Loving Your Enemies
Is it possible to love your enemy?
Can you love God, but hate your enemy?
It is easy to love your family and friends, but it is hard to love the person who gossips about you and accuses you falsely.
When you are hurt by someone, the first emotions you feel are anger and resentment. Then your next step is to retaliate likewise or seek revenge.
However, God is asking us to do the opposite of our emotions. God wants us to love when we are hated, bless when we are cursed, do good when we are mistreated and pray regardless of our circumstances.
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. (Luke 6:27-28)
The first and great commandment is:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37)
However, you cannot accomplish these things if you rely on yourself or if you only look at the physical things.
The real enemy is not flesh and blood. It is principalities, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places.
Christ condemned sin at the cross and overcome the flesh. Thus, He gained authority over all things including principalities, powers, dominion and might (Ephesians 1).
Therefore, you can rely on the Spirit of God inside of you to love your enemy and to love the Lord God with all your heart.
If a man says, 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? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John 4:20-21)
Additional reading: Leviticus 19:18: 1 John 15:12; Ephesians 6:12
I think i have never commented on anything here. but this time it has not just touched me, but it has come at the time i need it most.
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Hello Esau
I am truly grateful to God that this post has been a blessing to you. I know that God will give you his peace and love so that you will be able to share with others. Please fell free to return at anytime to read and participate.
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His great love covers a multitude of sin. You are right on with this post. You know the funny thing is as we show God’s love to our enemies, they aren’t our true enemies any longer. If they are against us it isn’t really us they are against but Christ who lives in us. For we are His children. So all we can do is love. Which is the best thing to do and always reminds me of Christ’s love on the cross….Father forgive them for they know not what they do. May it be our response as well. God bless. Thanks for such a well written post.
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So true. I pray that we will understand the depth of Christ’s love for us and that we can learn to emulate it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this.
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Amen!
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Praise the Lord.
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The Christian faith is about the life of Christ and we as followers are empowered to follow Him by the power of the Holy Spirit. Once we make up in our mind to be obedient to the Holy Spirit then we will develop the love we need to have for those who hate us. As Jesus possess all power He has given us power over the enemy so we don’t have to obey the devil.
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So true. We have power over the serpent. We do not have to do and speak as the world do. Our Lord Jesus Christ has established a standard for us. Thank you for sharing.
I nominated you for the Bee Love Award. I hope you will be able to respond. I will spend some time on your blog tomorrow. Today was a busy one for me.
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It’s definitely a challenge to love your enemies and we can only do it effectively through the Holy Spirit’s help. I’ve noticed in my own life that God will cause me to feel compassion for those who are hard to love. That compassion causes me to see them through God’s eyes and show love. Great lesson Beverley!
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It is indeed a challenge. We have to always remember that the real enemy is not flesh and blood. As you said, the Holy Spirit will help us to show love and compassion to everyone.
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So much truth here, Beverly! Thank you.
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God bless you, my dear for reading and
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Blessings to you.
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A great word Beverley. Thank you.
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Thank you Dee. Have a great day.
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You as well.
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Oh how I need the Spirit’s help to live this out!
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Oh yes we do.🙂
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Yep!
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