PRAY FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR ENEMIES

[Sevenseas]

Of course I could just lob the ball back, but in all seriousness, why do you believe that passage is misapplied?

 

I would really like to know your reasoning here please

[Guest]

I would really like to know your reasoning here please

 

 

Double

 

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12

 

Check

 

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

 

[Joshua-777]

You want to wipe ISIS out?  You want to kill them?  Fast and pray against the spirit behind ISIS, the true enemy.  Many follow false gods which are the principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places!  Fight against them, not the flesh who follow them.  Leave them to God. 

 

Ephesians 6:12

 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

As for those who are in harms way, they have all the right to defend themselves, and if they ask for help, to help them. Your heart is in a war, but not against those who are controlled by the enemy, but the enemy themselves.

Good word!

[Guest Judas Machabeus]

We are called to live our enemy.

Now that doesn't mean that we can not defend ourselves up to and including deadly force if needed.

We are to pray for their change of heart and pray for their conversion. NOT for their destruction.

[justfaith]

We are called to live our enemy.

Now that doesn't mean that we can not defend ourselves up to and including deadly force if needed.

We are to pray for their change of heart and pray for their conversion. NOT for their destruction.

Acts 13:8-12King James Version (KJV)

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

 

How readesth thou ?

[justfaith]

We are called to live our enemy.

Now that doesn't mean that we can not defend ourselves up to and including deadly force if needed.

We are to pray for their change of heart and pray for their conversion. NOT for their destruction.

Galatians 5:12King James Version (KJV)

12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

[Joshua-777]

 

We are called to live our enemy.

Now that doesn't mean that we can not defend ourselves up to and including deadly force if needed.

We are to pray for their change of heart and pray for their conversion. NOT for their destruction.

Acts 13:8-12King James Version (KJV)

8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

 

How readesth thou ?

 

Paul was operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. His heart wasn't vengence on his enemies but he saw the sorcerer intentially decieving and the Holy Spirit unctioned him to prophesy that he would be blind for a season. Paul didn't pray for his enemy to be destroyed; he declaired what God was doing. Through the Holy Spirit, he stopped a hinderence to the gospel and the result was salvation and possibly the salvation of the sorcerer after the season of blindness was over.

If anything this should teach us to seek after the power of the Holy Spirit when sharing the Gospel, not pray destruction for our enemies.

Titus 3:2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

But now that you brought up Paul, should Paul have seen distruction for persicuting the Church? What if Stevens responce to the persicution was, Father destroy them, which one looks more like Jesus?

Acts 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Jesus, during humanities most wretched sin ever commited (Killing the Son of God) said, Father forgive them.

Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

And they divided His garments and cast lots.

He tells us to love the same way.

John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Now destroy my enemies (people) is not compatable with love, and according to the bible, those who do not love do not know God.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

God desires all to be saved

1 Timothy 2:1Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

And is even delaying His coming in judgement not willing that any should parish.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

 

[Guest Judas Machabeus]

Straight from Jesus!!

Mat 5:44

44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

[Guest]

We are called to love our enemy.

Now that doesn't mean that we can not defend ourselves up to and including deadly force if needed.

We are to pray for their change of heart and pray for their conversion.

 

NOT for their destruction.

 

 

 

Deadly

 

Then the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning--there were all the dead bodies! Isaiah 37:36 (NIV)

 

Force

 

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17 (ESV)

 

Indeed~!

 

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6

[Sevenseas]

 

Force

 

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17 (ESV)

 

Indeed~!

 

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:6

 

 

 

Yup

 

I was thinking about that story from II kings last night and the fact that this world is temporal...what we do know is true, is that God is spirit and the devil is a spirit

 

I find it indefensable to state that this scripture, 

 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 

in the heavenly places.  Eph 6:12

 

does not apply to the situation in the world today and quite literally to terrorists.