Bethany Community Church November 26, 2017
Destroying Enemies ByTurning Them Into Friends
Review
Week 1: An “enemy” is someone who has personal enmity towards me – or me towards them – or both. When it comes to dealing with enemies, there are lies that live in the stories inside my head.
Week 2: Confessing our sins to one another can spark a powerful cycle yielding deeper connections and greater spiritual passion. Refusing to confess leads to a cycle of loneliness and spiritual apathy.
- The hard heart (pride, fear, unwilling to change) … yields loneliness … and being disconnected from others leads to disconnection with God.
- The soft heart (humble, courageous, teachable) … yields connection with others … and deeper fellowship with God as well.
Week 3: God knows and reveals to us the true condition of our hearts. He also commands and empowers us to encourage the hearts of those we love.
Series text:
Romans 12:17–21 (NIV84)
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
To “destroy” an enemy and turn them again into a friend …
1. We entrust God with our demand for justice.
Romans 12:17, 19 (NIV84)
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. … 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV84)
32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
2. We engage from a place of humility and repentance.
Romans 12:3 (NIV84)
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Matthew 7:1–5 (NIV84)
1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
3. We engage with grace and truth.
Romans 12:20–21 (NIV84)
20On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Hebrews 3:12–13 (NIV84)
12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Matthew 18:15–17 (NIV84)
15“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
Ephesians 4:15–16 (NIV84)
15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Summary:
When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.
-Oswald Chambers
Questions for reflection:
- Has God placed an enemy on my heart right now?
- How is God leading me to share both grace and truth with her/ him?
- Am I willing to obey Him and do it?
Next Week:Series conclusion: When you’re tired of the fight …