Me & My Enemies

To love our enemies is not an easy thing, especially when you think about all the details involved, like all the reasons behind the hatred. Even when we want to love them out of desire to obey God's command, memories and thoughts stand in the way. Jesus gives us the way to accomplish it. He tells us to fix our eyes on our Heavenly Father and allow His holiness to transform us into the likeness of His perfect image. I love my enemies, because I love God, not only because God has commanded me to do so. God's love makes us perfect in love, and this is a work of grace and not of works, so that no one can boast, but all praise and glory may be attributed to the Heavenly Father, who is Holy and unlike any other god (Eph 2:8-10).

Every challenge in life, should take us back to the cross, where we encountered unconditional love and acceptance, where our rebellious selves met a loving and forgiving God and Father (Lk 23:34). Not only that, but way more even, we met a gracious Father, a Father of grace!

Sincerity requires that we be honest and truthful with our selves. If we are truly forgiven, redeemed and seated in the heavenlies with Christ, then we owe it to God, to ourselves, to the people around us and to our enemies to forgive and to be gracious to them. Again, this is work of grace, a supernatural manifestation of God's love through the loving new heart of the believer, a heart restored to perfection, a healed and perfected that heart beats in sync with the heart of the Father, who loved us when we were still sinners (Rom 5:8).

As believers, we are invited to go through a transformation on our journey of faith, to learn from our Father, through the work of the Holy Spirit. We call this grace. A power that works in us, which is above any human effort, a power which is introduced through an encounter of total surrender, awe, amazement and faith. This grace manifests in each believer through different gifts. Although to love others may be the same result or objective, but the way it is done may differ, according to the supernatural gift or grace of each believer.

The apostle John encourages every believer to rely and learn from his/ her own anointing, meaning the power of the Holy Spirit which is manifested through the different gifts we have received (1 John 2:20,27). Our gift and our anointing teach us to love. However, this doesn't happen overnight. Although this grace is entirely ours, but the learning process from our part takes time, depending on how much, and how fiercely we engage ourselves in this process.

The apostle Paul reminds Timothy to stir up the gift of God, which he had received when Paul laid his hands on him (2 Tim 1:6).

To love our enemies is an art of war, above and beyond any natural kind. To love our enemies is the defeat of fear and the perfection in love (1 John 4:18). After describing how he was a chief among sinners and how exceedingly abundant was God's grace upon his life (1 Tim 1:14), the Apostle Paul commands Timothy, his protege, to "wage the good warfare, according to the prophecies previously made" concerning him (1 Tim 1:18).

To activate the gifts of the Holy Spirit starts with love and should always serve love. Otherwise, we no longer abide in Him.

"The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him." (1 John 2:27)

Therefore, to love our enemies is a learning process. If we ever refuse to engage in it, then we have rejected God's love altogether: His love for us and His gifts or grace for us. The love of God and the grace of the Holy Spirit are inseparable.

"We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command:Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." (1 John 4:19-21)

When we read Jesus' words through the lens of the truth, we see how His command was no burden at all, but the ultimate expression of love towards us, because when He commanded us to love our enemies, He also commanded our enemies to love us with His love, when we were still enemies of God, and His command to love our enemies is really a grace and a gift. He gave us the supernatural ability to love unconditionally, not only by mere words, but by His empowering Spirit, who works miracles in us. When He commanded us to love our enemies, He proposed to us, He invited us to His supper, to His sufferings, and to His banquet, to share in His glory! He invited us to a perfect communion with the perfect Father, who is forever praised and glorified!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children 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. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt 5:43-48)

Being a member of a persecuted church, I have had the privilege to face this challenge continuously. I thank God for the opportunity and the gift. I bless my enemies, wholeheartedly and sincerely: I love you in Christ. I know how valuable you are, because I was once where you are now and didn't know my worth and acted out of fear in everything I did, bur God, who is rich in mercy, was gracious towards me. He changed my heart and now I can see how valuable I am and how rich is His mercy and grace for all mankind, each and every individual separately and all together collectively. I bless you in the name of Jesus. I declare the Father's perfect love on you and your families.