Unpaid police penalty by the former landlord
We join you in bringing this matter before the Lord in Jesus' name, and we thank you for seeking prayer for your former landlord rather than holding onto bitterness. We hear your concern about this unpaid police penalty that remains overdue both here and abroad, and we agree with you in asking God to work in his heart.
The Lord calls us to respect and submit to the authorities He has established and to fulfill what we owe. As it is written, Let every person be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God Romans 13:1, and Give therefore to everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor Romans 13:7. When what is owed is left unpaid, it not only dishonors the authorities but also burdens the conscience. We are also reminded that He who conceals his sins doesn't prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them obtains mercy Proverbs 28:13, and that godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, which brings no regret 2 Corinthians 7:10.
We pray together for this man that God would grant him godly sorrow and genuine remorse, not merely worldly regret, but a repentance that leads to action and restitution. We think of Zacchaeus who said, Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much Luke 19:8, and we ask that your former landlord would have that same willing heart to make things right.
We lift him up now. Father in heaven, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom we have access to Your throne of grace, and we lift up this former landlord to You. You see this unpaid penalty and the way it remains unresolved with the police here and abroad. We ask that You soften his heart, convict him by Your Holy Spirit, and bring him to remorse and repentance. Lead him to take responsibility, to confess what is owed, and to resolve this matter honestly and completely with the authorities. Grant him humility and courage to act quickly, for it is written Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way Matthew 5:25. We also pray for the police and officials involved, that they would act justly and fairly, and for peace and protection for you as you wait on the Lord. Help you to rest in Him and not be overcome by anxiety or resentment, remembering Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, Vengeance belongs to me, I will repay, says the Lord Romans 12:19. Guard your heart with Your peace which surpasses all understanding Philippians 4:7.
We encourage you to continue to pray with forgiveness and to trust that God is both just and merciful. He desires that none should remain in unrepentance but that all would come to a knowledge of the truth through Jesus. We will keep standing with you in prayer that the Lord will bring conviction, resolution, and restoration in this situation, and that His will be done, in Jesus' name, amen.
The Lord calls us to respect and submit to the authorities He has established and to fulfill what we owe. As it is written, Let every person be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God Romans 13:1, and Give therefore to everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor Romans 13:7. When what is owed is left unpaid, it not only dishonors the authorities but also burdens the conscience. We are also reminded that He who conceals his sins doesn't prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them obtains mercy Proverbs 28:13, and that godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, which brings no regret 2 Corinthians 7:10.
We pray together for this man that God would grant him godly sorrow and genuine remorse, not merely worldly regret, but a repentance that leads to action and restitution. We think of Zacchaeus who said, Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much Luke 19:8, and we ask that your former landlord would have that same willing heart to make things right.
We lift him up now. Father in heaven, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom we have access to Your throne of grace, and we lift up this former landlord to You. You see this unpaid penalty and the way it remains unresolved with the police here and abroad. We ask that You soften his heart, convict him by Your Holy Spirit, and bring him to remorse and repentance. Lead him to take responsibility, to confess what is owed, and to resolve this matter honestly and completely with the authorities. Grant him humility and courage to act quickly, for it is written Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way Matthew 5:25. We also pray for the police and officials involved, that they would act justly and fairly, and for peace and protection for you as you wait on the Lord. Help you to rest in Him and not be overcome by anxiety or resentment, remembering Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God's wrath. For it is written, Vengeance belongs to me, I will repay, says the Lord Romans 12:19. Guard your heart with Your peace which surpasses all understanding Philippians 4:7.
We encourage you to continue to pray with forgiveness and to trust that God is both just and merciful. He desires that none should remain in unrepentance but that all would come to a knowledge of the truth through Jesus. We will keep standing with you in prayer that the Lord will bring conviction, resolution, and restoration in this situation, and that His will be done, in Jesus' name, amen.
We've been thinking about your request and the weight of watching someone else leave an obligation unpaid. When a penalty with the police remains unresolved, especially across two places, it can leave you feeling stuck between wanting accountability and not wanting to hold onto resentment.
One thing that has helped others in similar spots is to separate what you can entrust to God and to the proper authorities from what you carry in your own heart. You can desire what is right and still choose not to let bitterness take root while you wait. If this unpaid matter directly affects you, it may help to keep a simple record of what you know and, if needed, get wise counsel from a trusted local advisor about what, if anything, is yours to do, then leave the rest in God's hands.
We are joining you in prayer for this.
Father, we lift this former landlord to you. Stir his conscience and give him willingness to face what is owed and to make it right with the police in both places. Give him courage to take the next honest step. And for our friend who prayed, grant peace, patience and freedom from carrying this burden alone. Guide both according to your will. In Jesus' name, amen.
One thing that has helped others in similar spots is to separate what you can entrust to God and to the proper authorities from what you carry in your own heart. You can desire what is right and still choose not to let bitterness take root while you wait. If this unpaid matter directly affects you, it may help to keep a simple record of what you know and, if needed, get wise counsel from a trusted local advisor about what, if anything, is yours to do, then leave the rest in God's hands.
We are joining you in prayer for this.
Father, we lift this former landlord to you. Stir his conscience and give him willingness to face what is owed and to make it right with the police in both places. Give him courage to take the next honest step. And for our friend who prayed, grant peace, patience and freedom from carrying this burden alone. Guide both according to your will. In Jesus' name, amen.
Spurgeon
Beloved of All
We have heard your request concerning the former landlord and the unpaid penalty which remains overdue both here and abroad, and we join you in carrying this burden to the Lord in prayer.
It is right to pray that he may be brought to true remorse, for there is a repentance that is of the flesh and after the manner of sinful nature, wrought only by fear of judgment or dread of the police, and there is a repentance which is the work of the Spirit of God. The one trembles at the penalty, the other trembles at the sin itself. True repentance gives God glory and justifies His justice even though it condemns the sinner, confessing that sin is exceedingly sinful and deserving of judgment. Vain regrets are often mistaken for true repentance, but repentance is to leave the sins we loved before and to show that we in earnest grieve by doing so no more.
We are reminded that God is the great Landlord and we are but tenants in the house of this life. We occupy what is not our own, and there is a rent to pay in obedience and honesty before Him who has at all times the right to enter His own property. May this man be led to see himself as a tenant before that Great Landlord, to offer up the key of his house and to acknowledge that he lives on sufferance by grace.
We pray that the Lord, who preaches repentance and remission of sins in the name of Jesus, would grant to this former landlord that gift which comes from Christ alone. Where there is no true repentance there can be no remission, but where there is that godly sorrow which needs not to be repented of, there is full and free forgiveness. We do not ask merely that he be driven to settle a debt as a fugitive driven by fear, for the goodness of God leads to repentance. Sweetest is the repentance that comes not by driving but by drawing, when the heart is melted by the goodness and longsuffering of God and turns from sin because of love to Him who died for sinners.
Therefore we entreat the Lord to work in him a practical repentance that yields works meet for repentance, a repentance that lasts and bears fruit. If it be genuine it will not rest in tears alone but will move him to act justly, to make restitution where it is due and to resolve what is owing to the authorities here and abroad, as one who would be reconciled both to God and to man. He who has prepared everything necessary for perfect reconciliation through His Son can give peace to the conscience and integrity to the conduct.
Let us pray together. O Lord our God, Thou art just in all Thy dealings and holy in all Thy ways, look in mercy upon this man. By Thy Spirit convince him of sin and lead him to that repentance unto life which looks out of self to Christ and to Christ only. Grant him to abhor what he once excused, to confess Thy justice without murmuring, and to seek Thy mercy through the blood of Jesus. Move his heart to do what is right and to clear what remains unpaid, that he may walk honestly before rulers and before Thee. We ask this not for our ease alone but that Thy name may be glorified in his turning. In the name of Jesus Christ, who alone is the way of salvation, we pray. Amen.
Continue to commit this matter to the Lord, trusting not in the arm of man but in Him who can change the heart, and rest in the faith that He who calls to repentance also gives remission to all who truly turn to Him.
It is right to pray that he may be brought to true remorse, for there is a repentance that is of the flesh and after the manner of sinful nature, wrought only by fear of judgment or dread of the police, and there is a repentance which is the work of the Spirit of God. The one trembles at the penalty, the other trembles at the sin itself. True repentance gives God glory and justifies His justice even though it condemns the sinner, confessing that sin is exceedingly sinful and deserving of judgment. Vain regrets are often mistaken for true repentance, but repentance is to leave the sins we loved before and to show that we in earnest grieve by doing so no more.
We are reminded that God is the great Landlord and we are but tenants in the house of this life. We occupy what is not our own, and there is a rent to pay in obedience and honesty before Him who has at all times the right to enter His own property. May this man be led to see himself as a tenant before that Great Landlord, to offer up the key of his house and to acknowledge that he lives on sufferance by grace.
We pray that the Lord, who preaches repentance and remission of sins in the name of Jesus, would grant to this former landlord that gift which comes from Christ alone. Where there is no true repentance there can be no remission, but where there is that godly sorrow which needs not to be repented of, there is full and free forgiveness. We do not ask merely that he be driven to settle a debt as a fugitive driven by fear, for the goodness of God leads to repentance. Sweetest is the repentance that comes not by driving but by drawing, when the heart is melted by the goodness and longsuffering of God and turns from sin because of love to Him who died for sinners.
Therefore we entreat the Lord to work in him a practical repentance that yields works meet for repentance, a repentance that lasts and bears fruit. If it be genuine it will not rest in tears alone but will move him to act justly, to make restitution where it is due and to resolve what is owing to the authorities here and abroad, as one who would be reconciled both to God and to man. He who has prepared everything necessary for perfect reconciliation through His Son can give peace to the conscience and integrity to the conduct.
Let us pray together. O Lord our God, Thou art just in all Thy dealings and holy in all Thy ways, look in mercy upon this man. By Thy Spirit convince him of sin and lead him to that repentance unto life which looks out of self to Christ and to Christ only. Grant him to abhor what he once excused, to confess Thy justice without murmuring, and to seek Thy mercy through the blood of Jesus. Move his heart to do what is right and to clear what remains unpaid, that he may walk honestly before rulers and before Thee. We ask this not for our ease alone but that Thy name may be glorified in his turning. In the name of Jesus Christ, who alone is the way of salvation, we pray. Amen.
Continue to commit this matter to the Lord, trusting not in the arm of man but in Him who can change the heart, and rest in the faith that He who calls to repentance also gives remission to all who truly turn to Him.
Similar Requests
Please pray for the former landlord in Jesus' name so that he feels remorse and resolves the issue with the police, both here and abroad, where the penalty is overdue/unpaid.
Please pray for the former landlord in Jesus' name so that he feels remorse and resolves the issue with the police, both here and abroad, where the penalty is overdue/unpaid.
Please pray for the former landlord in Jesus' name so that he feels remorse and resolves the issue with the police, both here and abroad, where the penalty is overdue/unpaid.
