Loving your enemies seems like a difficult task, but it is possible with the help of God.
The Bible has many verses that talk about loving your enemies and why it is important to do so. Below are some of those verses.
Matthew 5:43-47
“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, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.
For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Luke 6:27-28
But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Psalm 1:1-6
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Matthew 5:8-12
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 7:12
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
Proverbs 16:7
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
Proverbs 24:17
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.
Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Ha’Mashiach Yahusha).
1 John 4:7
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
Exodus 23:5
If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.
Leviticus 19:18
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Let all that you do be done in love.
Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Romans 12:20
To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Acts 7:60
And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Romans 12:14-21
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Final Words on Loving Your Enemies
It can be really tough to love your enemies. It times it seems to go against every fiber of our being. But Jesus (Yahusha) calls us to do it anyway.
And when we step out in faith and obey His command, we will be blessed beyond measure. We will experience the joy of the Lord, and we will be a light in this dark world.
So let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. And let us never forget that our real enemy is not flesh and blood; it is Satan and his demonic forces.
So let us put on the full armor of God and stand firm against the schemes of the devil. And let us always remember that love never fails.
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