All too often we find ourselves in situations where we want to get back at someone because they did this or that to us. More than a lot of us want to take those measures one or more steps worse than what they did. After all, we need to teach them a lesson, right? Ok then, a lesson to whose standards?
What is an enemy?
The word enemy can be defined as a person who hates someone and antagonizes or contributes in malicious behavior towards that person for the simple reason of that hate, whatever the basis for it may be. Biblically speaking, the word enemy is used to represent either a person or a nation that is hostile to another or in direct opposition to another. The question is, why would we want to pray for someone that essentially hates us?
Our natural reactions to enemies
Everyone has had these experiences, people coming against you in school or work perhaps for no reason at all. Maybe it’s a neighbor that attempts to irritate you anytime they see you. Whatever the case may be, you may not have any idea why they feel that way, they just do. The first thing is to consider if there is anything you may have done. If in fact you did do something that caused someone else to think or act maliciously toward you, try to apologize and come to some kind of terms with them. Be a grown up and repent for whatever it was that happened and work it out with them.
What are some of our natural reactions towards people who call themselves or act as though they are our enemies? Simply put, we would hate them back. Normally we would get caught up in whatever moment and ‘give them reason’ to hate us or take actions which end up making the situations worse.
Results of our natural reactions
Whatever it is they are doing to you, you do back to them and sometimes more. We have all seen it, friendships torn apart, families split up, all because of misunderstandings or pride, or both. This especially applies to the social enemies we may encounter – those that would hate simply because of where someone comes from, looks like, believes, et cetera. It is so easy to get caught up in back and forth arguing, snide remarks or actions, or retaliations all because we want to ‘teach them a lesson’ or something. After all, an eye for an eye, right? No.
The instruction
Jesus, well aware of the traditions of the ancient Israelites and even the world as a whole, gave us the way to handle this in the sermon on the mount:
Matthew 5:43-45 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy’. But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.
Luke 6:27-28 – “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those that curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
The difference between physical and spiritual
Wait, what? We are supposed to let them win and make us look like the losers? Not exactly. It must be remembered that we are spiritual beings living in a physical world. Though our bodies are subject to the effects of this world, it is our spirits that live eternal:
Ecclesiastes 12:7 – and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the life’s breath returns to God who gave it.
Luke 12:20 – But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
Our spirits are eternal, and our lives are not even our own to begin with – each life is given to us by God. As such, as sin is the enemy of God, sin is the enemy of us, yet we are subjected to it in our flesh. This is a spiritual battle, not physical, and therefore to prevail is to do it on God’s terms and not our own.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 – for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.
Why we need to see it spiritually
We are meant to be above what the expectations are of the world. Typically, family looks after family, friends look after friends, and so forth. What benefit is it, what sacrifice is there in doing what is obvious and expected? Nothing at all. If anything, it just falsely convinces us that we are allegedly good people and we can go about doing life as we see fit, for ourselves – self-justification. This is not what God’s Word teaches us at all.
Luke 6:32-36 – ”If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
These are spiritual matters
In the Deuteronomy chapter 32, God tells his people “Vengeance is mine”. Also, in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul writes that the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons. What can these mean then? It means these are spiritual matters, ones that our not ours to fight. It may be hard to accept this, but think about it. When we try and get back at someone, all it does is escalate to potentially something far worse. The only remedy is to put it in God’s hands. We do this by humbling ourselves and praying for those that did what they did.
Paul writes to the Romans,
Rom 12:17-21 – Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the LORD. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The battle belongs to God
Paul is saying here that doing good to your enemies is like heaping coals on his head. That sounds great! If I do good to my enemies, it is like burning them! Not really. Coals are representative of the heat and fire it takes to purify or refine something.
Isaiah 6:6-7 – But then one of the seraph flew toward me. In his hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven.”
When we pray for them, that is what is happening, God begins to work in them to repent. This becomes between them and God, as Paul and Timothy write to the Philippians, “working out your own salvation with awe and reverence”. Our job is to continue to pray giving both the battle and glory of victory to Him.
Some takeaways here. If we have wronged someone or consider ourselves an enemy to someone else, repent and make it right with them. In the case of those who go against you, pray for them. Jesus instructs in Mark 11:25, “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your sins.” The trials are there to build your endurance first of all, and it gives you an opportunity to act in faith that you are trusting in God to handle the spiritual matters as well as moving God to work with them that they might become humble and repent themselves. – this will be fully pleasing to God.
The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® https://netbible.com copyright ©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
