Community // “Yeah, But What About My Enemies?”

COMMUNITY // “YEAH, BUT WHAT ABOUT MY ENEMIES?”

Enemy: A person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

Matthew 5:43-48 NIV 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1) Shift your perspective of what Jesus asks of you

Luke 6:27-35 NLT 27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

Romans 12:17-20 NIV

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

2) Shift your perspective from the temporary to the eternal

James 4:13-14 NIV 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Matthew 5:11-12 NIV 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

1 Peter 3:9 NIV 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

3) Shift your perspective on how it's done!

Acts 1:8 NIV 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Proverbs 16:6b-7 NLT 6 By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil. 7 When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.

Questions

1. How have you dealt with your enemies, those who actively oppose you in the past, and currently here in the present?  What have been the results in those relationships?

2. None of us enjoys being persecuted by others, and yet Jesus says that we are blessed when it happens, and that we should be glad because our reward is in heaven.  How does this resonate with you?  Have you experienced this in your life? Describe a specific instance where you encountered something like this.

3. How has the Holy Spirit played a role in your life in this area of loving your enemies? What new actions steps will you take starting today, that will help bring peace in your process?