‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. I will free you from all the pain in your heart. I will bring relief to your heart. I will pour judgment on your enemies’ heads. Now is the time they will be judged. Disaster, I will bring because they have hidden themselves from me, and now they openly mock me. I will bring terror for the terror they have brought you. I will not allow you to be consumed, for I will consume them in flames of fire. They will not be able to hide from me. You will look and see the judgment I have brought upon your enemies’ heads. Stand and hold your peace, for I come swiftly. I will not allow you to be terrorized any longer. The antagonizing and the bullying will stop. Fear will no longer be in your vocabulary, For you will see the goodness of the Lord. Taste and see that the Lord is good. I will shower mercies forever more on your head, for you have sought me with all your being. Because you have hidden yourself in me, I will be your guard, your protector. Not even a shadow of fear will befall you. I will remove it far from you. You will rejoice in me, For I am the God who protects you. I am he who shelters you. Look to me and see, I draw vengeance on your enemies.’
2023 is going to be a year of judgment. God is judging our enemies.
I am bringing judgment on satan and all he has done to my body.
The Bible says that our fight is not against flesh and blood.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.“
Ephesians 6:12
Although our fight is not against flesh and blood, satan and his demons will try to use people to hurt us. Why? Because it hurts more, it feels more personal and can cause pain and bitterness. He will make efforts to deceive others and use them against us.
“correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
2 Timothy 2:25-26
There is a grace period of repentance. If repentance is not made, then it is by God’s mercy that he allows judgment.
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9
If people are not willing to repent, in time, judgment is his ultimate mercy to bring about repentance.
“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.”a
Jonah 3:10
Recognize our fight is not against flesh and blood but in the spirit. We have the spiritual authority to tread upon the enemy through the authority that backs us up, Jesus.
“Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes.”
Psalm 44:5
We are not expected to keep everyone in close proximity to us. Even Jesus had an inner circle of those closest to him and an outer circle of friends. What we can do is pray for those who hurt us.
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Luke 6:27-28
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots”
Luke 23:34
Prayer helps us forgive and allows us to be like our Father in heaven, who is good to those who are evil. We can’t save them or change them. That’s up to them and the Lord. We don’t have to keep them in our lives, but we can pray for them.