True Spirituality - How to Overcome the Evil Aimed at You, Part 2

The true test of our genuine maturity in Jesus Christ ready, it's how we treat our enemies.

Let me ask you, how are you doing with that person or persons. Maybe it's next May they be as a child.

The boss maybe it's a supervisor I mean the person who betrayed you. How do you deal with that person in a way that honors God and brings about change that's today. Don't miss welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Living on the Edge features the Bible from his daily discipleship program in just a minute ship wraps up a series true spirituality coming of Romans 12 first this message really hits at the heart of what it means to be a genuine returning good for you to join us to share some additional about this message and considering the relevance of this topic you want to stick around here what your best essay will if you have a Bible open it up to Romans chapter 12 let's listen to part two of the trips message how to overcome the evil. Some of you get out of prison today. Some of you been pushing this down. That's why you're depressed some of you eat when you're not hungry. Even pushing the stuff some of you have ulcers and migraines and there's lots of physical causes, but a big part of why our bodies don't work very well and why we do stuff that doesn't make sense and can we set the sanctified quote addictions and knots of sanctified addictions and a lot of it is rooted in this lack of forgiveness and be willing to release these people and you can start that today. The final thing he says in not only do you forgive somebody talk about identification so it's not just for you mentally are doing this I mean this gets like from hard to crazy hard cases rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those we Christians, we usually quote that we think it's how were supposed to treat one another.

You don't need any commands to rejoice with people you love and you don't need any commands to weep with people that you love it of cancer that the context here is this is how we bless or treat our enemies and so your boss who ripped you off. Who did terrible things to you who actually you know stole a couple of your patents to credit for lost another company went public that mega wealthy, rich, and you lost out and you been brewing over this forever or your mate that walked out on you and married some little hottie male or female. And now, as you know on the beach by don't have any money but exist now that is real stuff or not. Right. And then they get cancer or their auto accident you with us as you rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

What would happen if you walk in the hospital room sitting on notes been five years. You can't believe how much I prayed for you. You have to tell them why I want you to know that I've forgiven you for what you've done, but when I heard about this cancer I felt compelled by God to come tell you that Jesus really loves you. Not I would love would you would you allow me to pray for you right now.

Can you imagine them scratching their head or when something good happens to them rejoicing with them, you know, maybe they remarry and they virtue and but they have a kid to have a baby and some happens. You completely forgiven them in your praying for blessing what what if you jotted a note and said, I really I praise God and praying for your family for two years and you know it's so exciting to see this blessing in your life and for some because it hears the disclaimer.

If you are sexually abuse of this person hurt you or did something there some people you can't involved with, but you can send them an anonymous gift because here's what it does. It changes you in before you keep looking at me like this is the craziest stuff you've ever heard.

Isn't this what Jesus did, did Jesus come to a planet and those who were his own did not receive him but rejected him. So we are his enemies.

Paul would call us while we were still his enemies. Christ died for us. Romans 58. Cancel why were his enemies. What did he do.

He went to weddings and rejoice with us. He raised little kids from the dead. If you're hungry. We just need everybody right here for with Lazarus. What he did. He wept see Jesus. Jesus was implying okay when you clean up your act and when everything gets okay then I will love you. He rejoiced with those who were rejoicing and he weep because it is the kindness of God that leads to repentance, people will probably this is so counterintuitive. This is so bizarre when you by his power and his grace choose to do this, something happens in the grace of God works through you in ways for your people start to believe negative.

Jesus is real and so it begins with forgiveness and others identification and I noticed the very last part of verse 16 he says there's an association that you need to be very careful.

He says live in harmony with one another. Do not be probable willing circle that word associate with people of low position and it as though you do not be conceited in a fallen world with evil people, especially those that don't know Christ and are very antagonistic. The apostle Paul St. we need to be.

People don't just cling to our rights in the fray of life. I mean it's a selfish dog eat dog manipulative world lemming welcome to the NFL.

So how does a Christian live that out if possible.

He says live in harmony with one another and then here's what to do when you're blessing your enemies see this if you're not careful it can be like you know what I'm going to do this Java card and visit them in the hospital. Pray for them every day. You know one. I'm sort of this wonderful spiritual amazing person. Loving the scumbag of the world who walk out on me. That's kind of the opposite of do not be conceited. This is this is hard for some of us on a given day. The very thing that that person did to you in a moment of weakness and under pressure you could do that to someone else so we come not as the superiors we come associating with connecting with our humanity. People of low position and were not conceited but it's with humility that we bless them with a sense of, but for the grace of God I would be doing those things to others that doesn't this really just sound like Jesus. Doesn't it just isn't there like a trail being delays that were to follow.

So that's the positive side, bless those in notice who persecute you there. After you second command is a negative one. Don't take your own revenge versus 17 through 20. Don't take your own revenge me. This is the command do not repay evil for evil head and then he's kind of like a fallen world. He says be careful circle that word about it.

Literally it's take thought numeric and standard says respect what it's right in the sight of all men. If possible,*depends on you, live at peace with everyone and he goes on to say just what was I going, don't take your own revenge, but leave room for God's wrath. He's the one who's going to be the judge. He's going to mete out justice. Here's the point.

Personal retaliation is a prohibited response for God's people personal retaliation other words they did evil you you get him back. They did evil you you get him back. They did this to you. You say bad things about.

And if you're Christian and have some experience you can do it in such a passive aggressive ways and had averse to it.

Throw in the prayer request.

It works. Believe me and you disco left-handed like this in your wife, does your real goal is revenge's payback.

Use your power user intellect usually relationships use nuances and you go like this.

One more drink of poison. Please it's going to kill them sooner or later, but it doesn't never pay back evil for evil.

Instead, take thought and consider how people think, respect, and realize that there don't have your values. They're not can act the same way, so don't. The field is not level.

They have there really focused on them.

Sometimes I hear Christians get all upset about non-Christians living like non-Christians guys really greedy. She's so sexually immoral.

I can't believe that I mean he just drain the whole company and all the employees all my so what were we like before Jesus was controlling the interior of our life. Take thought for how people think it will help you live in harmony with them.

Personal retaliation is prohibited for two very important reasons. One, it usurps God's role as judge vengeance is mine. God says look I'm just yes I'm holy I'm compassion I'm slow to anger, but I'm just and the word justice is rooted in the concept. You know the scales of justice. Justice is rooted in a very clear concepts of retribution. Retribution is simply this. When you do evil stuff evil consequences when you do good stuff. Reward every man will get what they deserve. So you just need to say I need to take the ball of judgment handed to God and say I'm tired of trying to figure out all the ways in my anger fantasies in different ways to get back at my boss or my acts or when my kids for the person who abuse me and I'm to put that ball in your hands from now throughout eternity. And I'm going to trust that since you are just that you will do what's right.

I will never get a raw deal, but I'm stepping out. You own it.

God I release it to you. Your fair you're just an either on this side of heaven on the side of after death. The scales will be absolutely and perfectly balanced. You can release that wound and that hurt in your desire for payback casinos. All things he knows all the lies he knows all the circumstances, and you don't and you can give that to him, but there's a lot of us if you demand to be the judge then God doesn't get to be the judge. And when you judge people and you decide you can pay them back. You reap what you sow.

The second reason that personal retaliation is prohibited is because as an effective means of bringing about peace.

I mean look at this passage and how many times it was about oneness in one another and live in harmony. God wants us to live in a very fallen evil will work with people to bring peace we don't cling to our rights and the con employees that people say why we like a hunter them because everyone's you know gossiping in doing this and that what Latin wantonness in the real hassle and analyze these Christians and they make the company's move their loving their selfless they're caring they're not doormats. This isn't peace at any price. They take a stand on principle to take a stand on values you ever run over them, but man there there people of integrity that bring about peace that you want these on your softball team you want them in the city league you want them helping you one in the rec center stuff. They're just good people.

And when they get a little offended.

They are not so insecure that you know there was causing problems.

They can look at people realized in take thought for the guys coming from.

That's not that's not even worth the time probably to pray for him to go home and scream at that nine-year-old for probably five hours because he missed one ground ball were not going to mess with that stuff you make this a great environment to get it. See when you tit for tat evil for evil, evil, for you and your dislike.

It's like there's a little fire brewing is like taken in one of his big fireman hoses instead of water coming out of the filled with gasoline and is what people do they do in their family. They do in their marriage they do with their in-laws to go to work.

They did this I did this really is sitting in some coffee shop just sit in a coffee shop sometime this week. This is sort of wroth to say and listen to other people, you can't help but because are so close is usually trying concentrate and see how many conversations I bet it's in the 80 percentile of when people are talking that they're talking about someone that's not the table about your mom did that and she did that. I can't believe your sister and she did that. You know Bob is a supervisor.

Can you believe they're doing that work right and then I carry this attitude and they poison their own soul. And I would say it's really true of a lot of us impulses don't do that. It's an effective, in fact, he goes to the other extreme, that he says. In fact, if your enemy is hungry, I mean the person is wanted you help him give him some food if they're thirsty, give him a drink. In so doing he burning coals on their head. This picture burning coals is not as I said blows out the brains it's it was in Egyptian ritual in the time ancient near East, if a person in Egypt.

In this culture, realize that they had offended someone, there was an argument and they were wrong then they would build a fire. They take the coals out of the fire and put it in the pan, then it would take a towel and put it underneath the pan and they would put on their head and they would walk to the village symbolizing I'm burning the bad thoughts out of my mind. I was wrong. We would use the word I repent on have a meta Noya. I've had a change of mind see this is what you see happen in Scripture. This is when you do good for people and they know deep in their heart and their psyche that they don't deserve it weight it brings about a shame even in evil people. This is a picture of David and David's running for his life and all is he done his won battles and cared for Saul and cared for the king of Israel, who was Saul, and Saul really went off the deep end he was chasing David is trying to kill another story.

And so he's running running dodging dodging will finally get surrounded and he finds himself in. There's this cave so he and his men are all the way in the back of this cave and it was Saul's gone, surrounded just like Mama guys this is, it were done if they find us and lo and behold Saul comes into the cave in the Bible pretty graphic. He relieves himself that he took a nap afterwards. I don't know exactly how it all happens a text doesn't say. But David's buddies hey Cox delivered this is it nailing. David says seeking to gets this the judge.

I will not touch the Lord's anointed is buddies were sent God's putting right here me.

This is an answer to prayer, knocking out David says no, no, but he gets close to Saul gets out his knife and he cuts a little section off the bottom of his robe Saul leaves the cave goes down peace. There's a ravine gets on the other side of reading David steps out of the mouth of Saul, why what I done, God brought you in this cave and he holds up.

Look at your robe.

I could've killed you, and then he makes this very interesting statement. He says let God be the judge between us. If you are more righteous and I that I accept full responsibility.

May God take me out but what have I ever done see he gave good for evil and very interestingly, Saul begins to weep. It's like in this flash in this moment, he realizes the truth see when people do evil things, they repress it.

Then they go into denial and and there's demonic stuff that happens with people do progressively evil things to where they they don't think they do anything evil and it's addictive and in this moment of grace. All he weeps and he says David you are more righteous than I unfortunately it's a very short repentance and a temporary repentance. Can you imagine if we said you know what God I'm going to forgive so-and-so than you started on the journey of praying for and maybe even anonymously doing something good for them to bless them and even you know, if we pretend to demonize people when I've hurt us decide, you realize that you know they really hurt us all. Everything they do is terrible and everything we do is good, reframe the whole story. Most stories are quite that clear doesn't mean they didn't do something terrible will happen, happen, just where we live if we loved our enemies if we blessed them. If we said God you be the judge.

If we were free will. Here's a supernatural result is good will overcome evil. Now I realize that what I've said so far.

For some of you is are still little bit of a you don't really understand. You can't possibly grasp what I've been through and you know what I don't. But some lessons you learn later in life, and some early in this lesson I learned as a very young Christian in a powerful way that shape my future.

I came to Christ in the summer right after high school I went away to play basketball, Tabasco, scholarship is a freshman and if you could do pretty well.

You can make the traveling team and a guy came in. It was supposed to be a big hero from inner-city New York.

He grew up in the projects he been to Vietnam. He'd been in prison.

Some he was supposed to be this rehabilitated drug addict and drug dealer.

And the reason he came, I played a smaller school.

The reason you came to our school.

I was because his nervous system was, damaged his reflexes were just coming. They want terrible, but they just weren't all that good.

Get a 40 inch vertical leaping was about 6768 when it was others times were I thought mimic that guys going to knock his head on the rim and so something happened in his life. I don't of his Vietnam out of his upbringing but he hated Christians not only he disliked her had he hated Christians and I'm like six months old and the Lord okay I minutes were in basketball season. Now I'm just brand-new and just read my pipe in the morning. I even made it all the way through the New Testament, but I've decided I'm going to you know this is he's my Savior, I'm gonna walk with him and so this guy finds out I'm a Christian and he starts he knew a little bit of the Bible and he would quiz me on that and then it got to discuss humiliation. If you've ever been a locker room. You know what guys talk about all that he like to say my name in a way that sounded like a cuss word. She she can hear it's quick, it's what he talked to me and then it was that I became.

When you're freshman you have to do whatever the older guys so I cut became a slave so is like put my bag on the bus, then I'd come back if you know what I want I want my ship once you out of that. I go back, get this, you and I don't really want that you and he would just mess with me and at the training table and go get me a coca give me a second helping of the and then he would just ridicule at the coach walk out the door like before euros K within the game ordered the skinny little white virgins go to be helpful. You have an Christians are and guys multiply What I just said you get to where we really lived in a hated his guts and so my answer was like my hero is Pete Maravich, as I did all those drills for years and years and years and could handle the ball and so in warm-ups and things behind the back as hard as I could because his reflexes were very good and right through his hands into his face.

You know, and may not be on the break and I'd slam onto my legs.

I want to come right up in the coach would yell at him and you know, no look pass see no assistance is really fun because you have and he was humongous and I hate him so much that I'm honestly I would've done this, like a deer, some of this but it was like it would be like a three seconds moment I'm smarter than that.

I mean feet, so let me finish the story because there's major point where I learned about this passage is a gets real serious coming in from the gym and here is a is a room and across the hall from mine and I just crossed to get the mind and the doors little bit open as all the smoke in a greenish blue smoke coming out of it and when smoking dope and he's in there will if he gets caught even's smoking grass.

He's on probation. He back prison and I don't think about that. I just walked by I got was unlocking my door and I felt this on back of me and he turned me around. He grabbed me underneath the neck and he lifted me up against the wall so I could be up for he is and he got about this close to me said, if you tell anyone what you just saw, I will kill you, and I've killed a lot of people is not that big a deal. Do you understand and am 18 years old. I just came to play basketball in college and I'm scared to death because there was no bluff in the sky and at night I started getting like ulcers in my stomach. I couldn't sleep at night and I had anger fantasies. I have a not mean anger like really bad you know like doing something that you would regret the rest of your life and it dominated my life and I'm I went to Maya.

There's a guy that was making disciples and I was in a Bible study and I just shared the whole story. He said you want help set as you kidding yeah he says will what I'm going to tell you is really hard but I guarantee you work segmental take anything. He grabbed Bible he opened to Romans 12 he read verses 14 to 21 and he explained what I just explained to you and I looked at him like are you on drugs. Bless the sky on a shooting is excessive. You said you you willing is it is not a feeling his choice. So at this table right now you need to forgive as God was to forgive him.

I said I don't think that okay yeah okay I'm sure God really does want to forget it. I just don't and I willfully chose to forgive and as is now you need to bless and so I prayed for him every day and then Jerry for the next four months of our season never had to ask for anything because I got his bags. Your you want this on the bus jury anything else. Jerry need another coke pick up what what can I do for you. Jerry got me.

I'm on here for you when he would go in the shower is always dirty close you to put them into this mesh bag and took all the sweaty stuff game to the trainer took his close folder and put his shoes next to it and say work I just blessed them, and blessed them, and blessed him and blessed him and what he said stuff to me.

I just the grace of God I didn't didn't say anything back. No more behind the back passes. No more, no look passes Jerry good shot after you know like after a month or so is going you try some Christian trick on me. I said no I'm just you know Jesus said that I'm to love everybody. I'm just doing my best. She discussed why like to sell you this is one of the stories where 2 1/2 months.

Then he walked in the locker room meltdown.

Oh Jesus, please forgive me that story and gone there okay because that's not the story two months three months. Nothing changed just ridicule me all the time except one thing about a month into it. I changed my hit was gone. My fear was gone, I got out of prison I actually saw wonder I'm in the sky was brilliant used where the skullcap he was an amazing artist actually got to I could say I wonder what happened to this young man where he came from and where he spent 50 take his shirt off. He had a scar that went from here all the way around to hear. I had no idea what he'd been through and I had no idea how other Christians treated him.

All I know is I got to the point where I actually cared about why I blessed him, pray for them. I did good and when you do that God does something in you. We close the season and we was close to the big tournament in a major city in the Coliseum and all the teams in our conference would, and you play a bunch of games and we were eliminated and not humming to get member. This is like mid 70s and so it's a Jerry and I you know I got on him only 6 foot tall, so I got my platforms and my blue leather jacket my Apple hat and I'm sort of Stratton Jerry. As you know, he's like 67682. He's got his platforms of his fro and his hat so he's like seven to you know it's so this is just the world we live in and it was real windy and I member him. I just, you know those images in your mind. Sometimes member him taking his leather coat because it was windy and put up here.

He turned as she considered yeah he's a dinner there's only two people I respect consulting I've been messing with these guys mind.

They are so punks. He said me because I am evil and I know it and if there's a hell I'm going there and you because I disagree with everything you stand for.

You actually let it and I would never ever want to be a Christian, but if I ever even thought about it, I'd be one like you and I said you know what I'm done with you is no fun to diss you anymore you done kid get out of here. She hears what I want to God once you to love your enemies for your good, for his glory will be right back with this application to overcome the evil aimed from his series true spirituality becoming a Romans 12 Christian this six part series sheds light on how to move your relationship with God. From a performance oriented existence to a loving grace filled life in these messages strip describes the profile of an authentic follower of Jesus, and provides practical steps for how we can get there over those who don't know true spirituality is the core discipleship teaching here at Living on the Edge because of that we have a ton of great resources to help you get plugged in with the series. Whether that's the study guides the DVDs or CDs of chips teaching the book or our free MP3s for limited time. All of these helpful resources are discounted to order your true spirituality resources today by going to LivingontheEdge.org that's LivingontheEdge.org at blisters tapped special offers chip the series.

True spirituality is one of the core series of Living on the Edge know you originally taught it years ago, so it's possible the people of already heard it or read the book word on the small group study and now you just use this material to create your newest daily discipleship. Would you say to someone who's familiar with true spirituality and thinks they've already gotten older going to get out of all day.

That's a really good question because this is very very different. You know, I've listen to great messages and I've actually read a handful of books but I've never sat down with the author and said hey you think we could spend in a 2 1/2 almost 3 weeks together and would you walk with me individually and apply this to my life and could be sort of walk through this in a way where I learn not just what it says but how to put this into practice in my life with my issues and that's what daily discipleship is and is not a Bible study is not me teaching at people, it's me, meeting one-on-one, individually and mentoring people I speak never more than 10 minutes and then I give them 10 minutes with a very clear outline to do some digging on their own and is just for 17 days at the end of that what I see is people develop a habit people walk with God on their own and what I have seen is people learn to go from in to all land because their view of God gets bigger.

They can trust him more life change things that were barriers for years, whether addictions or struggles, relationship issues over and over and over. I watch God melt those away. Dave maybe you could take a minute and what'd you tell them how they can get connected, but strip what were so excited to share with you this new daily discipleship with chip true spirituality based in Romans chapter 12 our heart behind this video series is to really help you dive into God's word and discover how to more intentionally live out your faith for 17 days you and Schiphol walk-through were true spirituality looks like and how you can put these truths into practice. If you're looking for the next step along your faith journey. Let me encourage you to be a part of daily discipleship with chip. True spirituality can sign up for the study right now and when you do will send you our friend Lance Witt's devotional based on Romans 12 called leave ordinary behind at no cost. Sign up now. While this offer lasts by going to LivingontheEdge.org or by calling AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org hapless nurse just up discipleship chip as we wrap up this timeless series.

The application for this message. Overcoming evil with good might be more relevant today than ever before. Share with us what giving good for evil. Looks like in this increasingly hostile society will Dave yes it's one thing to say I was in college and you know I had a really rough time and I learned the principal but the pinnacle of maturity.

I mean, that moment of when it is the supernatural power of the spirit. It is when we are facing evil and instead of retaliating were an agent of healing instead of hostility and I think if there's anything the way the world has changed in the last just few years we as the church need to be not doormats but we have to give good for evil. We have to follow what Jesus commanded us what Paul tells us here and by giving people what they don't deserve in the power the Holy Spirit to bless them to pray for them to actually do good for those that persecute you heard us. That's how injustice get solved. My prayer is that literally tens of thousands of the Living on the Edge family will dig into the series. If not for the first time again. Share it with others do. It is a small group and say we are going to be the kind of people that are just like Jesus.

Father forgive them. They know not what they do and we will do good in his power because good is more powerful than evil. Amen. Let's do it together as we wrap up I want to say thanks to those who make this program possible through your generous financial support. Your gifts help us create programs purchase airtime and develop additional resources to help Christians live like Christians. If you've been blessed by the ministry of Living on the Edge. Would you consider sending a gift today.

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Tap the donate button or donate online at http://livingontheedge.org. Your support is greatly appreciated: selects time for everyone here. This is Dave Drury saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge