![]() Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to Recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. Some people, searching for quotations to support their evil deeds and prayers for their enemies to die, have always quoted 2 Thessalonians. From verse 56, He told them that the son of man did not come to destroy lives, but that He had come to save them. In Luke 9:52-56, when Jesus' disciples, James and John asked for permission from Jesus to call down fire from heaven like Elijah to consume their enemies, Jesus turned ‘ and rebuked them and told them that they did not know the new spirit that was in them (through Christ), which was why they wanted to call down fire like Elijah. This is the only way, according to Jesus, that you can be the child of your Father that is in Heaven (Matt 5:45-48). But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. Ye have heard that it hath been said thou shalt love ‘ thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. In Matt 5:43-44 Jesus said that, although the people have been told before, to hate their enemies and love only their good neighbours, he is telling them to love also their enemies: The word 'Christian’ as we have been told before is Christ-like, which means we must follow the example of Jesus and not that of Elijah. But did they not know that Elijah was not a CHRISTIAN? Elijah was not a CHRISTIAN because Elijah was not there, when Jesus taught the new laws that make us CHRISTIANS. Did Jesus Christ pray for His enemies to die? The answer is NO! If the answer is no, then ' where do these Christians get that teaching or example from? Many of them say that it is from Elijah. Is this a good thing for a Christian to do? Let us look at Jesus Christ as our role model. Some even pray that their enemies must die by fire or by thunder. If you're seeking to live a life that reflects God's, this podcast is for you.It is true that today, many people go 'to church to pray against their enemies to 'fall down and die'. Hearing Jesus is a devotional journey through the gospels, where we explore the teachings of Jesus chapter by chapter. LISTEN: Being Complete in Jesus (Understanding Matthew 5:21-48) His writing home is and you can connect with him on Twitter Mike has a new writing project at Proverbs4Today. ![]() Mike is the author of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Need. He is also the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/PeopleImages What Does it Mean to Pray for Your Enemies? ![]() Why Are We Told to Love Our Enemies in the Bible? What Does it Mean to 'Love Your Enemies'? When I think of it this way it changes the way I interact with them.įind where you see the image of God in their life and highlight it. God’s glory is being shattered in their life. My “enemy” probably isn’t actually my enemy.Īnd even if they have made themselves my enemy, or they have made themselves the enemy of Christ, it is a store of a broken and marred image. Our battle is not against flesh and blood. Understanding that every person is made in the image of God helps me to see people as they actually are. What if rather than making a list of all the things, which I disapprove about another person, I made a list of all the ways in which I can see the fingerprint of God on their life? What would happen if I was intentionally encouraging in those areas? ![]() What if we view others through the lens of hope instead of hatred? This means that there are things that we can encourage in the life of anyone - even our greatest enemies. Highlight the Imago DeiĮvery person is created in the image of God. What if “be quick to listen and slow to speak” is not only counsel for our loved ones but also for our enemies? 7. Doing this also will help me see them in a new light.Īnd as I do this, I can better love and serve them because I will know their unique strengths and challenges. But simply listening to someone else’s story can be incredibly diffusing. Why are they passionate about the things they are passionate about? What unique brokenness do they have in their life?įor one, this can help us gain a new perspective. Listen to Their StoryĪnother way to love our enemies is to simply listen to them. Our hearts should be broken, and we should long to see their redemption, pleading with them to grab hold of Christ. This is far from how the New Testament paints our task of being ministers of reconciliation. Kind of like saying, “Help them, Jesus, because I can’t stand them.” We could distance ourselves and take a cold posture. Oddly enough, there is a passive-aggressive way we could proclaim the gospel to someone. This will absolutely wreck my own definitions of “enemy.”
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