I want to make a little contribution to this important discussion. Although the matter appears to have been rested, but having read the arguments proferred on both sides, I feel I should make a little input that might help in raising our level of understanding regarding this issue. I am speaking from the vantage point of one who has asked the same question myself and who is now in a position to answer it.

The first thing to note is that it is not possible to do justice to this topic without a more than surface grasp of the keywords - enemy, prayer, and death.

Enemy: the Bible uses the term "enemy" in two distinct senses: reconcilable and irreconcilable enemies. All arguments surrounding this topic stem from the failure to make this necessary distinction.

Reconcilable Enemies. (ROM.5:10,Col.1:20-22).By reason of the fall of man, every human born into this world starts life as an enemy of God through sin. But the substitutionary death of Jesus to atone for human sins has made reconstruction with God possible on the basis of repentance.In Eph.6:12 the Bible specifies that we're not fighting against flesh and blood (physical entities,human beings) but also included that we're fighting against the rulers of darkness of this world, which also refers to human beings, who are agents of satanic wickedness. Most of the evil done in the world are not done by satan or demons directly, they are done by their human agents. And these are the people we see. These unseen evil forces constitute what we call "the power behind" (Eph.2:2). It is in this sense that Jesus looking at Peter said "get behind me,Satan" (Mtt.16:23). So we show love to people who hurt us by not paying them back in their own coin. But on our knees we judge whatever power using them against us by using the power God has given us to tread on serpents and scorpions and every power of the enemy. (Luke 10:19).So the prayers are addressed against "powers" not "people."