In recent times, many believers have embraced what is commonly called “return to sender” prayers.
The idea sounds powerful on the surface — sending evil back to whoever sent it.
But as believers, power is not measured by how loud or aggressive a prayer sounds.
Power is measured by alignment with God’s will and His Word.
So the real question is not whether return to sender prayers feel effective,
but whether they are truly biblical.
To properly judge any form of prayer, we must first understand what prayer truly means.
I explained this clearly in my message on
the biblical meaning of prayer,
because prayer is not a tool for retaliation but a place of alignment with God.
Are Return To Sender Prayers Biblical?
Return to sender prayers are not biblical.
They are rooted in the old Jewish legal principle of retaliation — “eye for eye and tooth for tooth” —
a system that Jesus clearly reformed under the New Covenant.
While the Old Testament permitted measured retaliation to limit violence,
Jesus introduced a higher standard that removed personal vengeance from the believer entirely.
Prayer in the New Testament is not about revenge.
It is about surrender, trust, obedience, and allowing God to judge righteously.
Many believers misuse prayer because they misunderstand its purpose.
I explained this further in my message on
what makes prayer effective,
where I showed that prayer works by alignment, not aggression.
Where The Idea Of Return To Sender Came From
The phrase “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” appears in the Law of Moses.
“Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Exodus 21:24
This law was given to restrain excessive revenge, not to encourage personal retaliation.
It was a judicial guideline, not a prayer model.
However, many believers unknowingly lifted this legal mindset into prayer,
turning prayer into a weapon of retaliation rather than a place of submission.
Jesus Clearly Reformed This Teaching
Jesus did not adjust the Law — He fulfilled and elevated it.
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek,
turn to him the other also.”
— Matthew 5:38–39
This was not weakness.
It was a deliberate transfer of judgment from human hands to God.
When Jesus said “turn the other cheek,”
He was teaching that believers do not respond to evil with equal evil.
Why Return To Sender Prayers Contradict The Teaching Of Christ
Return to sender prayers attempt to do what Jesus explicitly forbade:
repaying evil for evil.
The New Testament repeatedly removes vengeance from the believer’s responsibility.
“Recompense to no man evil for evil.”
— Romans 12:17
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:
for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
— Romans 12:19
When a believer prays “return it back to them,”
he is unconsciously stepping into a role God reserved for Himself.
Overcoming Evil Is Not By Returning It
Scripture does not tell us to send evil back.
It tells us to overcome it.
“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
— Romans 12:21
You cannot overcome evil by recycling it.
You overcome evil by yielding it to God and walking in obedience.
Jesus Rejected Violent Spiritual Retaliation
There is a clear biblical example where the disciples themselves suggested what many today pray.
As Jesus and His disciples passed through a Samaritan village,
the people rejected Him.
“And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said,
Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?”
— Luke 9:54
This was essentially a “return to sender” mindset.
But Jesus rebuked them.
“But he turned, and rebuked them, and said,
Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”
— Luke 9:55–56
This statement alone dismantles return to sender prayers.
Jesus did not say the timing was wrong.
He said the spirit behind it was wrong.
Prayer Is Not A Tool For Revenge
Prayer is communion with God, not confrontation with enemies.
When prayer becomes a channel for bitterness,
it stops being prayer and becomes accusation.
Jesus taught us to pray for those who oppose us, not against them.
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you.”
— Matthew 5:44
There is no biblical room to return evil to its sender within this instruction.
What Believers Should Pray Instead
Instead of returning evil, Scripture teaches us to:
- Commit our cause to God
- Ask for protection, not retaliation
- Seek God’s justice, not personal revenge
“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
— Psalm 37:5
“The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”
— Exodus 14:14
Why Return To Sender Prayers Feel Powerful
They feel powerful because they give emotional relief.
But emotional relief is not spiritual authority.
Many things feel powerful but are not approved by God.
True spiritual authority rests in obedience,
even when obedience feels uncomfortable.
One reason these prayers persist is because people are desperate for relief.
However, prayer was never designed to be emotional release alone.
I explained the true value prayer brings to the believer
in my message on
the benefits of praying.
The Danger Of Normalizing Return To Sender Prayers
When believers normalize these prayers, three things happen:
- Prayer shifts from surrender to control
- Faith shifts from trust to suspicion
- God’s role as judge is subtly replaced
Over time, this damages spiritual maturity and clarity.
God Is A Better Judge Than You
God sees intentions, motives, and hearts.
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
— Genesis 18:25
When you return evil, you assume full knowledge.
When you surrender it, you acknowledge God’s wisdom.
Final Exhortation
Return to sender prayers are not biblical.
They contradict the teachings of Jesus,
the instructions of the apostles,
and the spirit of the New Covenant.
Prayer is not about sending things back.
It is about handing things over.
As believers, our strength is not in retaliation,
but in trust, obedience, and surrender.
Let God judge.
Let God defend.
Let God avenge.
And let prayer remain what it was always meant to be —
a place of alignment with His will.
When prayer is practiced with the wrong spirit,
it often leads to frustration and unanswered prayers.
I addressed this issue clearly in my message on
why prayers are not answered.