“ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Mathew 5:44-48
As you are determined to fulfill the great commission and share the love of Jesus with others, do not be surprised when persecution comes. Many people can have this idea that if they are a good and kind person that others will like them and be kind in return. However, the scriptures show that at times just the opposite can happen. When Jesus went about fulfilling His calling, healing the sick, raising the dead, preaching the good news of the kingdom, there were many that received him with joy. However, there were many that hated Him without cause and even plotted to kill Him. Other times believers think that if they just try to fit in with those around them, then everything will go well. However, this doesn’t work either. When you are born again, you are marked. The enemy recognizes you. You don’t fit in no matter how hard you try, and others may react badly to you just because of the anointing of God that is in you, which disturbs them.
John 3:17-19-20: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
What do you do when you encounter people who are determined to hate on you no matter what? You choose to obey the commandment of love. The key that God uses through us to win others to Him is our love walk. Therefore, the enemy is constantly trying to get us off our love walk and in the flesh. In addition, the scriptures say faith works by love. The worst threat to the devil’s program, are believers in Christ who know how to love and how to forgive. 1 Peter 4:6 says: “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” When we choose to love and forgive, we will overlook an offence. We won’t be easily provoked. We will think no evil about a person. We will assume the best. If someone is rude to us or unkind, we will choose to think the best about them. We will pray for them and talk kindly to them. As we do this, not only does it get that person’s attention and sow a seed in their lives, but those watching take notice. You are now suddenly doing things very differently than the world does. The world’s way of doing things is to return evil for evil. If someone says something insulting, people want to have a quick and witty retort that is a far better insult. That is the flesh at work. Movies and TV shows constantly reinforce the world’s way of doing things.
The world’s way of doing things is very evident. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21
As representatives of Christ in the earth, in order to be a bold witness for Jesus, we need to make sure we are not operating in the works of the flesh. The enemy wants to drag us into strife, gossip, bitterness, wrath and discord because then we look just like the world and people can’t see the difference between us. In addition, it affects our faith walk because faith works by love. However, when we allow the fruits of the spirit to rise up and take over in our lives, then we can truly show the world the difference between their way and God’s way and our faith will be effective.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25
Jesus was clear that we would be persecuted because we believe in Him. It’s how we handle that persecution that makes the difference. Others understand when you love those who love you because this is how the world operates. However, to love those who hate you is a bold witness for Christ. This takes people off guard and they don’t know how to respond to it. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love never fails. 1 John says that God is love. God doesn’t just love, He actually is love. God never fails; love never fails.
Therefore when you are being treated unfairly, when people are speaking evil about you, gossiping or any other behavior that is unkind, our job is to pray for them and respond in love. As Romans 12:17-21 says: “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore 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. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Then as you do, latch onto the promises of God which tell you no weapon formed against you shall prosper and any that gather against you shall fall. Find those promises that talk about how God will protect you and keep you from being put to shame. Know that when you walk in love you can not lose. When you fight the battle God’s way, you will always win. Put on your armor of light and fight the good fight of faith!
Romans 13:12
“The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
Galatians 6:9-10
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
Galatians 5:16-26
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Proverbs 25:21-22
“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink. For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.”
John 13:34-35
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
1 John 4:20-21
“ If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
John 15:17-27
“These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”
Isaiah 41:10-13 & 18-20
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”
“I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.”
Isaiah 54:13-17
“ And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”
Isaiah 54:4
“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame…”
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
For further reading see Psalm 37, 1 John and 1 Corinthians 13
