The Greatest Teaching: Pray for Your Enemies – All Of Them!

Imagine for a moment: Satan repents and begs God for forgiveness. His act of penance destroys evil in the world, and sin is eradicated. Now imagine this happens because people stop using fire to fight fire and instead begin praying for the enemy – as Jesus commanded.

In Jesus’ teachings, the call to love our enemies¹Matthew 5:43-48 is among the most profound and challenging. It encourages us to embrace a perspective of love and forgiveness, even for those who do their best to destroy us and make us miserable. Like most of Jesus’ teachings, there is no condition – no definition of who is and is not our enemy. However, within the Gospels²Luke 10:18-20, we hear Jesus declare what might be perceived as the ultimate enemy, Satan. Exploring this concept from a Christian perspective is essential. How can we pray for our enemies, including Satan, and why is this an important aspect of our faith?

The Command to Love Our Enemies

In Matthew³Matthew 5:43-44, Jesus gives us one of the most powerful and transformative messages, a message that challenges the essence of our human nature: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

This teaching is one of the most challenging and distinctive. To love those who love us is easy, but to love those who actively oppose, harm, or persecute us seems counterintuitive. More often than not, we will fight back or try to protect ourselves. Jesus calls us to embrace a higher moral standard rooted in love, compassion, healing, and forgiveness.

But why would Jesus ask us to do something so seemingly impossible?

1. Transcending Human Nature: When Jesus asks us to love our enemies, he calls us to transcend our basic human instincts of self-preservation and vengeance. This command challenges us to respond to hatred with love, to confront violence with peace, and to meet persecution with compassion.
2. Imitating God’s Love: Jesus emphasizes that loving our enemies reflects the very nature of God. In the book of Matthew, Jesus explains, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”⁴Matthew 5:45. God’s love extends to all, regardless of their actions or beliefs, and as Christians, we are called to imitate this divine love.
3. Transformative Power: Loving our enemies not only transforms our own hearts but also the hearts of those we consider enemies. By choosing love over hate, we create the potential for reconciliation and redemption, fostering an environment where love and forgiveness can soften even the most hardened hearts.
4. Ultimate Christian Witness: Our capacity to love our enemies is a powerful testimony to our faith. It demonstrates the authenticity of our commitment to Christ’s teachings and the strength of our faith. By loving our enemies, we exemplify the radical difference a relationship with Jesus can make in our lives.

The command to love our enemies calls us to move beyond the boundaries of ordinary human compassion and embrace a divine love that can heal wounds, bring about reconciliation, and ultimately lead to the salvation of the one who loves and the one who is loved. While the task may be difficult, it is a central aspect of living out our Christian faith.

A Radical Act of Love

Before delving into why we should pray for Satan, it is essential to understand who he is from a Christian perspective. Satan is often portrayed as the adversary, the accuser, the enemy, and the embodiment of evil. He is the one who tempts and seeks to lead humanity away from God. However, Satan was not created as an evil being but as an angel, and his fall from grace resulted from his choices.

When we pray for Satan, we acknowledge that even in the darkest corners of creation, redemption has potential. Our prayers for Satan do not condone his actions but express our hope for his repentance and reconciliation with God. We remember that God’s mercy knows no bounds and that even the fallen angel can find forgiveness if he turns back to God.

The Power of Prayer

Prayer is a fundamental part of the Christian faith. It is a means of connecting with God, seeking guidance, and expressing our deepest desires. When we pray for our enemies, including Satan, we open our hearts to God’s transformative grace. We ask for God to work in their lives, softening their hearts and leading them to the path of righteousness.

Praying for Our Enemies in Practice

To pray for our enemies, we must begin with an open heart. We should acknowledge the harm they may have caused but also recognize the potential for transformation. Our prayers can include:

1. Asking God to soften their hearts and lead them to repentance.
2. Praying for the victims of their actions, that they may find healing and forgiveness.
3. Seeking guidance in how we can contribute to their redemption and reconciliation.

Praying for our enemies, even Satan, is a powerful act of love and faith. It reflects our belief in God’s boundless mercy and the potential for transformation and redemption in all beings. As a Christian counselor and priest working with those in need, it is important to remind ourselves and others of the transformative power of prayer. By following the teachings of Jesus and praying for our enemies, we embody the message of love, forgiveness, and hope that lies at the heart of our Christian faith.

Finally

Let’s go back to the beginning, shall we? Imagine for a moment: Satan repents and begs God for forgiveness. His act of penance destroys evil in the world, and sin is eradicated. Now imagine this happens because people stop using fire to fight fire and instead begin praying for the enemy – as Jesus commanded.

Notes & Citations

• 1
  Matthew 5:43-48
• 2
  Luke 10:18-20
• 3
  Matthew 5:43-44
• 4
  Matthew 5:45