Matthew 5:44 says, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you."
This is the verse God brought me to the other day while dealing with a huge situation in our lives right now. I was at a stage of complete frustration with this family. I was so frustrated! We all are! I can't begin to tell you how much grief they have put us through the last 8 weeks or so. Then God brought me to this verse. It's not necessarily a verse I "wanted", but apparently one that I "needed." What God showed me (through the Bible Study I am doing by Lucia M. Claborn), is this...If you know someone hates you, find something good that you can go for them. Do good. Do good to them that hate you. Find something that you can do for them and answer back; however, the best thing to do is to start praying for them. I am believing that as I pray for them, I am actually releasing myself from the bondage the devil has tried to hold us in where they are concerned. Let me tell you, this is not easy! But, through "...the love of God that has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit..." (Romans 5:5), I have to believe that the Lord can help me (us) to do this where they are concerned. I (we) need to refuse to give in to the devil by allowing the least bit of animosity, ill will, or wrong feelings to get to us. This is not easy to do with them! I can assure you. But I have to believe that through Christ, we have to do this, and He will help us succeed!
That's again where we have to hang on to the verse that says, "No weapon formed against us shall prosper..."(Isaiah 54:17). And now to let the Lord's love come through us...It will have to be God's working, and only His, because I personally cannot do it without Him!
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