Matt.D Posted July 10, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 2 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 10 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 12 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/05/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted July 10, 2019 Today I want to talk to you about an important factor in the Body of Christ. What can you do when your enemy strikes? There was a time in my life when my enemies would throw me down, and I’d stay down. I would lie my way out of it, throw a tantrum or simply let myself be beat down. Through Christ I have learned to get back up each time I fall. Proverbs 27:5 states that “Open rebuke is better than secret love.” That verse applies even to this day, if you’re ever feeling like you can’t get back up; from loving them too much to say anything, remember that verse. Begin rebuking the wicked deeds of your enemies… not in hate, but in love for them. What do I mean by that? God knows who you are, but he loves you too much to leave you that way. Love them in a way that lets them know you can’t leave them that way. When I was growing up, the people I believed were my friends would always hurt me, and the people I never knew would shower me with love. Proverbs 27:6 brings light to this occurrence. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of the enemy are multiplied. As a teenager I wouldn’t know up from down, I was falling away from Christ and the more kisses I received the more likely I was to begin walking down the path most followed. What I’m saying here is, when you begin drifting away from Christ, those who are against Him will shower you with praise and joy to keep you away. What can you do when this happens? It’s a revolving door, it swings back around to open rebuke. Do not secretly love them and join them simply because you feel it’s wrong to rebuke your enemies. I read once that if you judge, you will be judged. Openly rebuking people is judging them, yes. So be prepared for them to strike you. And this leads another scripture: Matthew 5:38-40. Which states that if your enemy strikes you, give him more to strike. And if he asks something of you, give him it and more. For example, if someone is stealing and you tell him not because it’s wrong; it can go one of two ways, he’ll listen or he’ll strike. He may turn on you and judge you in return, give him more to judge you on, tell him why you believe it’s wrong. If he doesn’t listen, he will strike again, give him more and more until he listens or asks something of you. When he asks, give him what he wants, only more. For example, your enemy asks you to give him suggestions on how he can turn away from his life. Give him exactly what he asked for, stay at home, work a job, find a hobby… but give him more, give him scripture as well. I will bring up one last scripture before I end this topic, Matthew 5:43-45 where Jesus tells us to love our enemies. Remember that love is not accepting their evil deeds, it’s knowing that they can turn from it and helping them in their journey away from sin. He loves us too much to leave us this way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.D Posted July 10, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 2 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 10 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 12 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/05/2019 Status: Offline Author Share Posted July 10, 2019 When you do this, openly rebuke them. People begin turning from enemy into friend. They will wound you, but fear not. Give them more to wound and they will listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplejeff Posted July 10, 2019 Group: Mars Hill Followers: 12 Topic Count: 12 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 7,689 Content Per Day: 2.39 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 20 Joined: 06/30/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted July 10, 2019 8 minutes ago, Matt.D said: Remember that love is not accepting their evil deeds, it’s knowing that they can turn from it and helping them in their journey away from sin. He loves us too much to leave us this way. Very true. Never accept the evil deeds (or words/ posts) even if everyone else seems to. Always say and do what God Says to say and to do, as Jesus directed in Scripture, for ALL disciples, for ALL followers of Jesus with eternal life in view. 4 minutes ago, Matt.D said: When you do this, openly rebuke them. People begin turning from enemy into friend. They will wound you, but fear not. Give them more to wound and they will listen. Yes, open rebuke is better than false, fake, or hidden love. Friend of foe, when directed by Jesus. Faithful are the wounds (hard words, rebuke, chastisement in line with God's Word) ... BUT they might not listen. We cannot control others, if they will listen or not. Most reject Jesus, remember ? If ANYONE could make them listen, Jesus could, but He did not. So also, we do not. We cannot make people listen. (especially on an anonymous forum) Yet those who follow Jesus will listen. Those seeking the truth from God will listen, when the truth is spoken/posted. That is a sure test for some, as disclosed in God's Word..... those who are with God will listen , those who are not will not..... and God won't force anyone to change ..... free will is so important to God..... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.D Posted July 11, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 2 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 10 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 12 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/05/2019 Status: Offline Author Share Posted July 11, 2019 You're right, jeff. Thank you for your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BibleStudent100 Posted July 11, 2019 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 407 Content Per Day: 0.20 Reputation: 345 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/01/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted July 11, 2019 As mentioned in previous replies, it is always best to look for friends from within God's congregation. I always try to distinguish between "friends" and "acquaintances." I work with acquaintances at work and I have them as neighbors too; but my true friends are always found in the congregation. After all, even though Jesus Christ was friendly toward people in general, but in choosing close friends, Jesus was selective. He said to his faithful apostles: “You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you.” (John 15:14) Jesus chose such friends from among those who loyally followed him and who served God wholeheartedly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted July 12, 2019 Group: Royal Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 29 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,239 Content Per Day: 0.86 Reputation: 1,686 Days Won: 6 Joined: 12/26/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted July 12, 2019 On 7/10/2019 at 5:03 PM, simplejeff said: Very true. Never accept the evil deeds (or words/ posts) even if everyone else seems to. Always say and do what God Says to say and to do, as Jesus directed in Scripture, for ALL disciples, for ALL followers of Jesus with eternal life in view. Yes, open rebuke is better than false, fake, or hidden love. Friend of foe, when directed by Jesus. Faithful are the wounds (hard words, rebuke, chastisement in line with God's Word) ... BUT they might not listen. We cannot control others, if they will listen or not. Most reject Jesus, remember ? If ANYONE could make them listen, Jesus could, but He did not. So also, we do not. We cannot make people listen. (especially on an anonymous forum) Yet those who follow Jesus will listen. Those seeking the truth from God will listen, when the truth is spoken/posted. That is a sure test for some, as disclosed in God's Word..... those who are with God will listen , those who are not will not..... and God won't force anyone to change ..... free will is so important to God..... Boy, this is so true Jeff. When I try to appeal so a “so called brother in Christ” through the word and they completely dismiss the word and me, I’m walking away thinking......I wonder if they truly love the Lord or Are they merely content with fire insurance. Of course, they could also be a wayward believer who has walked away for the time being. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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