Love your enemies and pray for them

Yang was a popular 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, yet his only response was to pray and reach out with love to his assailants. And before his death, he led many of them 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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.