Wishing or praying for enemies to lose

[pc_76]

Is it ever legitimate to wish, hope, or pray for one's enemies to suffer defeat and pain of losing? If there is an evil group of people that are doing really horrible things to individuals in a whole society and they are causing pain and misery, is it always considered bad to pray or hope for them to be humiliated? Also even in Christianity. I had thoughts and fantasies about them being driven out of society.

If no, I wonder why God would have a problem with me being angry and not wanting to be respectful to somebody like that, if he himself hates it too.

 

[.Mikha'el.]

I think it would depend on whether what they're doing is truly evil, or merely on the other side of whom you want to see prosper or win.

 

[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And Destroy All Those Who Afflict My Soul ;
For I am Your servant.

• Psalm 143:12

.

 

[SANTOSO]

Is it ever legitimate to wish, hope, or pray for one's enemies to suffer defeat and pain of losing? If there is an evil group of people that are doing really horrible things to individuals in a whole society and they are causing pain and misery, is it always considered bad to pray or hope for them to be humiliated? Also even in Christianity. I had thoughts and fantasies about them being driven out of society.

If no, I wonder why God would have a problem with me being angry and not wanting to be respectful to somebody like that, if he himself hates it too.

When many fight and press on us!
When many trampling and lying in wait for us !

The enemies will turn back when we call out to God !

let those who are prosecuted pray and call for God’s help !

For we are God’s children whom God has gathered from the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north and from the south!

Pray:

Be gracious to us, O God;
for violent authorities and or people are trampling us down —
all day they fight and press on us.
Those who are lying in wait for us would trample on us all day.
For those fighting against us are many.

Most High, when we are afraid,
We put our trust in You.
In God — we praise His word.
In God we trust; we have no fear;
What can violent authorities and or people do to us?

All day long these violent authorities and or people twist our words;
Their only thoughts is to harm us;
They gather together and hide themselves spying on our movements, hoping to kill us.
Because of their crime, they cannot escape.

In anger, God, strike down the violent authorities and or people.

You have kept count of our wanderings;
store our tears in Your water skin ; aren’t they already written in Your book?

Then our enemies will turn back on the day when we call;
this we know: that God is for us.

In God, we praise His word.
In the Lord, we praise His word.
In God, we trust; we have no fear.
We offer our thanks offerings to You.
You have rescued us from death,
you have kept our feet from stumbling so that we can walk in God’s presence in the light of life.
Amen -Psalm 56:1-13

 

[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

A Psalm of David.
Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, "I am your salvation."
Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life;
Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt.
Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the Lord chase them.
Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, Which they have dug without cause for my life.
Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall.

• Psalm 35:1-8

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[SANTOSO]

When evil in the land, let those who are prosecuted pray and call for God’s help !

For we are God’s children whom God has gathered from the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north and from the south!

Pray :

Lord Jesus Christ,
Let me repay no one evil for evil.

Lord,
Grant me wisdom and strength to give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. -Romans 12:17

Lord,
If possible, grant me wisdom and strength to live peaceably with all.

Lord,
I am Your beloved. I never avenge myself, but I leave it to the wrath of God,
for I have known what it is written, Vengeance is Yours, Lord that You will repay !

Lord,
Grant me wisdom and strength to feed my enemy when I see my enemy is hungry.

Grant me wisdom and strength to give my enemy something to drink when I see my enemy is thirsty.

Lord,
Grant me wisdom and strength not to be overcome by evil.

Lord,
Grant me wisdom and strength to overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:21

Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth." -Psalms 58:11

Hallelujah
Amen

 

[Dansiph]

A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, "I am your salvation."
Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life;
Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt.
Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the Lord chase them.
Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, Which they have dug without cause for my life.
Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly,
And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall.

• Psalm 35:1-8

.

I have prayed imprecatory Psalms before once or twice. Much of Psalm 35 was one of them and once the anger had settled I regretted the prayers. If that's of any worth on this.

 

[dqhall]

Is it ever legitimate to wish, hope, or pray for one's enemies to suffer defeat and pain of losing? If there is an evil group of people that are doing really horrible things to individuals in a whole society and they are causing pain and misery, is it always considered bad to pray or hope for them to be humiliated? Also even in Christianity. I had thoughts and fantasies about them being driven out of society.

If no, I wonder why God would have a problem with me being angry and not wanting to be respectful to somebody like that, if he himself hates it too.

Love for Enemies (World English Bible - public domain)
Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

It is better to pray for their correction than to pray for your enemies to fall. Some prejudice formed against entire groups and nations when not all were guilty. As soon as you blame the entire group for the sins of a few, you become guilty yourself.

 

[Monna]

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

Ezekiel 18:23
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
Ezekiel 18:32
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
Ezekiel 33:11
Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!

I have prayed imprecatory Psalms before once or twice. Much of Psalm 35 was one of them and once the anger had settled I regretted the prayers. If that's of any worth on this.

James 4:3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives...

Apparently, if we are to pray in accordance with the will of God, our prayers should be motivated by God's love for His (as well as our) "enemies" that they might "turn from their ways and live." The most creative and constructive way of dealing with enemies, is turn them into friends; and of dealing with evil, by overcoming it with good. In the very process of being crucified, Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of those who brought him to that moment ... and that included you and me. So it is encumbent on me to follow his example.

At the same time, I think it is entirely appropriate to take our pain, frustration, and resentment to the Lord in prayer. Sometimes, these Psalms can help us express our feelings - then, having vented through quoting them, let us ask for forgiveness, a clean and righteous heart, full of His love for those we are having difficulty with.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Are you able to disclose who the evil group of people are?

This will assist giving advice re. prayer...

Main thing is I ask for inspiration and authority in prayer then pray as I feel led.

I have seen dramatic results sometimes immediate, sometimes a continuing hard grind before you see breakthrough.

Always pray for blessing on 'enemies' for starters. Remember He is in control.

We are in a war and sometimes aggressive prayer is called for - if you are lacking confidence in this area get together with other believers and pray in agreement. Fasting is also a wonderful game changer when entered into in His purpose.

 

[Monna]

If no, I wonder why God would have a problem with me being angry and not wanting to be respectful to somebody like that, if he himself hates it too.

God hates the evil, but loves the evil doer. When such a one repents, there's a party in heaven!

Sometimes we find it hard to see how this works. God is doing amazing things in high security prisons, bringing repentance and changing hearts, lives and behaviour, even among the hardest criminals.

 

[pc_76]

I may still "love" evildoers, but I (and we all) have a right to certainly call out their horrible evildoing for what it is.

 

[The happy Objectivist]

Is it ever legitimate to wish, hope, or pray for one's enemies to suffer defeat and pain of losing? If there is an evil group of people that are doing really horrible things to individuals in a whole society and they are causing pain and misery, is it always considered bad to pray or hope for them to be humiliated? Also even in Christianity. I had thoughts and fantasies about them being driven out of society.

If no, I wonder why God would have a problem with me being angry and not wanting to be respectful to somebody like that, if he himself hates it too.

'The Evil of this world is made possible by nothing other than your sanction of it.' Ayn Rand

Praying does nothing, wishing does nothing. Remove your sanction and it dies of its own irrationality.

 

[bèlla]

VCR-2000,

There is a difference between taking our concerns to the Lord and seeking intervention and wishing for someone’s demise. The bible gives a warning we should pay heed to:

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.“ —Proverbs 24:17-18

It is perfectly acceptable to address the behavior and leave its remedy in God’s hand. But we shouldn’t delight in another’s suffering or correction. Including those who’ve wronged us.

Yours in His Service,

~Bella

 

[durangodawood]

Right here in this thread I'm seeing a buffet of quite different morsels you can put on your plate as suits you.

As an outsider, the salient question seems: why does this one suit you over that one?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

30 years ago, scores of High School football teams in Alabama prayed for this every week.

 

[pc_76]

VCR-2000,

There is a difference between taking our concerns to the Lord and seeking intervention and wishing for someone’s demise. The bible gives a warning we should pay heed to:

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.“ —Proverbs 24:17-18

It is perfectly acceptable to address the behavior and leave its remedy in God’s hand. But we shouldn’t delight in another’s suffering or correction. Including those who’ve wronged us.

Yours in His Service,

~Bella

If my really evil reprobate enemy thought about destroying me or my family/friends, I'd rather destroy my enemy lest my enemy destroys me/us.

 

[Tiburon]

Is it ever legitimate to wish, hope, or pray for one's enemies to suffer defeat and pain of losing? If there is an evil group of people that are doing really horrible things to individuals in a whole society and they are causing pain and misery, is it always considered bad to pray or hope for them to be humiliated? Also even in Christianity. I had thoughts and fantasies about them being driven out of society.

If no, I wonder why God would have a problem with me being angry and not wanting to be respectful to somebody like that, if he himself hates it too.

If that is all you are doing then it is pretty pointless. If your not taking some action against them then let it go.