Hey all: How do I learn to love my enemies?

[enoob57]

Then pray God for me that he'll not take his Holy Spirit from and me, and that he may strengthen me with his spirit.

 

 

 

 Meditate upon this verse as reference to anything God ceasing in you which He has began-

Phil 1:3-8

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making

request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete

it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have

you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the

gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long

for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

NKJV

Love, Steven

[truth10]

 

How do I learn to love my enemies?

 

 

You start off by treating people the way you want to be treated. Love your neighbor as yourself.

 

Don't put people into categories. Treat each individual as an equal. They're no better than you and you're no better than them. 

 

If at all possible, put the needs and wants of others ahead of your own. 

 

If your enemy is a nonbeliever, cut'em some slack, the only thing that distinguishes you from them is your belief in God.

 

Loving your neighbor as yourself is the first step in getting along with your enemies.

 

The thing is. Whenever I am around my enemies, I fill up wit anxiety, and it's tormentuous to even make eye contact with them.

[nebula]

How do you overcome the anxiety you feel when you're around them?

 

The best thing to do? Turn to the Scriptures that deal with such. Repeat them every day as a prayer until they become infused into your spirit and you are walking in the Lord's peace.

 

Here's a compilation:

 

http://www.unlockingthebible.org/bible-verses-about-worry-and-how-to-overcome-anxiety/

[truth10]

 

How do you overcome the anxiety you feel when you're around them?

 

The best thing to do? Turn to the Scriptures that deal with such. Repeat them every day as a prayer until they become infused into your spirit and you are walking in the Lord's peace.

 

Here's a compilation:

 

http://www.unlockingthebible.org/bible-verses-about-worry-and-how-to-overcome-anxiety/

 

Thanks.

[nebula]

You are welcome!

[rebbell]

aren't you so thankful when we were enemies to the cross that Jesus loved us anyway...

 

Love them as Jesus loved you. No greater love has a man than he that will lay down his life for his friends.

 

Fear not what man can do to you, once he has killed there is nothing more he can do. Fear HIM, once he has killed has the power to cast into hell,

 

Your life is not about you. It should be about Jesus. You have been bought with the price of innocent blood. They have been bought with the same price, same blood. If you want victory over them start speaking victory when you have to see them. As we live, move, and breath; we do so unto God.

 

God bless you

[truth10]

aren't you so thankful when we were enemies to the cross that Jesus loved us anyway...

 

Love them as Jesus loved you. No greater love has a man than he that will lay down his life for his friends.

 

Fear not what man can do to you, once he has killed there is nothing more he can do. Fear HIM, once he has killed has the power to cast into hell,

 

Your life is not about you. It should be about Jesus. You have been bought with the price of innocent blood. They have been bought with the same price, same blood. If you want victory over them start speaking victory when you have to see them. As we live, move, and breath; we do so unto God.

 

God bless you

Oh dear sister. Please remember me in your prayers. I have no contact with fellow believers (other than this one person which I converted), therefore It's quite a struggle for me not to go back to the world. Please pray to God for me so that he can better my circumstances.

[truth10]

Also, what do you do when you're willing to love your enemies, but you feel a debilitating surge of negative emotions come upon. So strongly that it's hard to make eye contact with person because of fear, anxiety etc... Tbh, I don't hate people, I might get slightly angry, but believe me, anger is not what I want to feel. I want to LOVE.

[Guest]

Forgiveness isn't my problem. I can and do forgive people, but it's feeling love towards them. I want to know how to feel real love towards them.

It is easier to do that you think, once you understand the nature of love. If you are wanting to feel love for them, you might be on the wrong track, or at least not the most effective track. Those feelings may or may not come. However, the kind of love we are commanded to do, is not a feeling, it is an action.

 

You do not have to have good feeling toward a person, to be kind to them, to offer help to them, to do good to them. Love is seeking the well being of others. This is something we can choose to do by an act of the will, and while feeling love for a person, makes acting kindly easier, you can hate a person, and act in love. If you can across the person you disliked the most in the world, and they were drowning is a swimming pool, would you not help them anyway?

 

 43“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47“If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

You do not need to feel it, to do it, just do it.

[truth10]

 

Forgiveness isn't my problem. I can and do forgive people, but it's feeling love towards them. I want to know how to feel real love towards them.

It is easier to do that you think, once you understand the nature of love. If you are wanting to feel love for them, you might be on the wrong track, or at least not the most effective track. Those feelings may or may not come. However, the kind of love we are commanded to do, is not a feeling, it is an action.

 

You do not have to have good feeling toward a person, to be kind to them, to offer help to them, to do good to them. Love is seeking the well being of others. This is something we can choose to do by an act of the will, and while feeling love for a person, makes acting kindly easier, you can hate a person, and act in love. If you can across the person you disliked the most in the world, and they were drowning is a swimming pool, would you not help them anyway?

 

 43“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47“If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

You do not need to feel it, to do it, just do it.

 

Thanks. That sounds easier, but still, how do I overcome my fear (wanting to avoid them)? It's very difficult for me to even make eye contact with them. Pray for me please.