ON LOVING AND PRAYING FOR ENEMIES

Dearly Beloved, ON LOVING AND PRAYING FOR ENEMIES “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45 NKJV). Jesus Christ says that you should love your enemies and pray for them! This may sound strange, but that is the gospel truth laid down by Jesus Christ. There is no other interpretation that can be given to it. It is one of the seemingly difficult teachings of Jesus Christ for an ordinary natural person. However, for a person that has totally yielded himself to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, it is not difficult to do. An ordinary natural person would ask: “How can one love and pray for one’s enemies?” In the Old Testament and other human teachings and practices, it is “an eye for an eye”, and hatred for anyone who hates another person (see Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:19-21). It is called the law of retaliation. However, Jesus Christ reinterpreted the law by saying that one should demonstrate love toward one’s enemy by doing good to them. One of such goodness to the enemy is to wish the enemy well. There is this injunction as taught also by other writers of the New Testament (see Romans 12:19-21; 1 Peter 3:9). It is one of the attributes of God who despite the hostility of humankinds to Him on most occasions still demonstrates His love to them and continue to care for them. If God can love humankinds irrespective of what they are doing or not doing to Him, a Christian who is a child of God should resemble his/her heaven Father in loving even his enemies. Jesus Christ did not only teach this principle, He also demonstrated it on the cross as He prayed for people that crucified Him and others that were making jest of Him (see Luke 23:34). Stephen, when he was been stoned to death, also did similar thing as he was about to die (see Acts 7:60). Every human being (even those that are dead already) has enemies and those that do not wish them well. As a child of God, to resemble your heaven Father, it is your responsibility to love these enemies and pray for them. Let God vindicate you and handle the enemies in His own way. Love your enemies and pray for those who maltreat you. In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). Prayer Point: Pray for the grace to always love your enemies and pray for those who maltreat you.