My sister called me in tears last night. She told me about a man who verbally assaulted her for no reason. He had barraged her with hate filled words. He was nearly foaming at the mouth in his unfounded rage. She was overwhelmed by what happened. Seeing someone so filled with hate perplexed her on what she had done? This man spewed foul language at her. He went on to say how he wished his mother would die and how much he hated her.
We talked about how this man is in bondage to the enemy. How this man needed prayer. How he needed a relationship with Jesus. I asked that she think about the possible injuries that he had suffered as a child. I always make myself think of mean people as infants. They were not born with this much anger. This anger is from years of the enemy of our souls attacking them. Their inability to find forgiveness for others and usually for themselves. He is captive in the webs of spiritual bondage and selfishness.
It breaks my heart to see people without love in there hearts. They don’t know that they have a God in Heaven who loves them beyond measure. They can’t see the truth from eyes blinded by deception. They have lost the ability to love.  They don’t know that they have a Savior who wants to remove all of the chains that bind them.
I have a relative whom I love. No matter what you do or say they cannot form a real relationship with anyone. They have a nomad lifestyle. No anchors to hold them down. They can’t accept love or love anyone else. An occasional text or a phone call to family, usually to ask for money.  They have no real compassion for anyone. This person is not a bad person, but a person who is so turned inward they cannot see others. A childhood of abuse. Abused by a father and step-father. Causing them to wall off their heart. The lesson learned is that it is not safe to love others and that they are not loved. The enemy wrapped them up in this lonely torment. Deceived into thinking they must be a rolling stone in order to avoid being hurt. It breaks my heart to see how empty their life is. We’ve tried to share the freedom of a relationship with Jesus, but that wall seems so impenetrable.  I know one day our prayers will be answered and they will turn to Jesus.
All of us were once deceived. I was told I was unwanted, unlovable, and a mistake. I suffered years of sexual abuse. I was taught my heart and body were not safe. All of us have wounds suffered from others. We have closed off parts of ourselves. This deception could have bound me up but Jesus had another plan.

When I accepted Jesus those walls of deception came tumbling down. He opened my heart to fully loving others and being able to accept love. I was able to find freedom by forgiving those who hurt me. To let God be their judge. My life didn’t become perfect, but now I am open to all the good God has for me. All of our hearts are made to be loving and kind. It is the enemies plan to make us otherwise. He wants nothing but our total destruction. The Bible says, ” Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1Peter 5:8). Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10). He also says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Jesus helped me see the perpetrator of my abuse as an infant who was contorted into the kind of person who could harm a child. I could give compassion to him and hope he found Jesus before he went into eternity. I pray the chains the enemy bound him with were removed by the blood of Jesus. Jesus took all the pain and suffering in this world upon himself. He took it into hell and he broke it’s power to destroy us. We only have to believe to know this redemptive power to break chains off our lives.
We are called to pray for our enemies. We are called to share our faith because Jesus loves that guy who is assaulting you. He loves that person who just flipped you off. He loves that coworker who drives you to distraction. He loves that father who abused you. We are to love others as Jesus loves us.