincerely pray for 227 00:14:15,330 --> 00:14:16,829 Speaker 3: your enemies, you're going to need to be able to 228 00:14:16,870 --> 00:14:19,570 Speaker 3: cast your cares on the Lord, pour your heart out 229 00:14:19,610 --> 00:14:23,030 Speaker 3: to him, weep, grieve with him, allow him to heal 230 00:14:23,070 --> 00:14:24,870 Speaker 3: your heart so that you can truly get to a 231 00:14:24,910 --> 00:14:27,110 Speaker 3: place where you can sincerely pray for those. 232 00:14:27,580 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 2: Who've hurt you. 233 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:30,900 Speaker 3: So now I want to share, what should you pray 234 00:14:31,100 --> 00:14:32,970 Speaker 3: when it's time to pray for your enemies? Well, first 235 00:14:33,350 --> 00:14:36,050 Speaker 3: you want to pray for the power to forgive. I 236 00:14:36,110 --> 00:14:39,090 Speaker 3: shared with you that there's that connection between our forgiveness 237 00:14:39,190 --> 00:14:42,210 Speaker 3: of our enemies and God's forgiveness of us. And a 238 00:14:42,350 --> 00:14:44,340 Speaker 3: lot of times we'll feel like it just feels impossible 239 00:14:44,380 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 3: because we're so hurt. But the Bible tells us what's 240 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,780 Speaker 3: impossible for man, what's impossible for you and me is 241 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:55,370 Speaker 3: not impossible with God. And so as we pray and 242 00:14:55,430 --> 00:15:00,410 Speaker 3: invite God into our hearts, he empowers us to forgive 243 00:15:00,470 --> 00:15:03,780 Speaker 3: things that we thought would be unforgivable. Next, we want 244 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 3: to pray for God's forgiveness in our enemies' lives. Because 245 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 3: that's exactly what Jesus did. We have to keep in 246 00:15:10,660 --> 00:15:15,100 Speaker 3: mind that you've probably heard this saying, hurt people hurt people. 247 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 3: That someone who hurt you is probably coming from a hurt, wounded, 248 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:23,710 Speaker 3: broken area of their own. And they need God's grace 249 00:15:23,750 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: and forgiveness just as much as we do. And last, 250 00:15:26,900 --> 00:15:29,900 Speaker 3: we want to pray for our enemies sincerely. And what 251 00:15:29,940 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 3: I mean by that is, if you were them, what 252 00:15:32,460 --> 00:15:35,300 Speaker 3: would you want someone to pray for you? Would you 253 00:15:35,340 --> 00:15:40,630 Speaker 3: want deliverance from whatever evil pattern or brokenness or heartache 254 00:15:41,110 --> 00:15:44,270 Speaker 3: that they're experiencing that would cause them to hurt someone else? 255 00:15:45,210 --> 00:15:47,790 Speaker 3: I think that you would. And so that's what we 256 00:15:47,830 --> 00:15:52,810 Speaker 3: want to pray for our enemies. Romans 12, 21 says, 257 00:15:52,870 --> 00:15:59,460 Speaker 3: do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Listen, 258 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,400 Speaker 3: we're not to repay evil. That's not our job. 259 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:03,420 Speaker 2: That's God's job. 260 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:08,220 Speaker 3: But we are called to overcome evil with good. And 261 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,060 Speaker 3: we can do that as we pray for our enemies 262 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,730 Speaker 3: through the power of God. It is my hope that 263 00:16:15,790 --> 00:16:19,330 Speaker 3: today's episode has provided you with insight and helpful tips 264 00:16:19,770 --> 00:16:22,270 Speaker 3: on how you can pray. We have so much more 265 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:24,030 Speaker 3: to talk about when it comes to prayer. So I 266 00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:27,180 Speaker 3: hope that if you were encouraged by today's episode, you'll 267 00:16:27,220 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 3: share it with a friend and subscribe so you don't 268 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,980 Speaker 3: miss any future episodes of the Teach Us to Pray podcast, 269 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:35,900 Speaker 3: where we will continue to learn how just like breathing, 270 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,260 Speaker 3: prayer can become a natural, consistent, and life-giving part of 271 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 3: our everyday lives. Until then, be sure to connect with 272 00:16:42,460 --> 00:16:45,870 Speaker 3: me at BelovedWoman.org. and check out the show notes to 273 00:16:45,910 --> 00:16:49,250 Speaker 3: download my free five-day prayer guide. Thank you so much 274 00:16:49,340 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 3: for taking time to listen today. God bless you, and 275 00:16:51,940 --> 00:16:53,460 Speaker 3: I'll talk to you in the next episode. 276 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 2: Teach Us to. 277 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,810 Speaker 1: Pray is a production of Life Audio and the Salem 278 00:17:06,830 --> 00:17:10,910 Speaker 1: Web Network. If you enjoyed this episode, would you take 279 00:17:10,950 --> 00:17:13,409 Speaker 1: a minute and leave us a review in your podcast app? 280 00:17:14,380 --> 00:17:17,340 Speaker 1: It really does help more people like you find the podcast. 281 00:17:18,220 --> 00:17:21,100 Speaker 1: To hear more from Christina Patterson, be sure to check 282 00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:27,379 Speaker 1: out her fantastic site, BelovedWomen.org. A special thanks to Kelly Gibbons, 283 00:17:28,060 --> 00:17:31,850 Speaker 1: Stephen Sanders, and Stephen McGarvey for their production and editing 284 00:17:31,970 --> 00:17:35,430 Speaker 1: on this episode. You can find more podcasts like this 285 00:17:35,990 --> 00:17:37,570 Speaker 1: over at LifeAudio.com.