HOW TO LOVE YOUR ENEMY?
Jesus said, “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:43) However, some people may ask why should I love my enemies? How can I love my enemies?
SOME PEOPLE MAY SEE THEIR ENEMIES AS UNLOVEABLE AS KING DAVID SAW HIS EMENIES
God said David was a man after his own heart (Acts 13:22). Yet David was evidently unable to love his enemies. This may be seen in the Psalm below that David wrote:
“My God, whom I praise, do not remain silent, 2 for people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues. 3 With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.4 In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer. 5 They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship. 6 Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand. 7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him…
8 May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership. 9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. 10 May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven[a] from their ruined homes.11 May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. 12 May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children. 13 May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation. 14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out…
15 May their sins always remain before the Lord, that he may blot out their name from the earth. 16 For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.17 He loved to pronounce a curse—may it come back on him. He found no pleasure in blessing—may it be far from him. 18 He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil.19 May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him. 20 May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me. (Psalm 109:1-20 NIV).
Although David was a man after God’s own heart, David did not see how the Lord–who eventually come in the flesh as the son of David (Matthew 1:6-17)– would ask and enable his people to love those who were their enemies.
THE LORD GIVES PEOPLE REASON WHY THEY SHOULD LOVE THEIR ENEMIES.
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life (Romans 5:10). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 NKJV).
Our Lord and Savior said, “ just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
YOU CAN LOVE YOUR ENEMIES WITH GOD’S HELP.
Jesus told a person who thought he was their enemy because they worshipped God differently (John 4:9): “the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24). Jesus also said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). And the Son of God says, “love you enemy.”
God gave believers, not only reason for loving their enemies; he also gave them a divine helper to enable them to obey his commands. Jesus said: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17 ESV).
Jesus met a Gentile woman who was rejected by her community, and felt unloved by Jesus because he was Jewish. Jesus showed her loving acceptance. Then he told her: “a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23:24 NIV).
Jesus also said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). And the Son of God says, “love you enemy.”
Your praying with the help of the Holy Spirit reminding you of Christ’s love, you can love you enemies and do all things the Lord commands through Christ who strengthens you with the Spirit (Philippians 4:13)
