Bless Your Enemies

This morning as Mum and I were leaving home for some work (and later some shopping), I was at a small turn going slowly, when a motorcyclist came suddenly and hit my car. He lost his balance and fell on the road. Though, no harm was done to me or my car. He’d been speeding and before he could control his speed, he’d hit my car. I rolled my window down and began giving him a piece of my mind, telling him that he’d been speeding so much that he couldn’t even control his bike anymore and he fell. While the biker didn’t say much, an onlooker came on and started to pelt insults at me. He’d no business in the accident, but seemed intent on insulting me nonetheless. My Mum kept on trying to calm me down as I replied to this onlooker telling him that it was the biker’s fault. He insisted that it was mine and the biker was fine. The biker himself had nothing to say; he simply picked up his bike and went off the scene as soon as he could. I also got my car up again and continued.

No. The story doesn’t end here. It begins here.

My mood was bad. My temper was still high. I was feeling rather angry. Somehow, I managed to drive sanely to the hospital where Mum had something to do. By the time I reached the hospital, there were some more drivers on the road who had managed to get the better of my temper. However, as I drove into the hospital, my thoughts had begun changing. I regretted my behavior, I didn’t like my words, my speaking patterns this day, my losing temper, et al.

Quietly, I sought the forgiveness of the Lord. (Step 1)

Mum got her work done quickly before I’d parked for just about 10 minutes and off we went shopping. My mind began to throw some wild accusations at the man (onlooker) again and I felt anger rise as I repeated the scene in my mind. I realized then, that I hadn’t yet forgiven the persons involved.

I forgave the two men, the biker and the onlooker. (Step 2)

We got to the market and got our shopping done, and I forgot about the matter completely. I’d guessed that when Mum got to her work I’d have to wait in the car, I was carrying with me Joyce Meyer’s book, Beauty from Ashes. (Just now, I remember that I never do this. But today, as I was leaving home, I saw the book and said – ‘Oh! I’ll have to wait; I might as well carry this book with me.)

Mum had some more things to buy and I waited in the car for her. I pulled out the book, and resumed where I had stopped reading last night – Chapter 16 – Blessing Your Enemies (have to confirm the chapter name)

As I read, I remembered that I’d forgotten to bless them (though this lesson has been learnt a few months back).

I stopped and started to bless the two people in question, progressing even as the book led me. (Step 3)

Mum came back and we headed to our next destination, the matter once again forgotten.

I sat down in the evening, after dinner, having been called by Father God for time with Him. I scrolled through some new mails from Elijah List.

He started to pour understanding me: “A person does something wrong under an evil influence. When you bless the person who wronged you, the evil influence has to leave, and the person then repents. They sometimes may even wonder why they did whatever they did.”

These small statements led to a great churning in my mind. Things from past two years as taught by Father God came flooding in. Two years back, I was at a seminar where Ps. Clive Jackson preached forgiveness. I’d learnt the importance of forgiveness and had forgiven some people. I remembered a vision that the Lord had given then which showed me that when I chose to forgive someone, it released blessings not only in my life, but in their life too. What I could not accomplish by my anger, God’s grace could do it through forgiveness. Earlier this year I learnt about blessing those who hurt me, as was Jesus’ mandate for us, and indeed His example as He forgave all when He was on the cross. I’d been practicing this as much as I could for quite some time.

I also remembered that what happened today was a little off because for some time now, I’d been giving control of my temperaments to God Holy Spirit. I’d almost stopped behaving irrationally on road, in fact my behavior had been much improved since, thanks to His intervention. I realized that if I was not careful to follow in His leading, I could make mistakes and there was no shortcut from there. Though, I’d made my mistake, He did help me when the biker left all of a sudden and the scene did not get as bad as it could’ve. What’s more, I’d been practicing forgiveness and blessing for quite some time now and yet the mistake.

Thankfully, the Lord did not allow guilt to get me down.

I realize that nothing happens in my life till the Lord allows it. Whatever may be the mystery of His purpose, He uses the things that happen in my life, through me or to me, for my eventual benefit.

Here are today’s events from a higher perspective:

• Though I did not obey the word of God, He protected me, in His grace, from further issues.


• I lost my peace.


• Holy Spirit brought me to repentance.


• When I sought forgiveness from the Lord, it opened the way for Holy Spirit to function more freely.


• I still felt angry.


• Holy Spirit brought me to forgive the people involved.


• When I passed on the forgiveness that I had received from the Lord, it opened the way for Holy Spirit to function even more.


• I’d released the persons involved.


• My mind was now at rest.


• Holy Spirit led me to the book, and reminded me about blessing them.


• I blessed the persons involved.


• The rest of the day was great!


• When I’d obeyed, it opened the way for Holy Spirit to give me this understanding.




And now the best ones:



• God allowed what happened to me, irrespective of my response to the event.


• I was no surprise to God; He knew how I was going to behave. His plan worked around my personality, and took care of it – not only to deal with me, but also to correct me.

Praise Father God! Praise Lord Jesus Christ! Praise the precious Holy Spirit!