“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” (Eph 2:14-17)
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves…. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom 12:9-21)
Our July 2024 Contending in Prayer Guide is focused on Intercession Prayer (Part 2) where we specifically pray for the ending of hostility, violence, and hatred — and the restoration of healthy human relationships in the direction of God’s shalom. God’s Kingdom begins with people having a reconciled, healthy, and restored relationship with God (see June 2024 Prayer Guide), which then spills over to reconciled, healthy, and restored relationships with others, creation, and even with their own selves. The June 2024 prayer guide focused on intercession prayers for people to have a restored relationship with God, so now in July we are focusing on prayers for healed and restored relationships with others.
The Bible describes the reality of our world where sin fractures interpersonal relationships and these fractures spread like cancer until they show their full death-producing fruit with Cain killing Abel, the sons of God “taking” (or stealing) the daughters of men, violence spreading across the land, and even with a father cursing his own son (see Gen 4-11). These death-producing actions continue to repeat themselves over and over through each successive generation, but the good news is that Sin’s power has been defeated conclusively through Jesus and all Sin’s effects will be healed fully and eternally at Jesus’s return.
So when we pray intercession prayers for the healing of fractured human relationships, we are praying for this future healing of sin’s effects to become a present reality now in our lived experience. We are praying out the meaning of the Lord’s prayer — calling for God’s kingdom to come to earth as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10).
We are praying intercession prayers for the restoration of broken and fractured human relationships — between husbands and wives, between parents and children, between siblings, between neighbours, between business partners, between churches and people within those churches, between ethnic and economic communities, and between nations. The cancer of broken relationships has spread everywhere so God’s healing work is desperately needed everywhere. So we pray intercessory prayers for restoration, healing, and a peace that changes everything.
As noted in our June prayer column, sometimes our prayers can be partially answered by God’s Spirit working in us, prompting us to become agents of interpersonal reconciliation between ourselves and others — or even to stand in the gap and be blessed peacemakers (Matt 5:9) bringing together hostile people in conflict and encouraging them toward healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation. As we pray prayers of intercession, we must be open to listen to the Spirit and ask: “What are you calling me to do in this situation?”
But as we pray for our own relationships and for people mired in conflict and war all over the world, we pray for God’s miracles so that our hearts and the hearts of all humans would move from hatred to love, from hostility to understanding, and from violence to true forgiveness.
It may seem hopeless to pray for those in war-torn situations, for people seemingly bent on imposing their evil plans upon others — but we pray with hope knowing that “the one who is in [us] is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). We pray because we know that one day, nations will “beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore” (Is 2:4).
This kind of intercession prayer is certainly Kingdom prayer!
Consider:
- Are there relationships of hostility and conflict that exist in your own life? (You may want to make a list of these individuals so that you can bring these to Jesus in prayer.)
- What other relationships of hostility and conflict are you feeling called to pray into? (Although you may not be directly party to these relationships, make a list of these situations as well.)
Intercession Prayer: Praying in Response to Romans 12:9-21
Romans 12:9-21 declares truths that are behind our intercession prayers for interpersonal reconciliation with others. Read this section of the biblical text in italics and then add your own prayer for conflict situations that need healing and restoration through Jesus. After you have prayed these prayers of intercession, be attentive to God’s Spirit through the next hours and days. God may be speaking to you about how you can participate in these prayers for reconciliation and restoration.
Pray these words out loud:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves…. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
I pray specifically for a conflict situation that I have with _____________________________________
I pray that I would be obedient to your Spirit and do what you are calling me to do — so, as much as I am able, I can “live at peace with everyone.”
I pray specifically for these other conflict situations that I am aware of: _____________________________
May your Spirit work in these people’s hearts and move them to be open to reconciliation and forgiveness in the relationship — but most of all, we pray that, if they do not know you, that they would be respond to become disciples of Jesus living out the peace of Jesus.
May your Kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven. Amen!
