Destroying Your Enemies God's Way
"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" – Matthew 5:43-44
Abraham Lincoln was once criticized during the Civil War for being too kind to his enemies. One advisor told him, “Mr. President, you should destroy your enemies.” Lincoln paused and then replied, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” That answer wasn’t just clever. It was a glimpse into something deeper, something that reflects the very heart of what Jesus calls us to do.
Jesus told His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. He was not speaking in theory. He was describing what life in the Kingdom of God looks like. In a world that is quick to cut off, cancel, and clap back, Jesus says love them anyway. He is not calling us to what is easy. He is calling us to what is holy.
The love Jesus describes here is not emotional. It is not about liking someone. It is about choosing to act in a way that honors God, even when someone does not deserve it. It is about responding to insult with grace, meeting hate with prayer, and exchanging revenge for peace. That kind of response is not natural. It is spiritual. And it is only possible when your heart is fully surrendered to Him.
Jesus lived this kind of love. While being mocked, He stayed silent. While being beaten, He did not fight back. And while being crucified, He prayed for the ones who nailed Him to the cross. This is the love that changes the world. This is the love that can change your enemy into your friend.
Think about the people who have hurt you or wronged you. Think about those who have opposed you. Jesus is not asking you to let them continue to harm you, but He is asking you to lay down bitterness, to pray for their soul, and to leave the outcome in His hands. That is how love wins. That is how you destroy your enemies in a way that honors the One who destroyed death itself.
Abraham Lincoln was once criticized during the Civil War for being too kind to his enemies. One advisor told him, “Mr. President, you should destroy your enemies.” Lincoln paused and then replied, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” That answer wasn’t just clever. It was a glimpse into something deeper, something that reflects the very heart of what Jesus calls us to do.
Jesus told His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. He was not speaking in theory. He was describing what life in the Kingdom of God looks like. In a world that is quick to cut off, cancel, and clap back, Jesus says love them anyway. He is not calling us to what is easy. He is calling us to what is holy.
The love Jesus describes here is not emotional. It is not about liking someone. It is about choosing to act in a way that honors God, even when someone does not deserve it. It is about responding to insult with grace, meeting hate with prayer, and exchanging revenge for peace. That kind of response is not natural. It is spiritual. And it is only possible when your heart is fully surrendered to Him.
Jesus lived this kind of love. While being mocked, He stayed silent. While being beaten, He did not fight back. And while being crucified, He prayed for the ones who nailed Him to the cross. This is the love that changes the world. This is the love that can change your enemy into your friend.
Think about the people who have hurt you or wronged you. Think about those who have opposed you. Jesus is not asking you to let them continue to harm you, but He is asking you to lay down bitterness, to pray for their soul, and to leave the outcome in His hands. That is how love wins. That is how you destroy your enemies in a way that honors the One who destroyed death itself.
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