From the Prologue: Oftentimes we look at sin through two completely diff 3. Bless them. And that was too much for me to bear.". Hate is too heavy a burden and hurts the one who hates stronger than hated. God is merciful. None of that is the Spirit of Christ. But, the fact is, these things are what make someone your enemy. The definition of love is a wish that someone be happy with no expectation of personal gain. And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? Being yourself as completely as you can, moment after moment, builds the strength to keep going when it's hard. David was saying, "Lord, you know I've done everything to try to please you. Loving your enemy But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. At that time, Jews loved only other Jews. Even churches rose up against him. Are you acting according to Christ's wisdom? You've successfully resisted all temptations and evil desires, all lusts and materialism, all loves of this world. He didn’t say that at all. It's simply impossible. I'm on my knees always. A hopefulness that opens doors. But this was a close, godly friend. Because Satan succeeds in driving us to thoughts of revenge, he'll be able to lead us into deadlier sins. He beseeched God, "Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly" (Psalm 6:10). What does it mean to do good to those who oppose us? No - it is within your ability to do. Sign up now to receive our Daily Devotional or E-newsletter. Are you struggling to find ways to "love your enemies" according to the Lord Jesus' command in Matthew 5:44? Jesus also addressed the Old Testament law regarding hurts and injuries. Yet this same Ahithophel - seemingly so wise and spiritual, so without guile, so dedicated to David and his cause - suddenly turned on the king, becoming his enemy. Of course, every Christian faces an arch enemy in Satan. Yet this wasn't to be so under Christ's ministry of grace. The Old Testament Seems to Support Our Secret Hopes That God Will Judge Our Enemies. And it left David hurt, angry, confused. We're not just to think good things about our enemies, but to speak them openly. Don't wait - don't miss the opportunity - because your enemy's soul could slip into eternity still carrying his sin. But I tell you: Love your enemies. And if they love you, then there is something special in you, and you are bound to make it your strong side. Saul was a beautiful man of God." Paul writes, "Give place unto wrath" (Romans 12:19). You did nothing to cause his opposition to you. They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul" (56:5-6). Yet I never even asked how they were doing. Have You Ever Felt the Betrayal of a Close Friend? You be the first to seek reconciliation. Loving your enemy is different from liking your enemy. Jesus commands us to love them, by doing three things: 1. Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. (1 John 4:20). You can start slow by doing these things: Someone has risen up against you - manifesting envy and bitterness, misrepresenting your actions and motives, smearing your reputation, opposing you at every turn, seeking to thwart God's purpose in your life. LOVE OF ENEMIES. Don't let him live out his days. Indeed, God tests our love for him by the love we show to our Christian brothers and sisters. And David shared his heart openly with Ahithophel, thinking he had a spiritual friend. Don't be mistaken - Paul hated these people's sin. There is the ordinary happiness of food, He was saying, "I thought Ahithophel was my friend. A Jew wasn't to shake hands with a Gentile, or even allow his robe to swish against an outsider's clothing. By learning to let go of your hate, you become one step closer to becoming a better person. An hour or so later, they left bewildered. But we can remit those sins that have been committed against us. I haven't touched this man - yet he has turned against me. He testified, "Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we entreat" (1 Corinthians 4:12-13). I found out later this dear couple had been hurting - and that's why they were desperate to meet with us. Even when speaking from the position of hatred, in his words you can always find particles of truth. This man was David's prayer partner, a companion who shared his love for God. Recall the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:44-45, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in … - Luke 6:27–36 If you strike me on the face, I’ll hit you so hard your head will fall off.” Even in the church, the vigil… "I hate every false way" (119:104). And after a while, the conflict began to consume all your thoughts, costing you many sleepless nights. Description Extended Description Reviews Love your Enemies - Spiritual Life Series vol. He was reversing the spirit of flesh that had entered the law. The Greek meaning here implies "honesty plus recovery." You can sing God's praises in church, you can serve food to the homeless - but if you carry a single grudge against anyone, your love for God is in vain. Enemies only have strong personalities, the arena of rivalry here is the right to be a breasts ahead. Only Christ can do this, through his work at the cross. Some readers might ask, "Do such things actually happen in the body of Christ? And, second, the priest was to pray for the congregation, to act as an intercessor on their behalf. This is one of the most dangerous emotions for the body. Often, God's command to love our enemies can seem like bitter, distasteful medicine. He could've pointed a finger at those corrupt religious leaders and said, "I'll see you on judgment day. So, if he is interceding for their souls, how can you remain an enemy to them? Prostate Cancer: Watchful Waiting vs. You've had to spend precious time explaining yourself and defending your actions. But we are to resist these people's evil ways without hating their persons. One is that it reveals something of the way God is. We're to try to tear down any walls that might damn them, and put forth every effort to rebuild a bridge to them. In Matthew 5, Jesus teaches us that we are to love even our enemies. We aren't to take comfort in the thought that God will one day avenge their sins against us. Send him to hell for what he's done to me. David complained, "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords" (Psalm 55:21). The Lord Jesus Christ is such a loving and forgiving God that He wants all of His followers to love their enemies. Matthew 5:39 – A free PowerPoint PPT presentation (displayed as a Flash slide show) on PowerShow.com - id: 83c885-ZGRlZ I know a godly businessman who was invited to serve on the board of a Christian organization. Don't wait - don't miss the opportunity - because your enemy's soul could slip into eternity still carrying his sin. To learn to love your enemies also means trying to establish interaction with them. When you forgive those who have hurt you, not only do you release the hurts and offences that hurt and hinder you, but you also entrust them to God who … Many years ago, for example, I lived with another Jesuit who simply refused to talk to me. They see it expressed in scripture, but they rarely abide by it. Your friends will not point out your faults, but your enemies will. I don't mean to be flippant or sarcastic. New study suggests proton therapy for lung cancer lowers risk of... How Long Does Cocaine Stay In Your System? Have you forgiven your enemies in love, even as Jesus has forgiven you? Of course, no one can remit someone's sins against God. See yourself or the person the feeling is directed at smiling back at you or just being joyous. Yet Jesus states very clearly: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. Christ states clearly that the battle with Satan has already been won. The Greek word for bless here implies, "speaking only what is good and edifying, out loud, with the mouth." More than that, we should love our enemies because it is one of the trademarks of being a son or daughter of God. Maybe your enemy is a close, personal friend - perhaps a ministry associate or Christian coworker. Luke 6: 27-28 Why love your enemies & What is In It For You #1 You Bless Yourself. Finally, one of my favorite parts of self-love is the growth. He stated, "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). You may protest, "Lord, I'll serve you, praise you, worship you, sacrifice for you - but don't expect me to lay down this hurt. You may not have understood the nature of the conflict, and your rival will help you clarify the whole picture. God knows that loving your enemies is hard and that is why if you choose to do is and go against the grain of worldly thinking (which is to hate those then hate you) then God sees that you are for Him and He rewards you for your efforts. P.O. Are you struggling to find ways to "love your enemies" according to the Lord Jesus' command in Matthew 5:44? Yet you can't believe the venom he spews about you to others - lies, hurtful words, manipulations. In fact, Ahithophel grew so bitter toward David, he actually rallied people against him. Without enemies, we will not be able to get the lessons that will make us better. ", But now he's forsaken you, perhaps for someone else. He despised me. That couple never knew what hit them. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27) There are two main reasons why Christians should love their enemies and do good to them. It is able to “suck” energy from everywhere and turn a person into an invalid. ", The awful betrayal caused David to constantly look over his shoulder. And the wound hurts even more deeply because he was your friend. Forgiving them—the best and first thing you should do—actually benefits you. Instead, we're to pray for them. Stephen had every right to resist those who stoned him. Yet this bosom friend turned on David, betraying him. Transforming Lives Through the Message and Mission of Jesus Christ Your enemies will make you see what needs to be changed in your life while your friends … That will help you in the long run. First, the law required the priest to slay the sacrifice and place it on the altar, to deal with the people's sin. Pueblo, CO 81008 Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the LORD will reward you. Paul was following Jesus' example. Christ is actually commanding us to envision the soul-damning condition of our persecutors. It was the worst pain I ever endured, consuming my thoughts night and day. You may ask, "Are we supposed to love evil people - abortion doctors, unscrupulous politicians, militant homosexuals who claim Jesus was gay? "Pray for them which despitefully use you." And it’s not easy, … You see, when Peter uses the word "devour," the Greek meaning is "to attempt in any way to swallow you in one gulp." When you have the confidence to be who you truly want to be, you can discover a lot about yourself. When we love our enemies, they put you on our knees more often in prayer. 5 Benefits of Loving Yourself for Who You Are, Where You Came from, and Where You Can Go 1. The criticism of the enemy brings more benefits than the enthusiastic praises of friends. Here are some important reasons why we should love our enemies. He was saying, in other words, "Kill this traitor, Lord. Enemies serve at least two great benefits to us: 1) They guide us to see our need for grace, and 2) they add clarity to our evolving understanding of truth. Instead, they walked away downcast in spirit. So-called believers have bombed abortion clinics, murdered abortion doctors, shaken angry fists at gay marchers. However, if we refuse to forgive the hurts done to us, we have to face these consequences: The writer of Proverbs advises, "The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression" (Proverbs 19:11). Wise people benefit from discipline, and one benefit for the enemy might be that he learns to treat others with the kindness he wants for himself. You may be able to testify that you've won a great victory in Christ. Under the Mosaic law, anyone who caused an injury was to be compensated in like manner - hurt for hurt, smiting for smiting. To do so builds character in us. Pray for them. I believe his stand on late-term abortion is an abomination in God's eyes, and it makes my blood boil. We can hate the sins of homosexuals, abortionists and all Christ despisers. This mantra is often quoted, but rarely lived out. (Matthew 5:44-45a) But, instead, Stephen followed Jesus' example. Our persecutor's vexations against us will continue to rob us of peace. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In fact, even as he reproaches you, you've remained friendly. This helps you to listen. We can hate the immoral actions of those in government. If you claim not to have any enemies, I'd like to make you an offer. In so doing, our enemies give us both a greater taste of true intimacy and purpose. World Challenge Inc, is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its message seems to be, "You saw what my enemy did to me, Lord. Consider Jesus' example. We are commanded to love our enemies in order to be like God and in order to be distinct from lost men. So I've got clear biblical grounds to ask God to blow my enemies away.". In the early days, his words were kind and loving, and you thought, "We're so close. The enemy will not flatter you. Or do you still hold a grudge, causing your sins to pile up against you? How are we to react to Christians who've made themselves our enemies? 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