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Steps To Loving Our Enemies
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Steps For Loving Our Enemies
1. Know your enemy.
Matt 10:16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Who in your life…?
• Is an adversary or foe?
• Is someone you consider an enemy?
• Hurts you in some way?
• Is using you selfishly?
• Is keeping you from reaching God’s purpose for your life?
• Does not have your best interest at heart?
• Is trying to manipulate your behavior?
• Gossips about you?
• Enables or encourages you to live contrary to God’s word?
2. Examine your own behavior and confess to God and to someone trustworthy.
1 John 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Who do you…?
• Criticize or complain about?
• Try to control or manipulate?
• Try to rescue?
• Gossip about?
• Keep from reaching God’s purpose for their life?
• Deliberately do damage to?
• Enable or encourage to live contrary to God’s word?
• Do you use selfishly?
3. Ask for forgiveness and for God to help you change your behavior and attitude.
Heb 8:12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.
4. Change your behavior. Stop acting like an enemy!
Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
5. Begin doing good to your enemies
Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
5. Love and pray for your enemy
Matt 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
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