Matthew 5:44

Prayer was the only thing Vories's young Christian students had, to give in response to the verbal and physical abuse they were suffering. But as stupid as their plan seemed, it was the best weapon they had and soon enough, time proved how wise they were to have used it!

Yang was a prize-fighter whose undisputed boast was that no man could knock him down. However once Yang became a Christian, he was waylaid twice and beaten almost to death. Instead of pressing charges or fighting back, his response was to pray for his assailants and to show them love. Before his death, he led many of his old enemies to Jesus.

Two stories from post WWII Japan demonstrate the total freedom available to those who, in the power of Christ, love their enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Ah Ping was severely wounded by a rival gang but refused to let his gang exact revenge. Instead, he gathered a few together to pray for the rival gang, and for his own healing.

A fellow prisoner was full of hate for Christians, and made it her duty to report Mrs. Pak whenever she prayed or fasted. Despite the several punishments she suffered because of this, Mrs. Pak only had love in her heart for this woman - and that love eventually achieved the impossible; out of a fierce enemy, it made a fellow believer.

Jacob DeShazer is reminded by the Holy Spirit of his promise to obey Jesus' teachings when he is mistreated by a guard.

"Love your enemies" was the way DeShazer wanted to live his life in prison. That led him to try to be friends with prison guards who had maltreated him and to pray for them. It paid off, he became friends with them and testified that God's way was the best way.

Patwakan Tarajantz and his family were miraculously spared a fiery death at the hands of angry mobs of those who hated the Armenians. In a demonstration of “do good to those who hate you,” and with the help of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Mr. Tarajantz supplied the bread of everlasting life to his would-be murderers.

Ahmad tried to kill Rashid for "trying to convert Muslims", but as Ahmad was sentenced to prison having failed in his attempt, Rashid to the shock of many declared that he held no bitterness towards Ahmad and that not only had he forgiven him but will also visit him in prison.

Darlene Deibler, a prisoner of war held by the Japanese in Indonesia, had just learned of her husband's death in the men's camp. Her camp commander, Mr. Yamaji, who appreciated her selfless help in the camp, broke the news to her. But she told him that she did not despair like on with no hope. She powerfully shared the gospel with him, focusing on how Jesus enables us to love our enemies.

Mary and Abdul's oldest son was murdered in school by bloodthirsty jihadists. And at his funeral, with thousands gathered, Abdul declared forgiveness for the men who killed his son. He prayed that they too will find the forgiveness of Jesus Christ!

Even though Mrs. Kwang was harshly treated and imprisoned in awful conditions, she asked Jesus how she could still tell others about Him, so she voluntarily became a cleaner for the prison, many heard the Gospel and were saved.

Based on an entirely false allegation, Ro became a marked man with several threats and actual attempts made to end his life. But through it all, Ro prayed for and forgave his enemies and when the dust settled, he went to prison to ask for the release of the very men who wanted to kill him.

Uong Nguyen was a soldier who got badly betrayed by Dung Map, and for a long time he harboured consuming hatred towards Dung. But by trusting in God's sufficient grace, Uong was able to forgive the unforgivable.

Archibald Forder illustrates from his experience the stark contrast between Islam's teaching of retaliation and the teachings of Jesus to "do good to those who hate you."

Tenzin Lahkpa had barely escaped from his village with his life due to being persecuted for his faith in Jesus. But now the village faced a terrible health crisis and Tenzin was able to help them in spite of the danger, because he was filled with the love of Jesus—even for his enemies.

Rami was interested in Christianity until he read "love your enemies," at which point he shut the Bible in frustration. He hated the Jews. But then Rami met a believer, Abu Yahya, who explained how Jesus gave him love, even for his enemies, even for Jewish soldiers.

Marco Franco, who struggled with anger and hatred toward his persecutors, was supernaturally filled with love for those that burned his house and tried to kill him and his family. The result of this demonstration of love and forgiveness was that many came to Christ.

Kamal was trained to be a Brahmin priest, but was increasingly troubled by the darkness of the Hindu gods. One day he began to read the New Testament and was profoundly affected by the teaching of Jesus to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Brother Yun extends complete forgiveness to those who attack, accuse and criticize them unfairly through their work with the Back To Jerusalem movement. A man who had heard bad words about Brother Yun testifies to Yun how those words caused him to search for more about Brother Yun, and he realizes Brother Yun was a kingdom-minded person.

Zak Mishriky went on from being a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, to a devout Christian who had learned to forgive his enemies and pray for those for who persecute him.

Despite the relentless persecution from ultra-Orthodox Jews, Yoyakim Figueras, still finds grace to love his enemies and to 'turn the other cheek'. Rather than be angry and hateful, prayers are instead offered for these people, in the hope that they too will see the light of the gospel of Jesus.

Ye Yung Min is beaten and reviled by those who oppose him, but he prays for them and loves them.

Mrs. Murga's son is murdered by rebels after taking money from them but instead of hating, she chose to love the murderers by praying for their salvation.

Thomas Hale relates the terrible suffering of a Nepalese Christian who would not prosecute those who persecuted and maimed him.

By replacing hate for one of his captors with love, Jake made a friend out of an enemy.

By replacing hate for one of his captors with love, Jake made a friend out of an enemy.

Richard Wurmbrand told a Communist officer that he loved his enemies as Jesus taught, which led to questions, long discussions, kind treatment, and the eventual disappearance of the officer.

Sundar's humble loving prayer for the ringleader of the group of students who despised him for no just cause, broke the barrier hatred had built in the latter's heart and the two moved from enemies to friends!

Abuna Alexander reminds the angry believer's at St. Mark's Church in Suq al Khamis that despite the persecution they faced from their Muslim neighbors, love and forgiveness was the response Jesus expected from them all.

Mosab Hassan Yousef concludes his book by saying that Jesus' teaching to love your enemies was what finally set him free.

Mosab Hassan Yousef, upon reading the words of Jesus to love your enemies, found the message he had been searching for all his life.

A Chinese Christian farmer demonstrates love toward a bandit who robbed him of all his possessions. Living out Matthew 5:44 through an amazing variation of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the farmer won the bandit to Christ.

A Chinese Christian farmer demonstrates love toward a bandit who robbed him of all his possessions. Living out Matthew 5:44 through an amazing variation of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the farmer won the bandit to Christ.

Dr. Sa'eed treated a man, free of charge, who was once hired to ambush and murder the doctor. The ambush plan failed, but Dr. Sa'eed's obedience to Jesus' teachings bore fruit.

Through resting in God and meditating on His word, Brother Yun found true rest for his soul and then God gave him the ability to love those who had attacked him.

Corrie ten Boom discovers that forgiving her enemies is not only hard, but it is impossible without God's intervention. She prays for help and experiences His supernatural love and forgiveness for her former enemy.

After many hate-filled sleepless nights, Corrie ten Boom finally surrendered and forgave Jan Vogel, the man who had gotten her father, herself and her sister arrested by the Nazis. On the night Corrie let go, she was able to enjoy the first peaceful night rest in a while.

Having abandoned heathenism for Christianity, Guanamoottoo's unbelieving relations gathered to punish him and another Christian for breaking their caste. But as the two Christian men cried to the Lord for help, and for forgiveness of their persecutors. Even before their prayer was over, the Lord delivered them.

A few months after his release from prison, a Pastor is called upon to pray for a blind and diabetic man, on getting there, he is shocked to discover that the sick man was one of his fiercest tormentors in prison. “Oh, Lord! Do not let me fail you now!” - he prayed, and God heard him; for he found the grace to forgive his persecutor.

Christian preachers amongst the Karens were persecuted and beaten almost to death, rather than retaliate with anger, they prayed for their persecutors.

When a well-known murderer curiously joins a meeting of believers, he is finally asked to surrender to Christ and by so doing was able to forgive an enemy he thought impossible to forgive.

Arrested by the communist authorities in Albania, Reona Peterson Joly is filled with supernatural love for her enemies even while being fiercely interrogated.

A young Christian prisoner, sick with tuberculosis, was asked to betray his fellow prisoners in exchange for life-saving medicine. He refused to betray his friends. Then he was tempted to betray those prisoners who had done evil against him. Again he refused saying that Jesus commanded us to love even our enemies.

When a Christian soldier saw the suffering of his enemies in a war, he chose to be kind to them, even at the risk of losing his life.

Thomas chose to "do good to those who hate you," at great expense to himself, and won his neighbor to Christ.

Corrie ten Boom helps an African death row inmate find peace through the power of Jesus to forgive his enemies.

Corrie ten Boom is faced with the most difficult obedience of her life, to forgive the cruel concentration camp guard who tormented her and her sister. Jesus did a miracle in her.

Captain Tarmak tried to break Vanya and make him renounce his faith by confining him without food for five days. The officer returned hoping to find a broken man. But Vanya was unbroken since the Lord had blessed and sustained him.