Instructions for Interactions - Don’t Avenge, Overcome with Good (Daily Devotional)

Hello and welcome, we are so glad that you could join us on Living Supernaturally, the daily devotional of All People’s church. We have been studying this whole week on God’s instructions for interpersonal interaction and today, we are going to look at Romans chapter 12, verses 19 to 21 and this is what it says, ‘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.’ These verses are pretty radical, just like some of the sayings of the Lord and at the first reading, we see that is tough. At times when we think of certain situations in our own life where we could apply it then we know the difficulty of it. Now, when we encounter these instructions, the word of God instructs us to do this not because it is impossible but because it is possible because of the empowering of the Holy Spirit. God walks with us and is with us in all kinds of situations to empower us with His wisdom, to release the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control. He releases that, brings that to fruition in our lives which is why this kind of instruction to follow through, to obey and to apply it is possible. Even as we study this, let’s say this within ourselves- it is possible. Verse 19 says, ‘do not avenge.’ There could be many opportunities to avenge and to take vengeance. But the Lord says, that is my responsibility. So, let’s not do what is God’s responsibility and have no part in which God says He will take care of. So, we joyfully and faithfully put that in God’s hands. Then it says, if your enemy - someone who doesn’t wish you well, someone who isn’t there to do anything good for you, if your enemy is thirsty or hungry, give him food and drink. If that person who doesn’t think highly of you and wish you well, doesn’t want good things to happen in your life, if that person has a very basic need like hunger and thirst, the bible says, do that person good, take care, feed him and give him a drink. Verse 21 says, ‘do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.’ The face of evil which is satan himself and the nature he has is evil or unrighteousness. So, satan wants us to be overcome and be consumed by evil, to be transformed by evil and to have a hardness of heart because of evil. Satan wants to transform us into His likeness. Therefore, God’s word says, do not be overcome. We are made and created in the image of God and God is dwelling within us, the Holy Spirit indwells us to transform us into His likeness. Therefore, do not be overcome by evil but rather overcome this evil that tries to intrude, transform, intimidate and take over with the goodness of God. It starts with small actions by not avenging, doing those things that are counterintuitive in our flesh, to lean into the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and to do those things. The things that seem foolish, go against the wisdom or ways of the world; to do that and we will be walking in Christlikeness. Shall we pray? Father, we thank you for this instruction and thank you that you back up this word with your power. We need your power, assurance, backing and empowering to walk in this word. We invite you to empower us and may we find opportunity to walk in this word and instruction, we thank you, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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