Love Your Enemies

"But love your enemies, and be kind and do good - doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them."

(Luke 6:35 Amplified Bible).

It is impossible, in and of ourselves, to love our enemies, because we are consumed with loving ourselves, loving what we think and do. 

Hating our enemies comes naturally, out of the wicked, depraved nature we were born with.

So how are we to love our enemies?

God's Word says:

"[Not in your own strength] for it is God who is all the while at work in you - energizing and creating in you the power and desire- both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." 

(Philippians 2:13 AMPLIFIED BIBLE)

ONLY the Lord Jesus Christ can give you a change of heart,

a forgiving spirit and a desire to give love

without getting something in return. 

God says that in order to be accepted by Him,

we must truly love our enemies,

even those who are ungrateful and rebellious toward Him.

We are to do good, and not harm, to our enemies, even in our own mind.

Who are your enemies?  

It may be that your most hated enemy is someone you have never met. Perhaps the person you hate is a particular politician, someone you see on TV or someone you have only heard about. 

Your hate may boil within you at the thought of a certain stranger. If that is true, be assured that your hate only hurts you and not that person.

Let me ask you. Why are you allowing hate to ruin your happiness, fill your heart with wickedness and alienate yourself from the truths found only in the Lord Jesus Christ? 

God's gift of love to and from you weaves hope

and peace in your own heart, ONLY IF YOU ARE HIS CHILD desiring to be obedient to love and obey Him. Call upon God. Admit your horrible sin of hating others.

And by the way, you cannot change your feelings, only God can. Oh, you can deceive yourself and others, but you do not deceive God. Love comes ONLY from Him.

I say to you in sadness: If loving your enemies is impossible, then you are not a Christian and the Love of God is not resident within you. And you are not enabled to have love for even your greatest friend or your greatest enemy. 

God's friendship is the ONLY real strength

and refuge

in the day of trouble (Psalm 59:16-17).

This beautiful truth does no belong to you

if He is not your Lord and Master.

What do you say about God's friendship?

You may say that you go to church.

But is that enough to bless your heart

and direct you along the right road

that God has outlined for his dear, obedient children.

Read His Word daily, pray that God will speak to your heart.

Ask Him to enable you to believe His Word.

Claim His promises for yourself, for your needs.

And if you have trouble 

believing what you read,

keep on asking Him to help you!

It's just that simple!

And it's just that wonderful! 

"Whom do you have in heaven but God?

And besides God, whom else do you desire on earth?

When your flesh and your heart fail,

can you say

'God is my strength of my heart

and my portion forever'"? Psalm 73:25,26

If you recognize you need help and would like to discuss what I have just said, please send me an email to the address printed below. I will be glad to talk to you. I was once in that situation and God helped me, so I know He can help you too!

hipainter@charter.net