What if our enemies are part of God’s plan for our success?
Speaker and author Ron Carpenter examines this topic in his new book, The Necessity of an Enemy: How the battle your face is you best opportunity.
Ron explains his view that God didn’t come just to make us into his family, God came to make us into his soldiers. When we face adversity, we have to determine when we need to let things go and when we do need to fight.
In his church in the deep south Ron had to fight a long, hard fight for racial diversity. Although this fight was hard, it made him continue to value and prioritize diversity.
In our lives, adversity and opposition can often come from within.
“Sometimes your greatest enemy is not around you, sometimes your greatest enemy is in you.”
One way that we let ourselves be our opposition is when we bring up old things. Instead of shifting into what God has for us we cling to the old broken things.
Familiarity is another enemy. Ron explains that familiarity breeds dishonor and disrespect. Yet, the things and people around us deserve respect and honor.
“God hides treasures within a field so the casual passerby can’t see it. Only people who know how to honor the treasure can really pull it out.”
When we become too familiar with others we disregard their value instead of looking for the worth inside them.
“We live in a culture where if anyone finds out a flaw in your life they can no longer respect the gift that God has put in you.”
In the latter half of the program Susie and Marcus Bachmann discuss Mark’s previous experience with opposition as his wife Michele ran for presidential office.
Key Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 16:9; Ephesians 6:12-13
