“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:28 These virtues mentioned by Luke require a supernatural enabling because our natural reaction is to fight back. So when difficult times arise, how do we respond to those who mistreat us? Bob and Lynne Rose, AGWM personnel pastoring an international church in Rome, Italy state that the internationals in their church are sometimes challenged with a daily struggle to live in victory when situations in their life are trying. The relate the following challenge in the life of one of their congregants. “Anna* is a Filipina lady who began attending our international church 7 years ago when we first planted it. She had been raised in a very traditional church but had not been taught how to have a personal relationship with Jesus. She soon grew in her faith and was gentle and kind.
“One Sunday she came forward for prayer, weeping as she told us about her employer who had been mistreating her for more than 20 years. She worked long hours but on holidays was forced to work almost all night or was threatened with losing her job. One day while working, Anna became very ill and asked her employer if she could go home. He responded, ‘Just take a couple of aspirins and keep working or you’re fired!’ We prayed with Anna but told her that she, too, needed to learn to pray on her own. We told her that she now had a personal relationship with God and He would hear her prayers, so Anna began to pray and lift up her needs before God. “One day her employer asked, ‘Anna, are you talking to somebody?’ He had watched as she moved her mouth. She answered, ‘No one is here but me.’ She didn’t realize that she was praying even while she worked. This past November for her birthday, for the first time ever, her employer gave her a gift. She was so shocked because in all the years she had worked for him, he had never given her anything. Not only did he give her a gift, he began to treat her with kindness. Anna’s prayers had been answered!
“Recently at a Wednesday evening service, Anna came especially to see us. She couldn’t wait to tell us her testimony! She couldn’t believe that God had heard her prayers. It was such a boost to her faith and joy filled her heart as she realized that the God of the universe cared about what she cared about. He loves it when we bless those who mistreat us and pray for them. He hears and answers!”
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:28 These virtues mentioned by Luke require a supernatural enabling because our natural reaction is to fight back. So when difficult times arise, how do we respond to those who mistreat us? Bob and Lynne Rose, AGWM personnel pastoring an international church in Rome, Italy state that the internationals in their church are sometimes challenged with a daily struggle to live in victory when situations in their life are trying. The relate the following challenge in the life of one of their congregants.
“Anna* is a Filipina lady who began attending our international church 7 years ago when we first planted it. She had been raised in a very traditional church but had not been taught how to have a personal relationship with Jesus. She soon grew in her faith and was gentle and kind.
“One Sunday she came forward for prayer, weeping as she told us about her employer who had been mistreating her for more than 20 years. She worked long hours but on holidays was forced to work almost all night or was threatened with losing her job. One day while working, Anna became very ill and asked her employer if she could go home. He responded, ‘Just take a couple of aspirins and keep working or you’re fired!’ We prayed with Anna but told her that she, too, needed to learn to pray on her own. We told her that she now had a personal relationship with God and He would hear her prayers, so Anna began to pray and lift up her needs before God.
“One day her employer asked, ‘Anna, are you talking to somebody?’ He had watched as she moved her mouth. She answered, ‘No one is here but me.’ She didn’t realize that she was praying even while she worked. This past November for her birthday, for the first time ever, her employer gave her a gift. She was so shocked because in all the years she had worked for him, he had never given her anything. Not only did he give her a gift, he began to treat her with kindness. Anna’s prayers had been answered!
“Recently at a Wednesday evening service, Anna came especially to see us. She couldn’t wait to tell us her testimony! She couldn’t believe that God had heard her prayers. It was such a boost to her faith and joy filled her heart as she realized that the God of the universe cared about what she cared about. He loves it when we bless those who mistreat us and pray for them. He hears and answers!”