Punishing Prayer
A Muddy Bootprint for July 11, 2025
“Sin is an infinite evil; and the punishment which God threatens against it is very dreadful.” ~Jonathan Edwards, 1735
Only a Righteous God can make things right.
Punishing prayer is asking a Just God for justice. I can ask God to “handle” people who harass and hurt me. But my punishing prayer must be for God’s will to be done, not mine. My requests for God to make others miserable must first be prayers for mercy. Punishing prayer asks God to do things He’s already promised to do to His enemies: they agree with His predictions.
Punishing prayer is first asking God for peace with everyone, then asking God to put those who don’t want peace in their place. The godly first want an ungodly plan to be destroyed, not the planner. The godly never ask God for the chance to take revenge, but for God to take charge. For the godly know that victory is found in wanting peace, not payback.
When God’s mercy controls my praying, I don’t forget my sin hurts God before others hurt me. Punishing prayer comes from a humble heart. Holy people ask God to humble the ungodly before hurting them. They ask God to first humiliate the ungodly instead of sending them to hell.
As a painter’s black brush makes bold and lasting marks upon a canvas, punishing prayer must be applied with care and in good conscience.
Attack Point: Punishing prayer is poison to an angry soul. Never pray for personal revenge.
Orienting Your Map:
[Key Verses: Psalm 35:4; Matthew 5:9-10; Luke 6:36; Romans 12:17-21; Also: Genesis 6:5-8, 8:21, 50:12-21; 1 Samuel 18:25, 20:1, 22:20-23; 2 Samuel 4:8; 1 Kings 2:44; Nehemiah 6:2, 6; Esther 8:3, 9:24-25; Job 6, Job 10:1-7, 20:12-29; Psalm 6:10, 10:2, 21:12, 25:2-3, 31:17-18, 36:4, 38:12, 40:14-15, 52:1-5, 69:7, 70:2-3, 71:24, 74:21, 86:14, 140:3, 5; Proverbs 16:30, 28:5, 29:10; Ecclesiastes 9:3; Isaiah 37:29, 41:11, 45:16-17, 47:11; Jeremiah 18:18, 20:11, 22:22, 46:5; Ezekiel 7:5, 18:20, 26, 32; Micah 2:1, 6:8; Nahum 1:11; Habakkuk 3:2; Zechariah 7:10, 8:17; Matthew 5:7, 43-48, 6:9-10; Luke 11:2; John 18:4-10; Acts 5:1-11; Romans 3:10-18; Ephesians 4:26-27; Hebrews 4:13, 9:27, 10:31; James 2:13; 1 Peter 4:12-19; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8, 22:14-15]
That is all.
Carry On. 😉
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During my life, I’ve relied on God to exact His justice on others and have never prayed for God to punish people who have harmed me. It’s something I cannot do, given the sin burden I carry. Jesus is the only answer for my sin and His will must be done with others. I suspect I would never get up off my knees if I truly understood my own level of sin.🙏🙏