He's dead. Part of me is glad. But I dare not hate him. I dare not hate any of them. I have been concerned ever since 9/11 about the danger of bitterness to the body of Christ as it relates to Islamic terrorism. It is possible, in fact likely, that someone will attempt to hurt us as an act of revenge for the killing of Osama Bin Laden. To the extent to which they succeed they will present a danger to the spiritual health of Christian people that will dwarf any physical damage they are capable of doing. As we have already established, bitterness and hatred blunt the edge of our most potent spiritual weapon, prayer. If they manage to pull off another 9/11 the natural response will be for our hearts to be filled with rage and for a fiery desire for revenge to burn in our hearts.
I am not saying that we should not defend ourselves. I am not saying that killing Bin Laden was wrong. I am saying that we have to be able to defend ourselves both physically and spiritually. And the only way we can defend ourselves spiritually is by praying for our enemies. We have to pray for them until the thought of them no longer raises our blood pressure and fills our hearts with rage.
There was a man named Ted Bundy who became one of the most famous serial killers in American history. Before He died he professed faith in Christ. He may in fact be in heaven today. But I didn't let his professed conversion change my opinion on the necessity for his execution. Actions have consequences. Justice must be done. But all of this can be accomplished without hatred poisoning our hearts.
These are the prayers I am praying for the Muslim world. I invite you to join in.
- For the destruction of the power of the house of Islam
- For more oil or alternative energy sources to be found so that the financial backing for fundamentalist Islam and terrorism will dry up
- For Muslims in closed countries, who have no opportunities to hear the gospel, will receive direct communications for God in the forms of dreams and visions that will result in their salvation (I prayed for that for ten years without any results, and since I am told that this has happened 1000's of times)
- For Jesus to build His church in all Muslim nations by bringing Muslims to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through all possible means
- For some of the leading Christian figures of the 21st Century to come from converted Jihadists, just as the Apostle Paul, a former persecutor of the church, became a great Christian leader
Pray for Muslims. It is part of praying for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. It is also an excellent way to guard your heart. Somebody may hit back at us. They may blow up a building and kill some people. But don't let them poison your heart. That would be Osama's ultimate revenge.
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