1Pet5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The focus on enemies in prayers has occupied the prayer of most people especially in Africa. If I tag a programme: "This Enemy Must Die", I'm sure I'll get more participants in this part of the world than if I tag the programme: 'Understanding The Rules of Bible Interpretation". Why is it so? There's a consciousness of an enemy in the heart of most people. This stems from our worldview as Africans. We are battles conscious people.
This mentality makes us suspicious of people. When some folks are praying against the enemy, someone in their village, office or neighbourhood comes to their mind. They pray all manners of prayers yet those people refused to die. Did the bible tell us that we have an enemy? Yes. However,who is our enemy? "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy THE DEVIL prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour". Satan is our enemy not that woman or man you're suspecting. Though the devil sometimes use men or women to attack people but they're not our real enemy.
Even if a man or woman is behind your challenges, it is the devil that is driving the person to hurt you. What should you do? Deal with the devil behind the operation. Most of us deal with matters from the stem instead of dealing with it from the root. If the person you're praying against dies, the demon in him/her can enter another person to carry on the work. Just deal with the root cause- Satan. Jesus didn't teach us to use prayers to assassinate people. He said: "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you'(Matt5:44). Biblical warfare is against Satan and demons not the people he is using. If we deal with the master, the servants( human agents of evil) would be rendered useless.
CONFESSION: Father, I thank you for your word. I receive it with gladness of heart. Devil, I put you where you belong in the name of Jesus.