This study was first taught on June 2, 2010

Topic: Relating With The Enemy

No audio available for this study.

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Background
Last week, we saw that God is not just interested in us being extensions of His heart and hands, but that we would, in effect, be His ‘alter ego’ here on earth. This, we saw to be possible only if we have the nature of God which is encapsulated in His love for all of mankind.

We saw that it is God’s will that we love our enemies. We are therefore, expected to bless those who curse us; do good to those who hate us; and, pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us. This is what God does, and is still doing every day, every hour, every moment, and everywhere.

We saw that we have, over time, imbibed unscriptural principles for living, and must replace them with the standards of God, if we are to be children of God indeed. Hence, we are no longer to seek vendetta for wrong done to us; neither repay evil for evil; nor have hatred for our enemies. ‘Holy wars’ are unscriptural, as we are not to compel people to accept God; rather, we persuade men to come to God by overcoming evil with good.

We saw that our neighbour is essentially any human being who inhabits the earth with us. These are they whom God expects us to show His nature of love to, regardless of whether they show us kindness or not. Indeed, love is not just the nature of God, but it is God personified. And by love, we mean, ‘agape’ or charity, which is love that does not respond on the basis of what others have done for you, but that does things for the benefit of all, regardless of their response. This kind of love is what truly makes us the children of God, for it is of God, and is shed abroad in our hearts by His Spirit which is in us. And this is how we manifest God in the world.

Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 5:43-47
Another look at our scripture text reveals that we are to be tolerant of all men through the love of God. This does not, however, mean that Christians do not have enemies. Indeed, Christians do have enemies: people who hate them just because they are of God (Proverbs 16:7; John 15:18-19). This notwithstanding, we are to love them with the love of God. That said, we must understand that Christians have an enemy that cannot and should not be loved; instead, this enemy is to be fought to the very end!
The Christian’s enemy is, in reality, not the human beings who we see, and who may indeed hate us, persecute us, and even kill us; but the unseen spirit being who is at work in the life of these human beings (Ephesians 2:2).
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; Revelation 12:7-13; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Matthew 13:4, 19; Job 1 & 2; Luke 22:1-6; Genesis 3:1ff; Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; James 1:13-15; Galatians 5:17; 19-21; Romans 8:5-8; James 4:4; 1 John 3:8; Ephesians 4:21-31; Colossians 3:4-17; Galatians 5:16, 22-25; 2:20.

Conclusion
The enemy of every one who believes in the Lord Jesus is the devil. In fact, he is the enemy of all human beings, as he does not mean well for anyone. His goal is always ultimately to destroy everything that God does (John 10:10). He seeks to get God’s people to rebel against God, by motivating them to act contrary to God’s will.

In many ways, and through the centuries, he has met with success, largely because of the cooperation he has enjoyed with the old human nature, which is sinful through and through. If the believer in Jesus Christ is going to be able to live as a child of God, and manifest the glory of God, he must of necessity mortify (not suppress, but crush) the old human nature, and manifest (not just say it, but really show and demonstrate) the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4).

It is important that every born again child of God recognizes that the devil is not his friend, and can never be; because he (the devil) is God’s sworn and eternal enemy. Hence, whilst we are to be kind to our human enemies, who really are influenced by the devil, we are to relentlessly resist the devil and his demonic horde.

If we are to be successful in our warfare against the devil, we must put off the old nature (the sinful nature), his long-time ally; put on the whole armour of God at all times for our protection; put on the new nature (the divine nature) which is soaked in holiness and power; use only divinely prescribed weapons which the carnal mind cannot comprehend; and, take orders from the Holy Spirit (and the word of God).

May the Lord help us not to live like children of the devil (John 8:42-47; 1 Corinthians 2:12-14), but as children of God (Ephesians 5:8-9)!

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