Day 358: When Your Enemy Falls
Proverbs 24:17
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.
Principle
If speaking a blessing invokes angels—speaking a curse entices demons.
When someone has willfully and strategically set their sights on you to become your enemy, it is very tempting to gloat a little when bad happens to them.
Our Advisor challenges us to go completely against our nature on this one, doesn’t he? He suggests that we should refrain from gloating or rejoicing over their stumbling and failures.
Jesus said, “Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.”
If speaking a blessing invokes angels—speaking a curse entices demons. It is an insidious thought to want someone to be haunted by demons. Demons are merciless. They are horrific and filthy. You don’t want their schemes and plots working against anyone.
We do not wrestle with flesh and blood, meaning the real enemy that we are struggling with is the spirit behind the person’s action. How do we rebuke the spirit without harming the person? We do what Jesus did; we destroy the works of the devil by speaking the blessing upon those who mistreat us.
Rather than speaking a curse to entice devils, speak blessing upon those who mistreat you. Ask God to somehow turn your enemy’s attention away from you and back toward Him. In fact, that’s what Solomon is suggesting; God is trying to get their attention. By praying for your enemy, you’re heaping coals of fire upon their head. That is for their purification, not their destruction.
Remember:
Bless those who hate you—hoping to turn their attention toward God. Share on X
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