To go along with this post, John Piper wrote a great article on praying for our enemies. I thought it would be better to give the link than to copy off of it.
I pray it blesses you!! đ
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Why we should pray for our Enemies (and How to)
Hi friends.
I published a post last night, praying for who could be one of the most evil people living today: Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, meaning âWestern Education is Forbiddenâ (aka ISWAP). Continue reading
Shatter, Shekau (A Prayer)
Have you ever wondered at what made evil people so evil?
How the villains who make headlines for their crimes became the person in the pictures?
They were a child once. They once
Lived on nothing but milk, people who were helpless,
not only in taking care of and doing good
To others,
But in even taking care of themselves.
But now, here they are.
Weapons in their hands;
Hatred in their veins.
Shekau, do your parents weep for you?
Do they pray for the light to dawn on your soul,
Lamenting who you could have become?
Sources say they do– (source).
Praise God, âRightâ in religion has not become so wrong–
may those who love you never smile in pride at your headlines.
Shekau, donât you feel empty?
âallahâ keeps stringing you along,
lying to you about the wages of your deeds.
I pray
that you are made sick by what you have done–
that you are broken and rebuilt by the Christ you
look to in disdain.
Right now, you are
the embodiment of evil.
But so was the apostle Paul. This gives me Hope
–Even for you.
May your leader be seen for the coward he is;
may satan be cursed and cast down forever.
and may all those who do his work
be shattered.
These are my prayers for you, Shekau. Youâre disgusting–
but not even you are a hopeless case.
I pray, I pray, I pray.
So Shatter, Shekau!
Christ alone has the glue
and the kind of Love needed
to rebuild you.
ââYou have heard that it was said, âLove your neighbor and hate your enemy.â But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 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. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?â
– Jesus Christ
(Matthew 5:43-47, NIV)
© Annalee Hoover, 2018
Do you know Jesus?
Without Jesus, there is no real salvation. He alone is the only One who can save our souls– including even the repentant soul of someone like Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. Learn more about Jesus, and why we need Him, here.
Please pray for…
– The Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu. Find their names and pictures, here.
– Abubakar Shekau. Evil as he is, Christ has the power to change his entire life– as He did with the Apostle Paul. Let’s pray for his salvation.
– Justice. What Shekau and Boko Haram has done is nothing short of the very essence of evil. Let’s pray that Justice is served for those who have suffered senselessly at the hands of Shekau and Boko Haram.
– Salvation for all people. Including Boko Haram members.
Thank you for your prayers and support!!!
Encouraging Yourself in the Lord
Everything in the world seemed to be against him. King David, in 1 Samuel 30, having been raided by the Amalekites, was about to be the object of his armyâs wrath, as they all lamented having their women and children kidnapped. Blaming King David for the raid, his men were poised for attack, ready to kill him.
Itâd be easy, in Davidâs spot, to believe that he was all alone. To believe that God had somehow left him, and that he was done for. But 1 Samuel 30 speaks of David doing something very different: âHe encouraged Himself in the Lord.
âWhat does that even mean?â You may ask. We can look at different translations for insight. Most translations read something like, âBut David found strength in the Lord his God.â At his weakest moment, David found strength in God.
Weâre all bound to have our âweakâ days– days where the cares of life pull us down, days where our weak spots are tried and uncovered. Because of this, it is more than crucial that we as Believers are able to find strength in Jesus. I have a few ways of how we can do this.
- Be well-read when it comes to the Bible. The enemy loves to come against us with lies about who Christ is, and who we are in Him. satan would love for us to quiver in fear, breaking down under the pressure that has been placed on us. This is why reading, and knowing, the word of God is so important! When we know what the Bible says concerning God, we can stand upon its Truth– and it becomes a haven in the storm.
- Remember that Jesus is our Refuge. As apart of knowing the Word, I encourage you to cling to the promises of who Christ is to you. When one truly believes that Jesus is Sovereign and our Refuge, the fears we have cannot stay. Jesus Loves you! He is for you! You can trust Him!
- Remember that perfect Love (Godâs Love) casts out fear. 1 John 4:18 says this, and its truth is invaluable. When you are afraid or overwhelmed, and being attacked by the enemy, submit to Jesus in the matter. His Love will cast out all fear from the evil one, and when we submit to God, the devil flees (James 4:7).
- Act upon what you read in the Word. It is crucial to not only be a wellspring of knowledge when it comes to scripture, but to also live out what you know. Again, submitting to Jesus in all things helps us to resist the devil and his schemes.
What about you? Do you have any biblical insight into how we can strengthen ourselves in the Lord? Letâs talk about it! đ
Jesus loves to come alongside us, giving us His strength to meet the need in any situation. We can trust in Him, friends! Letâs encourage ourselves in Him, and draw from the strength and help He so lovingly yearns to share with us!
Do you know Jesus?
âCome to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.â
(Matthew 11:28, NIV)
This is Jesusâ loving invitation to all of us⊠but what does it mean for you, personally? Read about who Jesus is, and what He has done to provide rest for us, here.
Please pray forâŠ
- Those, like David, who feel hard-pressed on every side, and need the rest and relief only found in Christ.
- The Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu. Pray for their fathers, as their fathers spend another Fatherâs Day without their daughters.
- For a revival in the lives of many in Nigeria. We need Christ if we are ever going to be healed as people and as nations!
- For renewed peace and rest in corrupt areas, such as Northern Nigeria.
As always, Thank you for your prayers and support!
God: A Good, Good Father
â’I finally got my freedom Mama,â Rebbeca quoted Leah to have said in the dream.â1 Rebbeca, the mother of Leah Sharibu, reported seeing her daughter Leah in a dreamâwhere Leah reassured her mom that she had been fed well, and where they âhugged each other very tightâ so that they could not be separated again. Rebbeca cried when she woke up from the dream, begging God for it to become reality.
The Love of a parent and their child is one that is fierce, a Love that cannot be broken, even by time, location, and evil. Love, in the purest form, does not give up, and does not let go of Hope. It always trusts, and always perseveres⊠even when the one you love is nowhere in sight.
Itâs true: This type of love does not end. But even in the fierce love a mother or father may have for their child, Godâs Love for His Childrenâthose who believe on His Son, Jesus Christâis fiercer still.
âEven if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.â
(Psalm 27:10, NLT)âCan a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!â
(Isaiah 49:15, NLT)
I want to encourage you, today: No matter how your relationship (or lack of one) with your earthly father is, Jesus Loves You⊠and His Love will never let go of you, and never give up on you.
This Fatherâs Day, may you run to the Father who always has His eyes upon you, and trust in the God who will sustain you to your own old age (Isaiah 46:4). He will never give up.
This Father’s Day, please also pray for those fathers and mothers, waiting for their daughters from Chibok to come home, soon.
You are Loved. Happy Fatherâs Day. â€
Do you know Jesus?
What is the proof that God is a good, good Father, a God who always does what is best for us? Romans 8 says, âWhat then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?â (Romans 8:31-32, BSB)
God proved His Love for us in giving Himself for us. He is completely trustworthy. Learn more about this God, who Loves you so much, here.
Please pray for (find the prayer sheet for your blogpost, here)âŠ
- The Chibok girls. Please pray that they would be able to be freed, soon. You can find their names and pictures, here.
- For those who have lost their fathers in the war against Boko Haram.
- For those waiting for the Chibok girls, and Leah Sharibu, to come home.
- For those who struggle with their relationships (or lack of ones) with their earthly fathers. May Jesus bless and comfort you, if you struggle with these relationships.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
1 As read in this article: http://www.pulse.ng/news/local/leah-sharibu-appears-to-mother-in-a-dream-id8423597.html
Encouraging Verses: Remember God’s Promises for You!
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
(Isaiah 55:11, KJV)
“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.” (Psalm 50:23, KJV)
“A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:20-21, KJV)
~ Remember and speak aloud Jesus’ promises for you! His Word will never be returned void; He is trustworthy. ~
Learn more about Jesus, the God who does not change, here.
Please pray for…
- Those believers who need to know Jesus is for them. Perhaps this is you; may you be comforted by knowing that Christ is for you, not against you. (This is not saying that Jesus must do everything we want, or that He is a genie. But He Loves you– trust Him to do what His Word says He will do.)
- The families of the Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu. Find the girls’ names, here.
Thank you for your prayers!!!
Part 1 of 2: The Living Water
She walked through the desolate, barren land of a village in Africa. Surrounded by an entourage including translators, volunteers, and haggard-looking men, women, and children, she strode through the dust, her pale skin sharply contrasted with the dark brown skin all around her. Continue reading
