One benefit for us might be that we learn from his experience. How could he turn out this way?". You know that what this person is doing to you is evil. "Do good to them that hate you." He was saying, "I thought Ahithophel was my friend. Yet, instead, we often joke at their expense. Of course, no one can remit someone's sins against God. And he commands us to pray for them. Do good to them. And that makes it all the more difficult because loving them doesn’t come with any promises. Facebook. 5 Benefits of Loving Yourself for Who You Are, Where You Came from, and Where You Can Go 1. Yet this wasn't the spirit of the law. But, at the same time, you may be devoured by an ongoing struggle with a human enemy. We are commanded to love our enemies in order to be like God and in order to be distinct from lost men. A message that explains the importance and benefits of actively loving your enemies instead of shunning them. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company" (Psalm 55:12-14). For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. At his first meeting, he was shocked by the politics and infighting he witnessed. Let’s get out of this cliche and realize that we have to be grateful that we have enemies because they can teach us to understand life better and get to know ourselves genuinely, to start accepting people as you are. They see it expressed in scripture, but they rarely abide by it. The uniqueness of Christianity stands out boldly in the way we treat our enemies. That will help you in the long run. No matter what I did, nothing changed his attitude. ", These are the words of the same godly king who wept when his murderous enemy, Saul, was slain in battle. Our Lord has given us all power and authority over Satan and his demonic forces: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19). Christ is actually commanding us to envision the soul-damning condition of our persecutors. Jesus said, "The whole law is fulfilled in this - that you love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself" (see Matthew 22:37-40). To remit means "to totally forget, renounce, cast aside." It grieved his heart, and he begged God for her healing: "Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee" (Numbers 12:13). More than that, we should love our enemies because it is one of the trademarks of being a son or daughter of God. Active Surveillance, Gardening A Wonderful Stress Buster Activity. We're not just to think good things about our enemies, but to speak them openly. In so doing, our enemies give us both a greater taste of true intimacy and purpose. Indeed, Jesus' command to love our neighbors was meant to include even our enemies. I want to focus instead on our trials with human enemies - flesh-and-blood opponents, people we may live with or work alongside. Forgiving them—the best and first thing you should do—actually benefits you. (v. 110) Navigating difficult people can be well, difficult. 3. We should love our enemies because God commands, and anything God commands us to do is for our benefit. Jesus is an advocate even for those who have used and persecuted you. You see, when Peter uses the word "devour," the Greek meaning is "to attempt in any way to swallow you in one gulp." It was the worst pain I ever endured, consuming my thoughts night and day. Ways of arousing feelings of loving-kindness: Visualisation — Bring up a mental picture. He called me up, bewildered, asking, "Is it this way in every ministry? "I hate every false way" (119:104). Enemies only have strong personalities, the arena of rivalry here is the right to be a breasts ahead. The enemy will not flatter you. Even when speaking from the position of hatred, in his words you can always find particles of truth. At one time you were convinced your mate loved and respected you. Accessibility Help. ", How often we Christians are just like David. 6. LOVE OF ENEMIES. Transforming Lives Through the Message and Mission of Jesus Christ He's made himself my enemy. In fact, Ahithophel grew so bitter toward David, he actually rallied people against him. experience of what it means to love your enemy. I believe Jesus' name has been dishonored by the way many Christians have reacted to evildoers. I haven't touched this man - yet he has turned against me. Most disputes between people are due to the lack of understanding of the other’s position. Love is not a zero-sum game. by Stelios Zarganes, Trim size 4x6, 52pp. I tell you, it's impossible to be truly holy without total obedience to our Lord's command to love one another. Yet, even David finally discovered the gracious spirit of the law. When you have the confidence to be who you truly want to be, you can discover a lot about yourself. When you forgive someone, you can experience things such as lower blood pressure, improved symptoms if you suffer from anxiety or depression, and even a boost in your immune system. This man was David's prayer partner, a companion who shared his love for God. Jesus also addressed the Old Testament law regarding hurts and injuries. Why love your enemies ~ What else is in it for me #2 You Will be Forgiven We can hate the sins of homosexuals, abortionists and all Christ despisers. Today, Western physicians acknowledge its benefits to the immune system, while psychologists agree that it does wonders for mental health. They've pursued me, blind-sided me, overtaken me. Here are some ways you can do it. Now you see it affecting your family, your relationships, even your physical health. Loving your enemies can bring benefits not just to you but to the people around you. He said, "Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. “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. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" I've Got Some Strong, Spiritual Castor Oil for You. Realize that forgiveness and loving your enemy is more about benefiting yourself than them. 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. What does it mean to do good to those who oppose us? You've had to spend precious time explaining yourself and defending your actions. But, instead, Stephen followed Jesus' example. Pray for those who have … 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). The Old Testament law called for vengeance - an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But then he plunged a knife into my back. Instead, we're to pray for them. World Challenge Inc, is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Exercise for Seniors: 5 Tips to Help You Stay Active During... 11 Best Diet To Lose Weight – Eat As Much As... 7 Signs That You Suffer From Vitamin-D Deficiency. We've railed against those whom we should be praying for. It's simply impossible. You may not have understood the nature of the conflict, and your rival will help you clarify the whole picture. By learning to let go of your hate, you become one step closer to becoming a better person. We see this command illustrated in the duties of the high priest. And he'll go his way laughing while we continue stewing in anger. Try different people to practice on, as some people do not easily fit into the above categories, but do try to keep to the prescribed order. Enemies only have strong personalities, the arena of rivalry here is the right … He faced the combined evil of every significant power in his day - government officials, political heads, church leaders. 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. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). He's my dearest friend. Your enemies will make you see what needs to be changed in your life while your friends … You be the first to seek reconciliation. You see, as members of Christ's body, we're to react according to the directions given by our head, Jesus. ", But now he's forsaken you, perhaps for someone else. A hopefulness that opens doors. We've already read that if we react as Jesus did, "The Lord shall reward thee" (Proverbs 25:22). Your friends will not point out your faults, but your enemies will. Sections of this page. Yet Jesus makes clear that we have nothing to fear from the devil. We can hate the immoral actions of those in government. They weren't able to get in a word edgewise - and they left empty, dry, unedified. Trans. Take it a step further and pray to the Lord to bless them. You won't get away with this. Its message seems to be, "You saw what my enemy did to me, Lord. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. We say, "Love your enemies," but then go back to our bunker, maybe with a superficial smile, but without stopping to apply Jesus' words to our lives. Each time David went up to God's house to worship, Ahithophel was by his side, acting as an oracle of the Lord to him. In our awful hurt and depression, we cry out self-righteously against our enemies, "Lord, don't let them live another day.". And David shared his heart openly with Ahithophel, thinking he had a spiritual friend. Yet, if we try to take comfort in the Old Testament's way of dealing with enemies - even our unsaved enemies - we place ourselves back under the bondage of the law. ", Christ's command here is very simple: "Make the first move. Don't let him live out his days. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. He testified, "As for me, I will call upon God...evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray" (55:16-17). But he never stopped loving the people or praying for their souls. Have you forgiven your enemies in love, even as Jesus has forgiven you? Our persecutor's vexations against us will continue to rob us of peace. He didn’t say that at all. Often the reason why you have enemies can be very harmless. Yet this wasn't to be so under Christ's ministry of grace. Hate is too heavy a burden and hurts the one who hates stronger than hated. Courage to continue. This helps you to listen. Are you struggling to find ways to "love your enemies" according to the Lord Jesus' command in Matthew 5:44? The criticism of the enemy brings more benefits than the enthusiastic praises of friends. So I really hope that the simple fact that God wants you to love your enemies is enough for you to do it. We're never to make a decision or follow through with any action while we're still angry. 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. 4 by Hieromonk Gregorios, Elder of the Cell of St. John the Theologian, Koutloumousiou Monastery, Mount Athos. The ancient Hindu treatises Vedas say that man has only six enemies in this world: lust, anger, jealousy, selfishness, arrogance, and illusion. No. But that does not excuse me from taking his eternal soul seriously. Many Christians aren't willing to take this medicine. That's when it dawned on me - I'd done all the talking. Jesus did both: First, he made the sacrifice for sin, with his own body. Matthew 5:39 – A free PowerPoint PPT presentation (displayed as a Flash slide show) on PowerShow.com - id: 83c885-ZGRlZ But God’s Word lends us the proper course to keep us upright. Many years ago, for example, I lived with another Jesuit who simply refused to talk to me. 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