Pray for Your Enemies

By Michael Ohene-Okantah

The Christian life is a very practical one. Yet, it is not following a set of rules. Rather, it is lived from an inner principle that is steeped in knowledge of the word of God, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit comes to indwell the believer at the new birth, every individual believer has what it takes to live the Christian life effectively. This includes obeying the Lord’s command to pray for our enemies.

In “Pray for Your enemies”, the author tackles a rather difficult subject, in a manner that is biblically sound, and intensely practical. He uses both Bible and real-life examples to present his thoughts. Thus, you have in your hand a book that offers you clear teaching, that is both thought-provoking, and easy to read.

If you have ever sought to understand the Lord’s words on the matter of praying for your enemies, this is a must read for you. It will help you to obey the Lord’s instruction on the matter, and equip you to help others to do same. You will mature spiritually in the process.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664214057

Michael Ohene-Okantah

Rev. Michael Ohene-Okantah is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. He is the Senior Pastor of the Everlasting Covenant Gospel Church at Anyaa-Accra, Ghana. Michael holds a Master of Music degree (Music Education) from the Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, and a Master of Theology degree from the International Theological Seminary, Brandenton, Florida. Rev. Ohene-Okantah is a teacher of the word of God, with a burden for its application to develop godly Christian character. He lives with his wife, Paulina at Sakaman-Accra. They have three adult children.

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Copyright © 2021 Michael Ohene-Okantah.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version® Copyright © 1982

by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, Modern King James Version

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By Jay P. Green, Sr.

Used by permission of the copyright holder.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1406-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-1405-7 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/31/2020

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Introduction

One

The Lord’s own Words

Two

David, a man after God’s heart

(and Solomon, his son)

Three

Suffer not a witch to live

Four

Jealous for Jesus

Five

May the Lord repay him

according to his works!

Six

Pray for your Enemies

Seven

If you were Abraham’s children

Eight

His Commandments are not burdensome

Nine

Testimonies

Endnote

References

Dedication: To Rev. Eastwood and Rosemond Anaba,

and the Love Revolution Campaign

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I AM GRATEFUL to the many individuals and groups, who have helped with this book in various ways. My particular thanks go to Rev. Nana Anyane-Boadum, General Overseer of Jesus Generation Ministries, Ghana. He offered to write the foreword, adding needed insight to this difficult subject. To the leaders and members of the Everlasting Covenant Gospel Church, I say a big Thank you for enduring this hard saying. When I started learning and teaching the subject, it sounded as if it was not in the Bible. But now, it has become an integral aspect of our psychology and modus operandi as a church.

I wish to thank my immediate family for their support as the manuscript was in preparation. They endured my absence, though I was in the room working. Special thanks go to Renald Patterson, Publishing Consultant at WestBow Press for contacting me about this work. It had been four years since I first contacted Westbow, but there was a long silence. Your words, This is the time people need to read your book were very inspiring. I also thank the editorial team for their wonderful work, and WestBow for accepting to publish it.

Finally, I wish to congratulate you, my reader, for your courage in picking up a book of this title. God bless you with a good understanding as you read, and apply the content.

Michael Ohene-Okantah

FOREWORD

OUR LORD JESUS enjoins us to pray for our enemies. Humanly speaking it is a difficult thing to do. However, if Jesus is not only your Savior, but also your Lord, then, You will heed His command to love and pray for your enemies. That runs counter to our nature. From a human standpoint, genuinely praying for our enemies seems impossible for many Christians, including Christian leaders. Many therefore, chafe against the very notion of it.

While most Christians may feel drawn to the merciful words of our Lord Jesus to pray for those who persecute you, many feel resistant when challenged to actually do it. You want me to do what? Pray for the person who hurt me? That’s asking too much! I understand! But praying for your enemy is not optional—it is commanded by Christ. However, what did He really mean by these words?

In the phrase, Love your enemies, the Greek word agape—translated here as love—intrinsically means a commitment to seek the highest good of another person. The highest good for those who are genuinely wrong is that their hearts become genuinely right. We are to pray for that person’s highest good, which first means salvation through Christ for an unbeliever, and if that person is already a believer, being transformed into the character of Christ would be the highest good.

We should then pray for the Lord to persuade them to repent, change, grow, and mature. Obviously, there must be some unmet need in their lives—or they would not cause us so much pain. Therefore, we can pray that our enemies would see their need for the Savior... and then they would let the Lord meet their unmet needs (He is willing—they need to be willing to let Him). We pray for our enemies to allow the Lord to heal what is broken.

In Christ we are called to a higher standard of living that fosters love. Good Christian living is basically living beyond what is the norm; in order to project the glory of God and to affirm the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, with whom we are expected to overcome. Christ brings the loving character of God closer to and in us by charging that it is shown in human conduct and relationships. What we do with our prayers, must be done from an inward principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be praised of men.

Michael Ohene-Okantah, in this simple to understand but instructive book states, ‘To find the time and the discipline to pray consistently for one’s own needs is trouble enough. To pray for even a loved one is extra trouble. But to pray for one’s enemies! What need does a Christian have for such a prayer? Well, if it is for their destruction, fine. But that does not seem to be what the Lord Jesus who gave the commandment to pray for our enemies intended this delicate but powerful tool called Prayer to be used for.’

When I met Michael in my office to look into his heart concerning what he has put on paper for me to comment on, I realized the burden he carries with regards to Christian character and conduct. I highly recommend this book to both Christian leaders and their flock.

Rev. Nana Anyani-Boadum, General Overseer, Jesus Generation Ministries, Ghana

INTRODUCTION

PRAYER IS ONE of the cardinal activities Christians engage in, as do all religious people. Even people who do not care about religion will pray in a moment of desperation. Prayer is usually offered out of a sense of need and belief in a supernatural being who answers prayer; different kinds of need shape the kinds of prayer that is made. The Christian landscape does not lack a plethora of literature on prayer, from theological discussions to devotional ones, and many others in between. The current work is not intended to add to that massive volume of material on prayer, but to deal with a particular practical problem that many Christians face in relation to prayer; in fact a dilemma.

To find the time and the discipline to pray consistently for one’s own needs is trouble enough. To pray for even a loved one is extra trouble. But to pray for one’s enemies! What need does a Christian have for such a prayer? Well, if it is for their destruction, fine. But that does not seem to be what the Lord Jesus who gave the commandment to pray for our enemies intended this delicate but powerful tool called Prayer to be used for. For the purpose of this discussion we will say, to pray is to speak to God in order to give thanks, express regret or ask for help.¹ Prayer is offered either for