Power of Knowing Your Enemy  

Key Scripture: “I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves.”  Matthew 5:44, The Message

Power Point: Love your enemies? That’s our battle plan to defeat the enemy? You've got to be kidding. I thought I could explain to the devil how bad things were for me and he would just apologize and stop attacking me. Actually no where in scripture can I find the words ,”Just talk to the devil. Tell him your sad story. Explain to him how bad things are and he will have mercy on you and stop his attacks.” If you’ve found that one, would you let me know?

One very important thing I have learned in my life, in fact, probably one of the top three things is this:  The enemy is not that person you are dealing with; The Enemy is the enemy!

Did you ever wonder why God says, “Bless your enemies?” That was really a hard one for me until He spoke that truth about the enemy into my life.

If the Enemy is indeed the “enemy", then he is trying to “steal, kill and destroy” from everyone he meets.  If that’s the case, then the person you are having the most problems with is a person who is losing their battle with him. That’s why God says, “Bless them.  Pray for grace in their lives so that THEY can defeat the enemy.”  If they are continually angry, or mean, or vindictive, or maybe just get on your last nerve, guess who’s in charge of their life? My prayer for my “enemies” is that God will send His Holy Spirit to them to bless them and lead them to an encounter with Him.” I’m so thankful for the corrective lenses that Papa God has given me to see them from His perspective.  Everything looks different from heavenly places.   Everything is different when you sit beside Him on the mercy seat. You pray with Mercy, from mercy, for mercy.

God does the work, and their lives are changed from that encounter. And so is yours.You no longer see people as an enemy. You KNOW that you KNOW that you KNOW that The Enemy is the enemy.

Your job is to withstand and resist the ENEMY, not that person. You may need to “withdraw” from them for a time and raise fervent prayers on their behalf, but you are never told to withstand and resist a person.  In Romans 14:19 Paul says, “Let us therefore, (because of Holy Spirit in us), pursue the things that make for peace and the things by which one may edify one another.” The ultimate outcome? God is glorified, and people see Jesus. Come on! Let’s try His strategy. I know it sounds crazy, but it just might work!

Power Talk: I will love my enemies.  I will bless them and not curse them. I will love my enemies. I will bless them and not curse them. I will…

I am SO blessed by your comments!