We’re still pressing into payback, the word of the Lord in April—and it’s not over. As I said last week, prophetic words don’t expire unless the Lord dates them. We’re in a season of payback, and we need to keep contending until we see it manifest!
Part of pressing in is positioning your heart for the payback. Last week, I offered you three keys to position yourself for mega payback. This week, I’m sharing four more, because I’m determined to see you receive God’s justice in your life in every area where the enemy has meddled.
- Forgive those who robbed you.
Forgiveness is not a feeling. It’s not justifying what someone did. It’s not even necessarily reconciling. Forgiveness is an act of your will. When you choose to forgive, your emotions will eventually line up with your will.
Keep in mind, your prayers for payback will not work if you don’t forgive. Jesus puts it plainly in Mark 11:25: “And when you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your sins.”
You can pray for payback all day, but if you have unforgiveness in your heart, it hinders your petitions because you are in disobedience. You are not in God’s will when you harbor unforgiveness. You can’t receive payback from God when you are looking for payback from man.
- Pray for those who despitefully used you.
In Matthew 5:44-45, Jesus said: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Don’t pray the, “Get ’em, God” prayer. Don’t pray that He would convict them or make them feel bad. Pray the blessings you would pray for your closest friend or those who wronged you. Pray radical increase, favor and peace over their lives. When you do this, many times the Holy Spirit will actually bless them with the conviction of their wrong.
- Bless those who have cursed you.
“Bless” quite literally means to say good things about someone. Curse, by contrast, means to say evil things about someone. When people curse us, our flesh likes to curse them back. When people hurt us, we want to hurt them back. We want to tell everyone what they did and make them look bad. Move in the opposite spirit. Say good things about those who wrong you. That opens the door for payback.
- Ask the Lord for justice.
After you’ve forgiven and blessed, you are ready to ask the Lord for justice. The parable of the widow and the unjust judge is our model. Luke 18:1-6 reads:
“He told them a parable to illustrate that it is necessary always to pray and not lose heart. He said: “In a city there was a judge who did not fear God or regard man. And a widow was in that city. She came to him, saying, “Avenge me against my adversary.” He would not for a while. Yet afterward he said to himself, “Though I do not fear God or respect man, yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she will weary me.”
And the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge says. And shall not God avenge His own elect and be patient with them, who cry day and night to Him? I tell you, He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
You can pray this prayer with me: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask you to forgive those who hurt me, used me, robbed from me and caused me pain. I forgive them and release them, and bless them in the name of Jesus. I know I’m not wresting against flesh and blood. Thank You, Lord, that You are a just God. Life may not be fair, but You are just. I ask You now to avenge me of my spiritual adversaries. Bring your justice swiftly. Bring back what the enemy stole, in the name of Your Son Jesus. Amen. {eoa}
