Four Swords to Slay Your Enemies

Psalm 58

Even from birth the wicked go astray;...
Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
tear out, O Lord, the fangs of the lions!
(Psalm 58:3a,6, NIV)

Have you ever felt this way about someone who has hurt you? Perhaps it was your mate who said something without thinking. Perhaps it was a neighbor who messed up your landscape thinking it was his to till into a garden. Whatever the offense, your natural reaction to these things is anger. You view the other person as an enemy who is out to "get" you.

Anger begins as an emotional response to an external event or an inward thought. In this Psalm, David is appalled at the rulers in the nation Israel. They are liars (v 3b) and pervert justice in their hearts (v2). These wicked rulers have closed their ears to the truth (v.4). His harsh words of judgement at these wicked men must be understood in the light of "righteous indignation". These rulers were oppressing God's chosen nation. Their right to rule was ordained by God but they were perverting any vestige of justice. David is understandably angry about this and asks God to deal with it swiftly and clearly. His motive is clear - in verse 11 he states:

"Then men will say, 'Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth'" (Psalm 58:11, NIV).

While the initial emotion of anger is natural and largely unavoidable, the Child of God must keep in perspective that how he responds, both inwardly and outwardly, is of critical importance. So how do you deal with an enemy who has hurt you? The Bible tells us of the foundation principle for dealing with others: Be kind and compassionate to one another, FORGIVING each other just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32, NIV) Forgiveness is the INWARD response to an enemy. This is your breastplate. This is so important because if this does not happen, anger will eventually spill out. Remember the mouth speaks out of the overflow of the heart. Child of God, you have been given a "spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV). Maintain self-control. Take this anger to the Lord and forgive your enemy from the heart.

How do you slay the enemy? Destruction might seem preferable for some but God's plan always includes redemption. How then can you "redeem" this enemy and turn him around? Practice what the Lord Jesus Christ commanded:

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:27, NIV).

So the four swords to wield AFTER you've put on your breastplate of forgiveness are:

Sword 1: Pray for them (salvation, end to oppressive behavior).

Sword 2: Love them (in ways they can understand. Sometimes this may mean putting a halt to their abusive behavior if possible).

Sword 3: Bless them (another way of saying be genuinely nice to them).

Sword 4: Do good to them (especially without their knowing anything about it).

Our Creator God loves you and wants you to know Him! If you would like to contact this ministry for further information or questions, please send your e-mail to:
Email: ministryrequest1@WordTruth.Com
Web Site: WordTruth.Com

Copyright 1999, Randy Lariscy.