10 Fulfilling Ways to Pray for Your Enemies

Co-authored by Sabrina Grover, LMSW and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: June 22, 2024 Fact Checked

In Matthew 5:44, Jesus says to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” ^{[1]
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Research source} That’s way easier said than done, though. How are you supposed to pray for someone who has hurt you badly and done awful things? Praying for your enemies may seem a little daunting at first, but it’s easy to get started if you know exactly what to petition for. Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Read on for spiritual, Bible-backed prayer ideas that will help bring you closer to God.

1

Pray that they’re touched by the Holy Spirit.

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The Holy Spirit allows us—and our enemies—to be closer to God. As a part of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit helps everyone (including nonbelievers) to understand the truth of Jesus Christ and His word. When you pray for the Holy Spirit to reach your enemies, you’re also praying for them to know and understand the freedom and salvation that God offers. ^{[2]
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- Sample Prayer: “God, please let my enemies be filled with the Holy Spirit so they can know You and Your Grace.”
- Second Corinthians 3:17 says it best: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

2

Pray for them to be blessed.

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Wishing blessings for your enemies helps you follow God’s will. In Romans 12:14, the apostle Paul instructs readers to “bless those who persecute you” and “not curse them.” This definitely isn’t an easy task—and it’s okay to let God know that as you pray! ^{[3]
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- Sample Prayer: “Please fill my enemy’s life with all of Your blessings and love. Let them understand how much they need Your Presence in their life, so they can be truly fulfilled.”
- Remember what the Bible says in 1 Peter 3:9: “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”

3

Pray for their forgiveness.

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Everyone is worthy of forgiveness in God’s eyes—even our enemies. Take Luke 23:34, for instance. Despite being betrayed, tortured, and crucified, Jesus asks forgiveness for those who wronged him by saying “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Try to adopt the same attitude as you meditate in prayer for your enemies.
- Sample Prayer: “God, please forgive my enemies for what they have done. I can’t deny that I’m feeling hurt and betrayed, but I also know that everyone is worthy and deserving of Your forgiveness.”

4

Pray for your own ability to forgive them.

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Forgiving others is an important part of following Jesus. Keep Ephesians 4:32 in mind: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Think about how Jesus has and continues to forgive us for our sins, and focus on embodying that same sense of grace and mercy toward your enemies. ^{[4]
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- Sample Prayer: “Lord, I’m really struggling to forgive this person. Please fill me with your grace and show me how to forgive as you do.”
- Think about Matthew 6:14-15 as you pray, too: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” ^{[5]
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5

Pray for them to be surrounded by God’s grace.

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God’s grace extends to our friends and our enemies. It can be really hard to imagine that the people who hurt us deserve God’s grace. In these moments, it helps to think of Romans 3:23-24: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” ^{[6]
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- Sample Prayer: “God, please fill my enemies with your grace and love. Help them to know who you are and to accept your gift of salvation.”
- Feel free to use Philippians 4:23 as a model for your prayer: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”

6

Pray for God to work through them.

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God’s love is a powerful force that is capable of anything. From Moses and David to Peter and Saul/Paul, God has used plenty of flawed people to achieve a greater purpose. Petition God to do the same thing with the enemies in your life—and yourself, too!
- Sample Prayer: “God, please use this person’s cruel actions and words for something positive. All things are possible with You, and I trust that something good and righteous can come out of this situation.”
- As you pray, think about Philippians 2:13: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”

7

Pray for the strength to treat your enemies with kindness.

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God always wants us to turn the other cheek, even if it’s tough. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus teaches His followers to love their enemies. The apostle Paul expands on this important lesson in Romans 12:20, saying “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” As you pray, ask God to give you the strength to treat your enemies with this type of courtesy, even if they don’t deserve it. ^{[7]
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- Sample Prayer: “Lord, please give me the strength to treat this person with kindness and courtesy. I’m really struggling with my feelings toward them, and I need Your strength to help me face them with respect and dignity.”
- According to the Bible, treating your enemies with kindness is the best way to get “back” at them.

8

Pray for their ability to heal from their own traumas.

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Every person deserves a chance to heal from the past and know God’s love. Sometimes, people do really cruel things because of things that happened to them in the past. While past experiences never excuse cruel or abusive behavior, you can still be the bigger person by praying for your enemy’s mental and emotional healing and wellbeing.
- Sample Prayer: “God, please be with this person as they come to terms with their past. As much I don’t like them, they deserve to be at peace with themselves.”
- Meditate on what the Bible says in James 5:16: “Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

9

Pray for God to appear in their life.

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Through God, it’s possible for anyone to grow and change. Think of Paul’s conversion story, as detailed in Acts 9. Paul (formerly known as Saul) was one of the biggest persecutors of the early Christian Church but was converted to Christianity after Jesus appeared to him in the middle of the road. Ask God to make an undeniable appearance in the life of your enemy, so they can grow and change in a radical way, too.
- Sample Prayer: “God, I pray that you will make Yourself known to this person. Let them accept You into their life, so they can grow in faith and spirit.”

10

Pray for God to take control of the situation.

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Let God handle their punishment instead of handling it yourself. When someone really hurts you, it can be tempting to take matters into your own hands. Instead of giving in to this temptation, ask God to take control of your situation and handle it as He sees fit. The apostle Paul says it best in Romans 12:19: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” ^{[8]
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- Sample Prayer: “Lord, I’m feeling really angry and upset about this situation, but I’m trusting you to handle it. I trust that you can deal with this person in whatever way you see fit.”
- It may also help to meditate on Proverbs 20:22: “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.”

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Feel free to personalize your prayers as much as you like! If there’s a specific person or organization that you’re at odds with, feel free to pray for them specifically.

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Have empathy for yourself and for your enemy, no matter what they did. They have their own issues to work out.

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If possible, focus on your own strengths, your own positive attributes and on your own way of navigating the world. Do your best to not lose time and energy with your enemy.

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10 Fulfilling Ways to Pray for Your Enemies

Steps

Pray that they’re touched by the Holy Spirit.

Pray for them to be blessed.

Pray for their forgiveness.

Pray for your own ability to forgive them.

Pray for them to be surrounded by God’s grace.

Pray for God to work through them.

Pray for the strength to treat your enemies with kindness.

Pray for their ability to heal from their own traumas.

Pray for God to appear in their life.

Pray for God to take control of the situation.

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