“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44.

I once heard a saying that goes “What other people say about you is none of your business!” Just think about it, when we get caught up in the conversations that others may or may not have about us, especially those things that are negative that can so cruelly seek to undermine us…we willingly release our peace of mind to the attacker and give them a small victory-it is just a natural reaction to retaliate in kind, but my friends…the love of God that lives within every born again believer teaches us to love and do good to all men-not some-not the ones we choose, but all men!“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44

We are commanded to walk contrary to evil and do good…living in peace, unity and love. “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9. 

Certainly loving those who hurt, abuse or despitefully use us is not an easy feat…so you just may be asking . . . how do we humble ourselves in obedience to the word of God- it is by releasing our wills to allow the power of God’s love and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit to rest, rule and abide within us. John 15:4 states: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

With God all things are possible, and without Him we can do absolutely nothing- remember the words of Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.” It is our part to embrace that which the Holy Spirit empowers us with: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23. And of all these-love is the crowning grace!

So, the next time someone “leaks” something negative that they have heard about you-or choose to unfairly dismiss you or ill-treat you for whatever reason-rejoice in the fact that you are a beloved child of God, and as such must choose to walk in love and do good- being careful to remember that we fight not against flesh and blood, but that old devil and arch enemy of our souls- it is his will to unrattled our hope, peace, and trust in the Lord; but we are more than conquerors through Christ that loves us! “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39. 

So keep your eyes on Jesus, because love covered us all one afternoon on the cross and washed away all of our sins . . . “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8.

May the love of God and the sweet communion of the Holy Spirit, rest, rule and abide with us all!

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