Day 7.
Matthew 5:44-45 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Let us not be naive in this spiritual battle. We have enemies. Millions are blinded by the lies of sensualism, and there are leaders of the movement who strategically plan how to advance the cause – to perpetuate the promise of “freedom” to indulge in sensual pleasures, while we know it is only slavery. Advancing the cause often means that the body of Christ is specifically targeted for holding to biblical principles of morality.
This does not mean that anyone who finds themselves in sexual sin, same sex attraction or gender confusion are enemies. Many struggle with their inclinations and actively fight against them, while others have fought against their inclinations for years with no success and concluded that the lie that this is just the way they are is true and have given up. Let’s pray that these find deliverance from their bondage. But there is another category of people who are actively advocating for more sexual “freedom” and who actively are demonizing those who hold to the biblical definition of marriage and sexual purity and try to silence any voice that promotes a biblical view of chastity.
Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for them. In preparation for this prayer, please take some time for prayerful research. Learn the name or names of local LGTBQ+ activists, the editor of a local newspaper for the LGTBQ+ community, the leader of a local pride movement, or learn more about a celebrity or politician who you know promotes the LGTBQ+ cause or demonizes biblical sexual purity. Now let’s pray blessing for them.
Our Father in heaven, thank you for your unfailing love for all of us sinners. Thank you that there is no one who is beyond your reach. Would you bless ___ (insert name(s) from your research). Please make them hungry for what only you can provide. Please bring them into true, authentic, Christ-centered vulnerable community and challenge their stereotypes of what a Jesus follower is. Please provide for their needs. Please bring them joy, and where there is something in their life that blocks the joy that you want for them, let it trouble them so that they seek for the truth and find true freedom.