Episode 113

TODAY’S READING:

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

Matthew 5:44

 

Love your enemies…. sounds pretty hard, right?

 

How can you pray for your enemies without knowing who they are? So let’s identify our enemy?

 

Society will tell you that your enemy is your opposite. Society will tell you that if you are a democrat, your enemies are republicans and vice versa. Society will also tell you that if you are Christian, your enemy is people of other religions. Society has convinced us that different races and sexual orientations are all enemies.

 

I like to think that God is the most creative being in this Universe. No one can outdo God’s worst because we will always fall short. He created the skies and the heavens. He made the plants and the animals, yet humanity was His favorite creation.

 

All of us are unique. We all have different views. Different interests. Different habits. We like different foods; we love different kinds of movies. Some of us can sing, others of us can play sports. Some of us have the ability to learn and retain several languages. Others of us have a deep sense of empathy, and some of us run on logic.

 

We are all different, and that is the beauty of God’s creation.

 

Your enemy is not the person who is your opposite. What a boring life to be surrounded by 100 people just like you. You would have no one to learn from or grow from.

 

Start identifying your true enemy. It’s the spirit of comparison. The spirit of jealously. The spirit of insecurity. It hides, and it blends. It makes you fear what you do not know. He makes you think people are out to get you.

 

The worst one in the spirit of miscommunication. How many fights have you had with those absolutely closest to you all because you misunderstood what they said. You only get a partial image and not the full story. Never forget that you have two eyes. You can not see what is directly behind you when you are looking straight ahead. Take that as an image of what this world looks like. You can’t see God’s full picture.

 

When you identify what is truly attacking you, pray for that feeling to leave. Bring yourself back to the presence of Jesus and remind yourself that it was never about that person who triggered those emotions. It was always about the enemy’s schemes to keep you distracted by all the glory God has for you.

 

PRAYER

Father God, we pray that when we feel prosecuted or when we feel as if others are out to get us, we are reminded that this war isn’t against flesh and blood but against evil spirits in heavenly places. We pray that the spirit of comparison, jealously, or insecurity leave us immediately. We pray for those who prosecute us. We understand they are fighting their own demons, and we pray they are comforted by your love. Jesus, this world needs a lot of people willing to look at the brokenness and declare your holiness. Jesus, we want to be those people. Help us today and every day. It is in your Holy name that we pray, Amen!