What To Do With Your Enemy
Griffith Baptist Church – 8/10/08
P.M. Service
Text: Psalm 41
Main Verse: Psalms 41:11 - By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
The Introduction
1. Confession of the Afflicted – 41:1-4
2. Characteristics of an Enemy – 41:5-9
3. Consolation of the Favored – 41:10-13
A reporter was interviewing an old man on his 100th birthday. “What are you most proud of?” he asked.
“Well, “ said the man, “I don’t have an enemy in the world.”
“What a beautiful thought! How inspirational!” said the reporter.
“Yep,” added the centenarian, “I outlived every last one of them.”
Well, we may not live long enough to outlive our enemies, but two things are certain:
1. We will have enemies, and,
2. God wants us to deal with them in a certain way.
Well, focusing on our Psalm, it has a dual role
First, this is a messianic Psalm, and when you read it closely, you will see it’s parallels
(particularly verse 9 and it’s reference to Judas)
Second, what it has to say concerning those who seem to be against us, treat us badly, or are
just all out mean and nasty.
Transition Statement: First, let’s take a look at some of the things that our enemies do.
1. What Enemies Do – 41:5-8
A. They look forward to you falling and wait eagerly for it – 5
i. They cannot wait to see you trip up
ii. We all make mistakes and friends know that.
iii. Friends seek to:
a. Understand your weaknesses
b. Overlook your faults
c. Be honest with you to help you when needed – Proverbs 27:5-6 – 5Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
d. Restore you
B. They fake friendship so they can gather information to use against you – 6
i. Being fake is an attempt to deceive, to be something your not, hypocrisy - Did you hear about the guy that bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Christmas? A friend of his said, "I thought she wanted one of those sporty 4-Wheel drive vehicles." "She did," he replied. "But where am I gonna find a fake Jeep?"
ii. Watch out for those who normally aren’t your friend and than suddenly are
iii. They have many characteristics:
a. Flattery
b. Smile
c. Asking a lot of questions, sometimes personal, that they never asked before
d. Trying to steer a conversation toward something that could be used against you
iv. They are listening carefully, as they did to Christ, to try and have a cause for accusation - Luke 11:53-54 – 53And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54Laying wait for him, (used of snares that catch birds) and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
v. They build up your ego with the intent to see you fall - Luke 20:20-23 – 20And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 21And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: 22Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? 23But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?
vi. Paul even felt this among those who called themselves Christians and friends - 2 Corinthians 11:26 - In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
C. They find friends to gossip about you and hurt you – 7
i. A man once wrote, I overheard my mother passing along to my father a newsy tidbit, concerning a neighbor. "You know you shouldn’t repeat stories about others," I said with mock seriousness. "That makes you a gossip." "I’m not a gossip!" she snapped back. "I’m a news analyst."
a. There are too many “news analysts” today, especially in the church
b. Too many people talking instead of being busy for God
ii. The key phrase here is that “together” they whisper
iii. It is a team effort, even if there are only two
iv. Someone once said, it isn’t gossip if the only one you tell is yourself
v. Look at what others have said about gossip:
a. Gossip is the most deadly microbe. It has neither legs nor wings. It is composed entirely of tales, and most of them have stings. Morris Mandel in Bits and Pieces, June, 1990, p. 22
b. Will Rogers - "The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them."
c. Josiah Gilbert Holland - "Gossip is always a personal confession either of malice or imbecility."
d. Antoine Rivarol - "Of every ten persons who talk about you, nine will say something bad, and the tenth will say something good in a bad way."
vi. Proverbs 20:19 - He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
vii. Remember, those of you who engage in gossip, you will most likely be the next target of your partner.
viii. This type of talk:
a. Is designed to hurt you and make them feel better about themselves
b. Gives strength to their idleness, for apart from each other, they are weak and silly people.
D. They formulate falsehood about you – 8
i. When you live for Christ, it is much harder to find the dirt in your life
ii. These people are forced to mark every mistake you make until they have something that will stick
iii. When they can’t find anything, they:
a. Look for a weakness to exploit (maybe a failing you are trying to make better in your life)
b. Make a small mistake bigger than it really is (a mountain out of a molehill)
c. Invent a problem out of guesswork and conspiracy (scheming)
• By the way, this involves lying and deceptive tactics
Transition Statement: Well, we see how the enemy is, but how should we respond? Abraham Lincoln was once being criticized for his attitude towards his enemies. "Why do you try to make friends with them?” a colleague asked. "You should try to destroy them." Am I not destroying my enemies." the President asked gently, "when I make them my friends?"
2. How Christians Respond – Matt.5:43-44
A. Forgive
i. There was a mother that was trying to calm her daughter down and she said, “Now, Sarah, your brother said he was sorry he broke your doll so I hope that you’ll forgive him.” “All right, “ Sarah said magnanimously, “but I’d feel more like forgiving him if I could swat him one first.”
a. That’s how we feel sometimes
b. But that’s not how God works
ii. Notice that in Scripture, forgiveness does not always require that the offending person ask to be forgiven
iii. This is part of the Christian code of conduct - Ephesians 4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. (Matthew 18:21-35)
iv. We make the conscious choice to forgive
v. We decide that it is the right thing to do, and with God’s help we do it
vi. You might say, I can’t:
a. That is a lie. You can and you must for the sake of Christ and your own soul
b. “Oh, you just don’t understand what they have done to me. I can’t. . . .”
c. Hogwash. There are no excuses in the body of Christ.
vii. Do you know why?
a. 1 John 4:4 – Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
b. Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
c. Why? Because there is no power greater than the power that lives in you, who is Christ!
B. Love
i. An elderly man on the beach found a magic lamp. He picked it up and a genie appeared. "Because you have freed me," the genie said, "I will grant you a wish." The man thought for a moment and then responded, "My brother and I had a fight 30 years ago and he hasn’t spoken to me since. I wish that he’ll finally forgive me." There was a thunderclap, and the genie declared, "Your wish has been granted. You know," the genie continued, "most men would have asked for wealth or fame. But you only wanted the love of your brother. Is it because you are old and dying?" "No way!" the man cried. "But my brother is, and he’s worth about $60 million."
ii. Our motive for love ought to be better than that, because we can and we should.
iii. Love is the greatest gift.
iv. In our text in Matthew it says, love your enemies
v. It does not get much plainer than that.
vi. Yes, this is godly love, only available from God
vii. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - 4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
C. Bless
i. The word “bless” means to “speak well of” (see also Rom. 12:14)
ii. Find things nice to say about them
iii. Everyone has something that you can find that is a good characteristic, even if you have to look hard.
iv. This will accomplish four things:
a. It will bring glory to God
b. It will confuse your enemy
c. It will do your heart good
d. It will induce God to bless you as he promised - 1 Peter 3:9 - Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
D. Do Good
i. Do good to them that hate you
a. Sometimes that is easier said than done, but it is doable
b. God expects us to live for the best and to do the best
c. Leave the rest to Him (Rom. 12:19)
ii. Romans 12:20-21 – 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
iii. Think about this:
a. Rarely, if ever, does getting even ever teach someone a lesson
b. Rather than learn a lesson, their hatred deepens and they get sneakier
c. When we do good to those who hate us, we give no fuel to their hatred
d. We also show the love of Christ, which is our first duty
iv. This act of dealing with your enemy by doing good requires:
a. A reliance on the Holy Spirit’s strength
b. Patience
c. Humility
E. Pray
i. A little girl was being punished by eating alone in the corner of the dining room. The family paid no attention to her until they heard her pray: “I thank Thee, Lord, for preparing a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”
ii. Pray for them which despitefully use you
iii. Prayer is the key to all of life for the Christian.
a. It is also essential if we are to win the battle with those who have made themselves our enemies
b. Our battle is unseen, invisible – Ephesians 6:12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood . . .
iv. Praying for your enemies takes grace and dignity
v. What kind of things are we praying for?:
a. Reconciliation
b. Grace
c. Patience
d. Wisdom
Conclusion:
God wants us to treat our enemies different.
There is a certain difference in the Christian life that gives witness to the change God makes in us at salvation.
How do you treat those that might unfortunately be considered your enemies?
