Here are five great ways to turn the tables on your enemies.

 What do you do with a person who seems to have a calling in life to be against you?

What’s their problem?

 How do you respond:  attack or defend?

 The way we respond to our enemies reveals our character.  Often, God has allowed them into our lives to test (prove) us.

 Here are the things God is looking for in your response:

 1.  That you realize they are not your ENEMY. 

My Dad’s favorite phrase was this:  “People are not your enemy.”

 Satan uses people to attack you and try to make life miserable.

 No wonder Jesus could continue to love them:  they were only puppets in the puppet show.  Satan was the master marionette who manipulates, whispers, and stirs them up against you.

 2.  That you follow Christ’s EXAMPLE.

Jesus dealt with the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the religious hierarchy.  They wanted to kill Him! 

 He said, “Love your enemies.  Pray for those who persecute you” (Mt. 5:44).

 He demonstrated it when they surrounded the cross with taunts and mockeries.  When you are attacked, lower your head and pray for them to repent and turn around in their actions.  They really don’t know what they are doing.

3.  That you give God TIME to deal with them.

 David refused to kill Saul in the cave.  He even cut off a piece of his robe and felt stricken in his conscience.

He let Saul chase after him for years, saying, “God will deal with him one day, and his time to be judged will come.”

I’ve noticed that when I rush to judgment and try to hurry the process, Satan often wins.

Could you ask for patience?

4.  That you don’t FOCUS on your enemies.

 I think your focus must be on your purpose.  God has an assignment, a purpose, a calling on your life.  Satan is using that enemy to try to distract you and discourage you from your purpose.

Actually, they cannot stop you from pursuing your purpose.  God will remove them before they can do that.

 5.  That you maintain JOY in the midst of their persecution.

 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mt. 5:12).

 REJOICE?! 

 Yes, rejoice.  Laugh about it.  Praise God in the midst of it.  Don’t let anger and revenge rise in you.

 The Jewish leaders beat the early apostles.  Their response?

 “Then they left the presence of the council, REJOICING that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name” (Acts 6:41).

 Enemies are very real.  Usually, they are very deceived.

 Let’s let God deal with our enemies.  It may take longer than we think, but maintaining these five attitudes will undoubtedly help us prevail in the long run.