How to Pray for Someone's Downfall

Psalm 83 reminds us that enemies of God's people always abound. The opening verses mention 10 nations gathered around Israel to attack and destory them. These are their enemies.

Child of God, we will always have enemies...
1 John 3:13 (ESV) Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

The world throughout history has hated this ancient family of the Jews. God's chosen people have been the rejected ones in society down through the ages, from Egypt to Nazi Germany. Yet God's blessing has been upon them to this day.

 For Christians it will be no different. Men will hate us. Yet we are to regard this as blessing!
Luke 6:22–23 (ESV) “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

The Psalmist readily acknowledges the adversary. He then prays for their downfall. He recounts the enemies of Israel in the time of the Judges and how often God took them out, saving His people. If you know your Bible, you know the time of the Judges was not a stellar time of obedience and faithfulness in Israel's history! No! It was a time of distress, disorientation and disobedience for Israel. Yet no matter how many times their sin brought them to the brink of destruction, God raised up a deliverer like Barak, Samson, Gideon etc...

We can have confidence too that though the world surround us with hostility and the stupid choices we make may jeopardize our lives, God is for us! He has chosen us and will not abandon us. What a promise of protection! Nothing can separate us from His love!

But though the Psalm calls for their downfall, the Psalm ends with a clear intent in mind:
Psalm 83:18 (ESV) that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.

The Psalmist wants to evangelize in the midst of their demise! He wants the nations to know who the Lord really is! That is the point. Not to simply hope they go away, but that they may know who God is.

 He says earlier Psalm 83:16 (ESV) Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD.

 He prays for their downfall... but that their fall might actually lead to them looking up and seeking the saving redeeming God they serve.

That's how you pray for someone's downfall.

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