Love over Hate

Call to Prayer 

Title: Love over Hate

 By: Dorcas Enim Enyan

 Date: 28.05.2021

 “You have heard that it was said,”Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But l tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Matthew 5:43-44

I believe we are all in a way familiar with this phrase “haters gonna hate”. According to the Urban dictionary this phrase is usually used as a comeback at a person who expresses an opinion that the user of the phrase disagrees with and or feels personally offended by, often for completely irrational reasons. Another definition of this phrase is simply, haters are always going to find a way to try and hate on you. A hater in this context we can conclude based on the descriptions above is an enemy.  

 l used to be a victim of this phrase when l had newly accepted Christ as my Lord and saviour. Though I grew up in Christian household, l had not understood the exchange that took place in my inner man when l allowed Jesus into my life. This transaction of “New life” we received when we declared with mouth and believe with our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead is way beyond just receiving a New life: in this “New Life” is eternity, meaning when Christ appears we will also appear with Him in glory (Col 3:4). This New Life we received is a divine replacement of our old self which was crucified with Christ so we may not be slave to sin but unto righteousness. This death experience was to sin and the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:19).

 In our scriptural verse for today, Jesus is re-presenting to us the law of old not to abolish it but to bring it to fulfilment when he said you have heard it was said, “Love your neighbour and hate your enemies. But l tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. As believers though we might have enemies who are against us, we are commanded to be for them by praying for them. Our focus as believers shouldn’t be our enemies but on spreading the love of God to all. There is one scripture l discovered in the bible that changed my whole perceptive of an enemy which is in Proverbs 16:7,” When you please the Lord, he will make your enemies into friends. Hallelujah.

Many feel irritated by the word enemy so automatically thinking about it causes them to express hate instead of love. Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry had people (enemies) who were against everything he did on earth. This was the case because He was led by the Spirit of God. The bible says in John 16:8,” When He (the Holy Spirit) comes He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgement”. As we walk by the Spirit, we submit to God by obeying His commandments. The Spirit we have received will cause us to love even when it’s not convenient or against our will. 

Let’s not join in with the world in spreading hate but let’s dominate this dark world by shinning our lights and pouring back out the love we receive from the Holy Spirit into the world. 

Prayer Point:

 Let’s thank God for His word today. Lets pray that God should help the entire body to spread His love and grant us the grace to pray for our enemies. AMEN. 

Please let’s share today’s Call to Prayer with the link below:

Love over Hate