Love Your Enemies
But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Luke 6:27
This verse may seem difficult, but with God’s unconditional sacrificial love in our hearts, it’s possible to love our enemies, even though we hate the sin they do. These people have been deceived by Satan, and have become the people they were not created to be. God has extreme love for everyone, and God has extreme hatred of sin; and we hate sin but we love the people. There is no room in our hearts for hate, because it will weaken or destroy our love.
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:12-13) Jesus tells us that in the last days wickedness will increase and that for most people their love will grow cold. It’s important that we hate sin and Satan’s deceptions and pray for our enemy and for all lost souls. As the world gets more wicked and sinful, Christians reflect more of God’s love and kindness.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (1 John 4:16) When we live in God’s love, we are close to the Lord and our hearts hurt for all lost souls including our enemies. We pray and we minister to lost souls, bringing God’s truth to overcome Satan’s deceiving lies.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12) This verse tells who our enemy really is, it’s the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. We fight the evil in the spiritual realms through the power of God in prayer, and we minister to lost souls with a heart of love and compassion. Our war is not with people, it is with sin that comes from Satan’s deception.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4) With God’s love in our hearts we see people as described in the verse above. We look at a person’s heart, and we treat them with kindness and respect.
Today reflect God’s love to everyone and you will love your enemies. Bring the good news of Christ to others, for God wants all to be saved.
Prayer: Lord continue to fill my heart with your unconditional love that I can reflect to everyone. In Jesus name, Amen