Life-Line For Jesus Community Church Created 09/07/02
Lorenzo Nicholson Sr. Wish No Evil Upon Your Enemy
Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
There are at least two kinds of enemies. First, there are those who become our enemies as a result of our actions. 2nd There are those who are enemies without cause. Whatever the case, we must have the right attitude toward them or it will interfere with our relationship with the Lord. The most likely response to our enemies is usually the wrong response. We must always yield to the scriptures and be willing to do what ever God expects of us.
I. Ps 69:4 “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
A. The terms, “hate me without a cause and being mine enemies wrongfully” reveal to us that we don’t have to do anything wrong to have enemies.
B. It is often justified in the eyes of man, though not with God, if one has enemies because he/she has done things to bring about ill feelings.
II. If we wish evil upon our enemies, we are bound by iniquity and will be judged accordingly.
A. Job 31:28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. 29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: 30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
B. If we rejoiced at the failure of our enemies, we get in the way of God’s dealing with them, thus obstructing what he intends to do. It would be double jeopardy if we rejoiced when something went wrong with them and God executed vengeance as well.
1. Pro 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
2. God’s wrath against your enemies is often intended to bring him/her to that place that he would like for them to be in him. God is merciful.
III. God is a very present help when your enemies are in array against you. There is hope for those who seek it.
A. Ps 38:15 For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. 16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. 17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. 18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. 19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. 20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is. 21 Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me. 22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
Conclusion: Bless and curse not, turn the cheek, pray for your enemies, and do good to them who persecute you; these all seem to be timid actions when we are under attack by our enemies but this is what God expects of us. We must do all to the glory of God.
