Me, you, and your enemy

Me, you, and your enemy

Philippians 1:25 “And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with all for your furtherance and joy of faith.”


“Having this confidence” – Having the assurance of Christ’s love for all. His love for me, you, and your enemy. That though all have persecuted Him, we can have that assurance. Me, you, and your enemy have persecuted Jesus Christ. And each time we directly disobey God, its persecution towards Jesus Christ. Its saying by Jesus dying on the cross and paying His life for our sins isn’t good enough. We need to have the assurance and confidence that Jesus Christ died not only for our sins, but for mine, yours, and your enemy’s.

“Shall abide and continue with you.” Stop and think for a moment about what the word abide means. It means closer than close, more intimate than intimate. Inseparable…unbreakable…that whatever comes to mind, whatever persecution, whatever trial comes to play, you will be there and He will be there. Think now of the worst thing that someone ever said to you or the worst thing that someone ever did to you. Do you have that picture in your head? Are all the nasty words and evil looks coming into your mind? Are all the actions being remembered?

Now think about this…
Christ’s love. There is a period after that two-word sentence for a reason. A period means stop, discontinue, no more. There should be no more words after that. Christ’s love…
Christ’s love…

His undying, unwavering, and consistent love for us is so amazing. That no matter what we do or say to Him He is so consistent with us. He wraps His loving arms around us for every ill word spoken to us. He draws us close to His chest when someone blows us off or rolls their eyes at you. He comforts us in our time of need and loves us with a love that we can never express back to Him.
Now what I was attempting to do was to change your thinking. To go from anger, resentment, bitterness, and contempt to peace, assurance, comfort, love, and joy. When we can have that confidence of Christ’s love for us we are able to abide in Him. That though there will be distractions, there will be conflicts and trials; we can rest in the assurance of His love for us. That we will “continue with Him.”

“furthermore and joy of faith” – We have seen so far to have the assurance of Christ’s love, how we are to abide and now this all leads to the “furthermore and joy of faith.” That whatever you are doing that is good unto God’s eyes is a way to further the love of Christ. You are showing yourself, me and your enemy’s that you will not let them tear you down. That you will have Christ-like love, joy and faith, and I don’t mean to show them as if you are trying to get them back but because of your love for Christ you will show love. “A kind word turns away wrath and seeps burning goals on the enemy’s head” (paraphrased) We may not see someone feeling guilty or ashamed for what they did, but God sees. Think about that for a moment.
God sees….
God sees …. What else matters? It doesn’t matter who notices what and who thinks whatever. God sees all that is going on and He will give just punishment to those who deserve it. And that doesn’t mean just what people are doing to you, but what are you doing and saying about other people in response? So think now about whatever situation you are in and ask yourself this question. What is the best way for me to further my love and joy of Christ?


Here are some more verses that I read as well this morning that can encourage you...

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." I Phillipians 1:27

"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake" I Phillipians 1:29

" Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:3-4