LOVE your enemies!

[afaithfulone4u]

Do you know who your enemy is? No, it is not only Satan. Believe it or not, Satan is a buffeter for our good.
God uses him to try us as gold and silver through temptations that we must learn to overcome for our own sakes. For God can not use ones who are led of their fleshly nature, only those who are led of the Spirit learn how to be brought through the trials and tribulations, training us up with patience and endurance to be able to STAND firmly on God's Word like Jesus did when the Spirit led him into his wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matt 4:1-4
4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
KJV

The enemy that I am talking about is the one probably standing next to you or in your house, your work place or at the grocery store. Jesus said our enemies are our own family. See until one is born again, they are really serving Satan, being his child, having his words and devilish spirit of rebellion in them. We believe that we are to provide for the ungodly, but this is not true. If we provide funds to the ungodly, they use it to promote the devil and their unclean desires. Our job is to bring the sWORD against them. That is right, we must counter attack their thinking and doing with the Word of God which is the sWord of the Spirit. They are not going to like it because the are anti-Christ, hating the Word with a passion. But the SEED/Word may find some good soil in the heart of one of them so we must always sow the Seed all around. When we see our children or anyone who is walking in darkness by lying, cheating, stealing, fornication, adultery etc... we must be the salt of the earth and speak up by bringing the LIGHT of God's Word into that dark deed to hopefully release the captive to sin, free so that they are no longer in bondage to live in that sinful lifestyle any more.
If you are invited to the functions of the worldly and loved by all, chances are you are walking in step with them and since you are, you are not a threat to their evil deeds and just as guilty of them. We are sent to be a Light shining on the darkness to REVEAL their evils deeds, not join them and cover for them.
Even your own family and children must be sacrificed for God, just as Abraham was Isaac. I don't mean literal sacrifice to kill them physically, but to kill them fleshly to SAVE THEM. When we make excuses for our children to carry out evil or cover it up, we are destroying them. This does not mean we are to call the authorities as the fleshly man does that teaches no one, but to talk to them using God's Word and help them to see the Light if possible. Physical punishment is always God's last choice. If you love your family then Jesus said to give them the truth, THY WORD OH LORD IS TRUTH and is THE LOVE OF GOD. Love your enemy's by FREELY giving them the Word to prosper their soul.

Matt 10:32-40
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
KJV

 

[justaname]

Nice!

 

[7angels]

Do you know who your enemy is? No, it is not only Satan. Believe it or not, Satan is a buffeter for our good.
God uses him to try us as gold and silver through temptations that we must learn to overcome for our own sakes. For God can not use ones who are led of their fleshly nature, only those who are led of the Spirit learn how to be brought through the trials and tribulations, training us up with patience and endurance to be able to STAND firmly on God's Word like Jesus did when the Spirit led him into his wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matt 4:1-4
4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
KJV

The enemy that I am talking about is the one probably standing next to you or in your house, your work place or at the grocery store. Jesus said our enemies are our own family. See until one is born again, they are really serving Satan, being his child, having his words and devilish spirit of rebellion in them. We believe that we are to provide for the ungodly, but this is not true. If we provide funds to the ungodly, they use it to promote the devil and their unclean desires. Our job is to bring the sWORD against them. That is right, we must counter attack their thinking and doing with the Word of God which is the sWord of the Spirit. They are not going to like it because the are anti-Christ, hating the Word with a passion. But the SEED/Word may find some good soil in the heart of one of them so we must always sow the Seed all around. When we see our children or anyone who is walking in darkness by lying, cheating, stealing, fornication, adultery etc... we must be the salt of the earth and speak up by bringing the LIGHT of God's Word into that dark deed to hopefully release the captive to sin, free so that they are no longer in bondage to live in that sinful lifestyle any more.
If you are invited to the functions of the worldly and loved by all, chances are you are walking in step with them and since you are, you are not a threat to their evil deeds and just as guilty of them. We are sent to be a Light shining on the darkness to REVEAL their evils deeds, not join them and cover for them.
Even your own family and children must be sacrificed for God, just as Abraham was Isaac. I don't mean literal sacrifice to kill them physically, but to kill them fleshly to SAVE THEM. When we make excuses for our children to carry out evil or cover it up, we are destroying them. This does not mean we are to call the authorities as the fleshly man does that teaches no one, but to talk to them using God's Word and help them to see the Light if possible. Physical punishment is always God's last choice. If you love your family then Jesus said to give them the truth, THY WORD OH LORD IS TRUTH and is THE LOVE OF GOD. Love your enemy's by FREELY giving them the Word to prosper their soul.

Matt 10:32-40
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
KJV

what you say makes a lot of sense in the worldly way. but scripturally speaking you are not speaking 100% truth. the Word tells us who we are fighting against. the Word teaches the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. the Word teaches that we are not at war with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. we need to quit adding things to scripture like God uses satan to try us. that is unscriptural also because the Word teaches that God cannot be tempted and thus will not tempt another. so God did not send satan for our good. we need to quit assuming what the bible teaches and find scripture to back up our points and according to scripture there will be at least 2 or more scripture to support every point. if there is contradiction within scripture then we need to stop and focus because God does not contradict himself so that means the misunderstanding is on our part and not on God's part.

if we love on people instead of preach God to people you will find that people respond better. i for one don't like it when people shove things down my throat when finesse works so much better if we just have the patience.

God bless

btw i saw your scriptures that were posted below your paragraph about how Satan is good for us. those scriptures do not teach that satan is good for us.

 

[aspen]

Our true enemies are false images we have of our neighbors. Jesus tells us to tear down those images we have of each other and love instead. Racism is a good example of what I am taking about. It is common for racist people to make exceptions for people they know personally.
Jesus told the Jewish people he was speaking with to hate their parents which means reject the traditions of you parent and follow christ. Jesus was claiming to be the fulfillment of the law not an advocate for hating your parents!
As soon as we stop trusting our own judgment of good and evil we will be able to trust Christ completely, stop eating from the tree, and devote our lives to following Christ by loving one another.

 

[afaithfulone4u]

what you say makes a lot of sense in the worldly way. but scripturally speaking you are not speaking 100% truth. the Word tells us who we are fighting against. the Word teaches the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. the Word teaches that we are not at war with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. we need to quit adding things to scripture like God uses satan to try us. that is unscriptural also because the Word teaches that God cannot be tempted and thus will not tempt another. so God did not send satan for our good. we need to quit assuming what the bible teaches and find scripture to back up our points and according to scripture there will be at least 2 or more scripture to support every point. if there is contradiction within scripture then we need to stop and focus because God does not contradict himself so that means the misunderstanding is on our part and not on God's part.

if we love on people instead of preach God to people you will find that people respond better. i for one don't like it when people shove things down my throat when finesse works so much better if we just have the patience.

God bless


btw i saw your scriptures that were posted below your paragraph about how Satan is good for us. those scriptures do not teach that satan is good for us.

This is true, Satan tempts us to sin so that he can steal your blessings, kill you and your family and destroy the earth by corrupting man. But God allows this because we reap what so ever we sow.
We do not wrestle against the person as in flesh and blood to harm them, we fight in the spirit with the sWord of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We harm no man, but the unclean spirit they are of is OUR ENEMY. They are anti-Christ, meaning they are opposed to the Word.
If you don't believe that Satan is used to get us in line to test and try us and that God allows it just take a look at SCRIPTURE Proof below.
The only way that we can rest in God is when we have overcome the lusts of our flesh and can stop struggling with the Word. Jacob wrestled with the Word all night long until he blessed Jacob.... if you have ears to hear what that is saying.

And as for us speaking SMOOOTH things as not to offend the ungodly and so that they don't feel that we are craming the GOOD NEWS down their throat. I give you:
Matt 10:14-15
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
KJV

Judg 9:23
23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
KJV
1 Sam 16:14-16
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
KJV
Job 1:6-12
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
KJV
Job 2:4-6
4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
KJV
Ps 109:6
6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
KJV
Matt 4:1
4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
KJV
Luke 22:31-32
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
KJV
1 Cor 5:4-7
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
KJV
2 Cor 12:7-10
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
KJV
1 Tim 1:18-20
18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme
KJV

And it is for our OWN GOOD that Satan is sent, for it brings man unto repentance to save their souls!!

God Bless you!

 

[forrestcupp]

First of all, the word Satan means adversary. And the word "adversary" means enemy. So it's just ignorant to say that Satan isn't our enemy. But it would be taking the scriptures out of context to say that when Jesus said to love our enemies, He meant we should love Satan.

I think sometimes you majorly overthink things. Jesus wasn't acting as a philosopher speaking deep, confusing things to other philosophers to show off how wise He was. He was speaking to simple men, trying to teach them how to live. What He meant was just what He said. When people treat you bad, treat them back with love. That's all there is to it.

Plus, you seem to be focusing on the "enemy" part a lot, and not giving anything at all to the "love" part of what Jesus said.

 

[justaname]

I would say all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. In reference to Satan, I he is still under the authority of God, being God is sovereign over all things. God uses Satan for His own purposes (cf. Job 1:6-12 also 1Corinthians 5:5)

I don't think the OP is implying that Satan is not our enemy, because he truly is, rather that Satan is used by God for God's purposes.