Does Scripture Support Praying "Against" Evil?

[ken_sylvania]

Inspired by DanZ's post at "If you don't vote, you have no right to complain!"

Honest question: Is it godly to pray against a particular leader...or must our prayers always be supportive? King David seems to have done both.

Is there any New Testament support for praying against anyone? How about for praying against wickedness or against wrong actions or designs? The Scriptures repeatedly tell us what to pray for - how about what to pray against?

[MaxPC]

Here's a starter: Jesus taught in Matthew 6

9 “Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

[KingdomBuilder]

Praying specifically against someone? I can't see it. That seems to be waging war on flesh and blood, and I imagine it would be very hard to love someone while praying against them.
Praying against wickedness? I can absolutely see that.
"On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor. 10:4-5
"Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

[Dan Z]

As I said earlier, David seems to have prayed against his enemies quite often. In fact, he made a habit of it, often in rather harsh ways - like this:

Psalm 83

1 God, do not keep silent.
Do not be deaf, God; do not be idle.
2 See how Your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate You have acted arrogantly.[a]
3 They devise clever schemes against Your people;
they conspire against Your treasured ones.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation
so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.”
...
9 Deal with them as You did with Midian,
as You did with Sisera
and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 They were destroyed at En-dor;
they became manure for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their tribal leaders like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us seize God’s pastures for ourselves.”
13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like straw before the wind.
14 As fire burns a forest,
as a flame blazes through mountains,
15 so pursue them with Your tempest
and terrify them with Your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame
so that they will seek Your name Yahweh.
17 Let them be put to shame and terrified forever;
let them perish in disgrace.
18 May they know that You alone—
whose name is Yahweh—
are the Most High over all the earth.

[gcdonner]

As I said earlier, David seems to have prayed against his enemies quite often. In fact, he made a habit of it, often in rather harsh ways - like this:

Psalm 83

1 God, do not keep silent.
Do not be deaf, God; do not be idle.
2 See how Your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate You have acted arrogantly.[a]
3 They devise clever schemes against Your people;
they conspire against Your treasured ones.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation
so that Israel’s name will no longer be remembered.”
...
9 Deal with them as You did with Midian,
as You did with Sisera
and Jabin at the Kishon River.
10 They were destroyed at En-dor;
they became manure for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their tribal leaders like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us seize God’s pastures for ourselves.”
13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like straw before the wind.
14 As fire burns a forest,
as a flame blazes through mountains,
15 so pursue them with Your tempest
and terrify them with Your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame
so that they will seek Your name Yahweh.
17 Let them be put to shame and terrified forever;
let them perish in disgrace.
18 May they know that You alone—
whose name is Yahweh—
are the Most High over all the earth.

However, we need to remember that David was not part of a two Kingdom system and he was the head of a government that under the NC system is charged with bearing the sword. How much of an example can we take from his life and attitudes?

[Dan Z]

I agree GC...I think Ken asked a good question in his opening post about New Testament evidence that cursing your enemies is what Christ wants.

As Kingdombuilder pointed out, it's hard to love someone and damn them at the same time.

[gcdonner]

I agree GC...I think Ken asked a good question in his opening post about New Testament evidence that cursing your enemies is what Christ wants.

As Kingdombuilder pointed out, it's hard to love someone and damn them at the same time.

That has always been my rule of thumb and also the foundation of counsel to those who are in the gall of bitterness. My wife suffered from a disease for many years until the Lord revealed to her that she needed to forgive the man who had molested her as a child. When she did that and began to pray for him instead, she was healed. It was a dramatic illustration of the power of forgiveness.
We may not be able to forgive the sin (if unrepented of) but we can always forgive the sinner.
I think there is a principle, however, in the admonition and challenge of Jesus toward the end of his life as he spoke to his disciples:

Joh 20:23  Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 

There are times when the sin must be retained (unforgiven) for the purpose of bringing the sinner to repentance, as Paul pointed out:

1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

And:

Gal_6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Finally, can we forget what Jesus taught us in the disciples prayer or in what he declared on the cross?

Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 
15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Luk_23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

The short commentary right after his words, speaks volumes to me...

Rom 12:14  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

 
Think about it.

[Joy]

Can't recall if I've shared this here, but if I have, you have my permission to ignore it.

Years ago, a friend behind bars had a disease considered incurable, and I suggested there might be a connection between his father's treatment of him when he was a child--the father was a mean drunk--and the disease. His response was that it would be hard to forgive his dad, but Jesus said to, so he would.

Subsequent trips to Medical showed an improvement in his numbers, until finally the doctor pronounced him free of the disease.

He called yesterday to report that the new Haitian doctor refused to renew his diet pass because, he said, he doesn't need it.

I don't think he agrees with me that his forgiveness was the key, but he is healthy. And he does believe it was a spiritual battle. Our bodies are not meant to carry anger, bitterness, fear, or discontent.

God is good!

Psa. 90:14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

[Aaron]

Inspired by DanZ's post at "If you don't vote, you have no right to complain!"

Honest question: Is it godly to pray against a particular leader...or must our prayers always be supportive? King David seems to have done both.

Is there any New Testament support for praying against anyone? How about for praying against wickedness or against wrong actions or designs? The Scriptures repeatedly tell us what to pray for - how about what to pray against?

In Christ Jesus, no one has a right to complain, whether you do vote (disobediently even), or don't vote.

Jesus never endorsed voting.

When God's people voted (for God to give them meat, not to go against the giants, and then to go without God's okay,
to have a king, to build a golden idol, and so on) , they always suffered for it. God punished them as He had told them He would also. He warned them (and us today) NOT to seek to be like other pagan nations, carnal, seeking out own way and desires) .

As for a King, or a President, or anyone God puts in place, what does God's Word say about foul speech against them ?
Who does God say to trust ? (not a man, rather trust God) .... Don't put any trust in the strength of "chariots or horses", kings or princes, armies or the wisdom of man ...