Love Your Enemies

We are called as Christians to love our enemies.  Sometimes they may provoke us to wrath but we are to love them.  This commandments causes enemies to abuse us.  I remember when I was in a Muslim chat room and they never stopped beating the Christian over his head, because they view what Christ said below as taking advantage of us.  Remember when Jesus was on the Cross, He forgave His enemies who spitefully abused Him.  In my life, I have enemies that spitefully abuse me.  Nonetheless I pray for them that God would be merciful to them by giving them a born again experience with the Spirit of God and the Word of God.  I do not believe that loving one’s enemies means an exception of self-defense.  However, we are unconditionally called to love our worst enemies.  It was said of old that we should hate our enemies but Jesus uses the terminology of “but I say unto you.”  He is God Incarnate and able to tell us what He understands as the righteous will and law of God.  No one is beyond love.  Loving should not be an excuse to destroy someone.  We are called to take care of our bodies and souls through godliness.  Let us pray for the wicked,

Matthew 5:41-46:

⁴¹And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. ⁴²Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. ⁴³Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  (KJV).

Luke 6:27-35

²⁷But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, ²⁸Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. ²⁹And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. ³⁰Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. ³¹And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. ³²For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. ³³And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. ³⁴And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. ³⁵But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.  (KJV).

Dear Blessed Heavenly Father, we approach the throne of grace through Thine own crucified Son by the power of the Spirit of God, and in accordance of Romans 5 we have access through our Lord Jesus Christ to Thee:  help us to love our enemies and be good to them as they seek to destroy us.  Please bless them with eternal life and the fearing of Thy blessed commandments so that they may walk in the fear of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer.  We ask that Thou wouldst soften their hearts and give them a repenting spirit.  Please deliver us from our enemies through the Captain of the Lord of Hosts.  If necessary, strike them down to make them see the errors of their ways.  We ask that Thou wouldst give them eternal life and save them from the wrath to come by granting them repentance and faith.  We ask these things in the name of our precious Lord Jesus.  Amen.