Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Romans 5:5 NKJV

 

When you accept Jesus Christ of Nazareth as your Lord and Savior, you are born-again. When you are born-again, the Holy Spirit pours the love of God into your heart and everything changes. You are not the same person that you were before. You are a new creature. You no longer follow the ways of the world, but you now follow the ways of God. You no longer behave like the devil, but you behave like your Father God.

 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35 NIV

 

The demonstration of the love of God that has been poured out in your hearts by the Holy Spirit is proof that you are Jesus’ disciples. When you love people they know that Jesus is your Lord.

“But I say to you who are listening now to Me: [in order to heed, make it a practice to] love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred.  Luke 6:27 Amp

 

Jesus speaks to those who are listening to Him. Unfortunately, not all Christians actually listen to Jesus or do what He tells them to do. It is very important that you listen to Jesus and that you do what He tells you to do. He tells you to make it a practice to love your enemies. No one in the world loves their enemies – they hate their enemies – but for Christians, loving their enemies should be a normal thing that they do! Not only are you to love your enemies, but the Lord also asks you to act nobly toward those who detest you and pursue you with hatred, to do good to them and to treat them well. This kind of behavior is foreign to the world, but it should be normal for the children of God.

Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you, implore God’s blessing (favor) upon those who abuse you [who revile, reproach, disparage, and high-handedly misuse you].  Luke 6:28 Amp

 

When people curse you, revile you, blame you, accuse you, belittle you, and high-handedly misuse you, Jesus tells you to invoke blessings upon them, pray for their happiness and beg God to favor them. This will definitely take them by surprise!

To the one who strikes you the jaw or cheek, offer the other jaw or cheek also; and from him who takes away your outer garment, do not withhold your undergarment as well. 30 Give away to everyone who begs of you [who is in want of necessities], and from him who takes away from you your goods, do not demand or require them back again. 31 And as you would like and desire that men would do to you, do exactly so to them.  Luke 6:29-31 Amp

 

When people attack you, you do not fight back. When they ask for things, you give it to them, when they take things away from you, you do not ask for them back. You know that God is your protector and your source of supply. You know that whatever you give away without grudging, will be given back to you again and some. You know that as you generously walk in love toward people, you are showing them the heart of God and you know that God can take this opportunity to reach them and to snatch them from the devil’s kingdom. Treat everybody – even people you don’t like and who don’t like you – exactly as you would like to be treated.

 

If you [merely] love those who love you, what quality of credit and thanks is that to you? For even the [very] sinners love their lovers (those who love them). 33 And if you are kind and good and do favors to and benefit those who are kind and good and do favors to and benefit you, what quality of credit and thanks is that to you? For even the preeminently sinful do the same.   34 And if you lend money at interest to those from whom you hope to receive, what quality of credit and thanks is that to you? Even notorious sinners lend money at interest to sinners, so as to recover as much again.  Luke 6:32-34 Amp

 

If you only love those who love you, and if you are only kind and good and do favors to those who are kind and good to you, and if you lend money at interest to those from whom you hope to receive, then what quality of credit and thanks is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them, are kind to those who are kind to them and lend to those who can repay them. When you love your enemies, are kind to them and lend hoping for nothing in return, then you show yourself to be of a different spirit than them and you become a light and an example to them.

 

We need to see the big picture – it is not just about us and our feelings – it is about reaching sinners by showing them the Spirit of Christ that is in us. We are God’s instruments – we are gloves on His hands! When we walk in love, we exalt Jesus, when we lift Jesus up – men will be drawn to Him and the devil will be defeated in their lives and in ours!