The Path You Are On is Not Going to End Well Dealing With Enemies

The Path You Are On is Not Going to End Well

Dealing With Enemies

      

 

Jesus did not convert all His enemies

There were many who did not receive His love but, many did!!!

Proverbs 16:7 is there to remind us to please the Lord by loving our enemies

Who knows your efforts to save rather than condemn

Will cause your enemies to be at peace with you

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  

You and I are called a son by our Father in Heaven

He may be sending you like He did His Son Jesus, to lay down your life

 

 

Dealing With Enemies

 

When we read Proverbs 16:7

we need to take a deeper look.

 

When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord,

he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

 

Jesus did only what pleased the Father in heaven

and in the end…

 

 His enemies did not live at peace with Him.

 

Does this mean Proverbs 16:7 is invalid?

 

Not at all!!!

 

You and I were enemies of Christ and now,

live at peace with Him.

Colossians 1:21

 

Once you were alienated from God

and were enemies in your minds

because of your evil behavior.

Colossians 1:21

 

For if, when we were God's enemies,

we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son

 Romans 5:10

 

What changed us?

 

What caused us to live at peace with the Lord?

 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

 

It was the demonstration of LOVE.

 

John 3:16 says…

 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son

 

What if John 3:17 was reversed instead of saying…

 

For God did not send his Son

into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him.

 

What if you removed the words “did not”

 leaving the meaning God sent His Son

to condemn the world?

 

Thank God He sent His Son to show us love

in order to work toward peace.

 

Jesus never compromised the truth.

 

Jesus did not ignore sin to have peace.

 

Jesus demonstrated love but…

 

 At the same time condemned sin.

 

Jesus made a way for us to escape.

 2 Peter 1:4  

 

Jesus tells us to also love our enemies

and do good to those who hate you.

 

Matthew 5:43-48…

 

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 sons 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 brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

Luke 6:27-36…

 

27 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.   34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

 

The Old Testament also tells us

to love our enemies.

 

Proverbs 24:17…

 

Do not gloat when your enemy falls

 

Proverbs 25:21-22…

 

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;

if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,

and the Lord will reward you.

 

Jesus did not convert all His enemies.

 

 There were many who did not

receive His love but,,,

 

 Many did!!!

 

Proverbs 16:7 is there to remind us…

 

 To please the Lord by loving our enemies.

 

Who knows your efforts to save rather than condemn

will cause your enemies to be at peace with you.

 

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  

 

You are called a son by your Father in Heaven.

 

 He may be sending you

like He did His Son Jesus…

 

To lay down your life.

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Proverbs 16:7 NIV

 

7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord,

he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.