Love Your Enemies, Forgive Them, And Pray For Them!
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Oh, how important it is to love your enemies! I know it may seem difficult and even impossible at times, but trust me when I say that there is so much power in choosing to love those who mistreat us. When we respond with anger or hate towards someone who has wronged us, what good does that do? It only adds fuel to the fire and creates more hurt and pain. But when we choose to show love instead – whether through kind words, forgiveness or prayer – something beautiful happens. We open up the door for healing, reconciliation, and transformation.
And isn’t that what we all want deep down inside? To live in a world where people treat each other with kindness and respect? So let’s take Martin Luther King Jr.’s wise words to heart and be willing to be agents of change by loving our enemies. I like what Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Who knows? Maybe one day they will become our friends! If each of us did our part in loving our enemies, this world would be a much better place! ~ Bill Greguska
Matthew 5:43-44 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
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- Did Jesus mean something specific when He instructed us to turn the other cheek?
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Love Your Enemies Because God Loves Them!
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Can You Think Of A Time That You Have Not Loved Your Enemies?
Loving your enemies can be described in many ways. It can be forgiveness, not allowing another person’s skin color to make a difference, not letting slander come out of your mouth towards them, or allowing hatred to reside in your heart. Love your enemies is often uncommon because many people think about hating one another today. You can not control other people, but you can control how you feel and act when loving your enemies. Jesus spoke about loving one another and forgiving one another. Realize that God commands us to love our enemies, yet it is sometimes tricky. We all need to forgive and love others, yet forgiveness and trust are different.
Love Your Enemies! Love Wins Over Hate!
It may seem strange to love your enemies, but it is a command from God. There are people in my life that I have found it sometimes difficult to like. Sometimes it is hard to get along with others who rub us wrong. What benefit is it to love those who love you? Anyone can do that, but to love your enemies is where it takes special love and strength. The real test of love is to love those who are challenging to love and those who might consider you their enemy.
Although with our strength and might, we will continue to struggle with loving others, especially learning how to love our enemy. It is not until we realize that we all need God’s love and mercy to empower us to do what we cannot do on our own. If you are struggling to love others in your life, or perhaps they are struggling to love you, you need to take your concerns to God, who will help you sort things out for you. You need to love God and love your enemies!~ Bill Greguska
How To Love Unbelievers!
Loving unbelievers is a different story, but not a story we are unfamiliar with. For We were unbelievers and enslaved people to the flesh at one point. Interacting with all unbelievers can be summed up by Colossians: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so you may know how you answer each person.” (Colossians 4:5-6) Show them kindness when you speak with them and be attractive (not physically). When you talk, attract them to Jesus. Make them wonder why you have joy. One of the best ways to love your enemies is to make them your friend! But without God’s help, this is nearly impossible!
How Do I Love My Enemies?
Yes, we are called to pray for those who persecute us! Here are a few verses that show us how to act toward our enemies.
Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Become Free By Forgiving Others Who Have Offended You!
Why Is It Sometimes So Difficult To Love Others?
Many people seem to be just hard to get along with! I am sure you know many people that are like that. Some people’s personalities and attitudes tend to rub us the wrong way. I sincerely encourage you to stop making a list of individuals you do not like or get along with and start loving them with God’s help.
God teaches us to love our enemy and do good to those who do us wrong. It says in Romans 12:19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
Where Does God’s Kind Of Love Lead You?
God’s kind of love causes the Great Commission to become a personal responsibility and privilege to carry out. When non-Christians observe believers not only saying that they love one another but also proving it by their actions, they will be amazed at “how they love one another” and will be drawn to receive and worship our Savior with us.
Why not make this prayer your own: “Lord, You would never have commanded me to love had You not intended to enable me to do so. Therefore, right now, because of the authority of Your commands for me to love and because of the power of Your promise to answer if I ask anything according to Your will, I claim Your love, the 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love, for You, for all people, and myself. Amen.
God Has Forgiven You, So You Must Forgive Others!
Understand and Thank God that you are a child of God, and all your past, present, and even future sins are forgiven. Thank God that Satan has no control over you unless God has allowed it. Remember to cast our problems and worries over to the Lord as we are told to do in 1 Peter 5:7.
Do you possibly have a boss, co-worker, spouse, children, father, or mother on the list of those you need extra effort to love? Start by praying for each person. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with the love of Jesus for each one of them. Then, when you do get an opportunity to meet with them, ask God to fill you with his compassion so you can be a blessing to them. Watch God use your smile, words, and patience to express His love for each person.
As believers, we have been instructed to love our enemies. That could mean everyone who angers you, ignores you, bores you, or frustrates you. God wants you to love those who are kind to you and all people in your life, period, as far as it depends on you. Remember, you can not make others be at peace with you if they choose not to.
Love Everyone
(This section is from The Book I wrote)
Lord, I try to love others (including even my enemies and those who irritate me), the way I want to be loved. Anyone can love those who are nice to them, but if I can love even my enemies, that is the type of love you talk about in your word. In those times when I struggle to love, I need to call on you, Lord, for the patience and strength to love others the way you love me. I’ve learned that love doesn’t cost a penny, yet it yields high dividends.
Lord, please help me love others more, rather than judging them or talking behind their backs, as we tend to do. Help me follow your example of demonstrating love towards others every day.
Lord, please help me to be more like you by sharing love more freely. Help me carry out your command to love others the best I can; and if I fall short, help me confess, repent, and make things right with your help.
Matthew 5:44 ~ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
The more relaxed you are, the better you are at everything: the better you are with your loved ones, the better you are with your enemies, the better you are at your job, the better you are with yourself. ~ Bill Murray, American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and writer.
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Some Specific Scriptures To Encourage You:
Luke 6:27-36 ESV
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you and from one who takes away your goods, do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Psalm 109:2-5 ESV
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. They encircle me with words of hate and attack me without cause. In return for my love, they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good and hatred for my love.
Romans 12:14 ESV
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Proverbs 24:17 ESV
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
Romans 12:20 ESV
To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Proverbs 16:7 ESV
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Exodus 14:14 ESV
The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Luke 23:34 ESV
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
Psalm 71:10 ESV
For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together.
Exodus 23:22 ESV
But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
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