How to Have Victory With an Unloving Person?
Thanks for joining the Need-Hope.com podcast. What’s your first reaction when someone hurts you? In this episode, we talk about the Lord's instruction to overcome evil with good. So how do we have victory with an unloving person? You can listen to this podcast episode by clicking: How to Have Victory With an Unloving Person?
Thanks for joining me at Need Hope.
I’m Chris Gray. And I’m so glad you’re here.
Where do you find HOPE?
Today, I’d like to share with you how to have victory with an unloving person, someone who has hurt you. Stay tuned...
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First, let’s listen to Romans 12 verses 19 through 21. I pray God speaks to our hearts:
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Friend, what’s your first reaction when someone hurts you? I bet you don’t feel like loving them.
As followers of the Lord Jesus, we are instructed by God to overcome evil with good.
But what is evil? Anything that’s unloving is evil. We are to do good and love the unloving.
I’d like to share with you this amazing testimony of love towards someone acting evil.
This story is used with permission from The Voice of the Martyrs. Get a free subscription to their wonderful magazine at persecution.com/subscribe.
The story begins with Sheikh Semere. From the time he was born, he was taught to hate Christians. As he grew, he wanted to persecute and kill Christians. When he became a sheikh, it was his greatest priority.
Sheikh Semere traveled to villages, hunting Christians. Once there, he learned the names of the local Christians and burned their homes. In one night, Semere burned five homes and two churches. He thought it to be a highly successful trip.
As they burned a Christian woman’s home, Semere dragged her out and beat her. With his rage and anger hot like fire, he broke her arm. Suffering severe pain, the woman cried in agony. Yet she refused to curse or yell at him.
Then, something happened that changed Semere’s life. Lying on the ground looking up at him, this woman said through her tears, “God bless, you, my brother.”
Sheikh Semere stepped back, stunned, and shocked. Within hours, the words had ripped his heart apart.
Over the next two nights, he cried, confused about his new feelings. During dreams, Semere encountered Jesus. The force of God—the true God—is unstoppable. Soon, Semere turned away from his faith and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.
He quickly told his fellow Muslim leaders of his decision to follow Jesus. Since he was a valued leader with authority, the men cried.
Two days later, Sheikh Abu Salam led a group of men to Semere’s home and burned it down. Semere, his wife and ten children barely escaped. That evil deed caused Semere’s wife and children to follow Christ. His wife said, “From today on, we will die for Jesus.”
After being clothed, housed, and discipled by Christians, Semere returned to his Muslim village unafraid. He started building a church directly between two mosques. Because of this, more than 120 people came to know Christ.
But the story isn’t over because Sheikh Abu Salam, the angry man who had burned Semere’s home, was still there. After seeing this devastating turn of events, Sheikh Abu Salam picked up his torches and weapons and… put them away for good. He too, placed his faith in Christ. Incredibly, he and Semere now study the Bible together.
Recently, Semere said, “I know that the way of Jesus is not easy, and it will bring persecution, but I’m so happy to live and to die for Christ.”
Wow, what a testimony! This is a prime example of loving the unloving. Love brought about victory and new followers in Christ.
But you might find it hard to imagine doing what Semere or the beaten woman with the broken arm did.
You might even question why God would command us to respond in love to someone acting unloving toward us? Because this is how God reaches us. God loved us first when we were unloving towards Him.
He sent His Son down to earth to die for the punishment of our sins—to save those who repent and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. If you want more information on being saved, our website is Need-Hope.com.
Now that you know why, you might ask how can I love someone acting evil, unloving. As a follower of Jesus, we can say “no” to our unloving desires so we can say “yes” to God. Then God will enable us to love everyone, including the unloving.
But let me be clear: If someone’s unloving actions could lead to the bodily harm of you or your children, you need to separate immediately and pray for them. That’s the most loving thing you can do.
Now friend, let me ask: Who are you avoiding because they don’t make you feel loved? Does the devil tempt you to repay evil with evil? Resist the devil by choosing to submit to God. The Lord will give you grace to respond victoriously with His love in words and deeds towards the unloving.
So which will you choose? Love or evil? Forgiveness or bitterness? God’s will or your own will?
Let’s be sure to remember Semere and the persecuted Church. Let’s pray for them and all of us to be controlled by Christ’s love.
Until next time, Look to Jesus.
And look to God’s Word for guaranteed HOPE.
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Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.