Our enemies

 

There are so many things I wish I could tell you and I go to what I believe is the length that God wants me to. But the fact is that it’s all in God’s Word and if you just open your heart and read His Word and let Him direct you, you will be victorious. Whether the world sees it or not, many people will and most of all God will see. From one day to the next all you need God will speak to you directly from His Word. And, He will speak to you in your spirit also... and in how He works out His plans and even your heart’s desires right before your eyes, if your heart is where it should be.

 

What I want to speak about is compassion and love for our enemies. First when I speak of our enemies, I speak it in this way (from Psalm 35:12-14):

 

    12 They repay me evil for good,
         To the bereavement of my soul.
    13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;
         I humbled my soul with fasting,
         And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.
    14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
         I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.

 

So, our enemies are people we may have considered friends and may still consider friends, as before we knew they were our enemies, they were still enemies to us (as shown in Psalm 35). We just did not know it. When I use the term enemies, it’s a descriptive term not a term from my heart. It denotes their decision about us. I, and we, must love them from the heart.

 

Now, from such people (people who gave us evil as we gave them love) we are to come out from. We are to leave their midst. I base this on my experiences and the Word of God but anyone can make that same correct judgment based on much scripture in God’s Word, like 2 Corinthians 6:14,17 (even if it’s not expressly stated in Psalm 35). You may wish to read all of Psalm 35.

 

In how we treated them we did so because of the love that is in us from God. Jesus said that we are to love our enemies and that we are to pray for them. Matthew 5:43-45  43 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. And, Paul said in Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

 

Jesus also said, in Matthew 9:13 "But go and learn what this means: ' I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." We must, under all circumstances, look to Christ as our example and God’s Word and His Spirit speaking to us to guide us, and have compassion for all.

 

We do not fight our battles. We walk by the Spirit and obey God’s Word. If there are battles to be fought, it is God’s to fight. We speak the words God would have us say. We do not seek vengeance nor any bad thing for anyone. We must love everyone. David was right to treat these people (in Psalm 35), he later found out were his enemies, with love. With that being said, again I go to other scripture like, Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. We do not let unbelievers control us but we rather let God control us. We follow Christ’s example, 1 Peter 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,  22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;

I wrote this because I kept feeling a sense that I needed to make these things known, in regards to when I use the term enemies.

 

Come to Jesus!