CORNERSTONE YOUTH CHURCH: ENEMIES OF PROGRESS OR CATALYSTS

Enemy: Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.

Progress: Specifically, advancement to a higher or more developed state; development through time, growth; movement onwards or forwards or towards a specific objective or direction.

Catalysts: Someone or something that encourages progress or change.

Chemistry: Catalyst; A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.

As Christians expect to have enemies:

2 Tim 3:12 (In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

Matt 5: 11 – 12 ( “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you)

Matt 10:2, (You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved )

John 15:18 (“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first )

Types of enemies

1. Non Christian enemies

2. Christian enemies

3. The devil; God’s enemies

WHY do we have enemies?

- God wants to test you. 2 Chr 32: 31, But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.

- It fits God’s purpose and lessons for us. Romans 5: 3 - 5, Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because Godʼs love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

- It humbles us,

- It shows us what we are like

- Nature: the moment you stake a claim to something, you gain an enemy

- Evil: the existence of evil in the world ensures the existence of enemies of God and those who choose to follow God

- The devil is at odds with Christianity; 1 Peter 5:8, Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

- It gives us opportunities for personal growth & understanding; James 1: 2- 4, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

- If all our experience in life are positive, we would not gain wisdom

Biblical examples of some people & enemies that became Catalysts

1. Joseph, Genesis 50:20, You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

2. Job, Job 42:12, The Lord blessed the latter part of Jobʼs life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.

3. David (Genealogy of Jesus), the enemies of David pushed him into kingship and he ends up in the genealogy of Jesus, "Son of David"

4. Stephen and Saul ( Salvation of the Jews), it was after the stoning of Stephen that the Christian persecution started and salvation of Saul (Paul)

5. The apostles and Saul (Expansion of the mission), if Saul had not been an emeny of the Christian before his conversion, the gospel would not have expanded.

6. Paul and his thorn, 2 Cor 12: 7, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

7. Jesus ( Saviour of the world), The enemies of Jesus only pushed forward the Saviour that brought Salvation.

What to Do about enemies and how to turn them to catalysts

- Don’t seek revenge, Pray and let God handle it, Romans 12: 17 – 21, Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for Godʼs wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

- Deu 32: 35, It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”

- Treat them with kindness, Matt 5: 43 – 48, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

- Prov 24: 17 – 18, Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.

- Forive them, Acts 7: 60, Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

- Perseverance, someone may become saved by how you react to their actions. Phil 1:28, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.

- Overcome evil with good

- Seek peace

- Be focused

- Love them, Love covers a multitude of sin,

- If the government or law is the enemy, use the law to oppose it, stand up and speak the truth, flee to a safe place

Food for thought

God gives you the right tools (Gen 41:12 - 13, Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.) you need, the results you get are based on how you utilise them. The enemy you are encountering is training you for the next level.

When God wants to uplift you, he creates space that you will be needed even where there’s no space, when it is time, God would clear the way to bless you. (Gen 41: 39 - 40, Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than)

Note: Even though, a catalyst from the chemical aspect, "increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process". It still disturbs the purity of the medium, which can be termed as an unfriendly invasion, but at the end, the invasion is for the good of the medium it was applied to. Whic translates to us that in life, we would have invasions that would come in different forms, I.e people, situations, material things etc. How we are at the end is what matters, it must end in victory, let's see our enemies as our catalyst, let them change our situations for the better, catalyst are meant to change and speed up things, not slow them down.

Thank you.