The NT believer loves his enemies, turns the other cheek, blesses persecutors and does not avenge. This applies to flesh and blood human beings, whom we will love, pray for, and be kind to. The spiritual forces driving people to evil words and deeds, however, are real enemies that must be prayed against. The vengeance is God’s and our prayer is for His justice. Most of these imprecatory prayers are prophetic in nature and for reaping the consequences.
Sin, death and the devil are not to be loved and treated kindly. But we are too weak to fight them alone, so we pray for our Lord, our Shepherd, our Savior, our Warrior to fight for us and crush our enemies in serious spiritual warfare.
I am in danger from wars against me, poisonous snakebite, and from hunters’ snares. It’s OK to ask the Lord to send coals of fire from above and open up the pits of earth beneath. This warfare is deadly serious: ask your Defender and Protector to maintain your cause and bring you into His Presence.