One thing I have learned from sitting under the teaching of Pastors Hank and Brenda is the vastness of God’s divine protection that encompasses all areas of our lives. Thank God for our great covenant that Jesus purchased for us as believers! He paid a great price to allow us to live in His divine protection.
An aspect of God’s divine protection is His promise to help and assist us as we work and live around those that are sometimes hostile, perverse, sarcastic, antagonistic, and even demonized. A verse that brings great comfort to me is found in Proverbs 16:7 (NKJV): “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
As a Christian, when you are working or living around non-believers there is an opportunity for friction or conflict because light and darkness, good and evil, the pure and the impure do not flow together or harmonize. We see that in 2 Corinthians 6:14b (NKJV) which says, “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” The good news is that light and righteousness always overtake darkness and unrighteousness. As we saw in Proverbs 16:7, we have assurance that it is possible to live in perfect peace when surrounded by people who are hostile and antagonistic to us.
When I was the nurse manager of an intensive care unit at a large metropolitan hospital, one of my staff nurses always worked to question and undermine me. She did not like accepting direction or patient assignments from me. In fact, she would attempt to undermine my authority with false accusations and try to cause division and strife in my nursing unit. One day she made an appointment to meet with the VP of Nursing with the intention of bringing accusations and complaints about me. Knowing her history, the VP fired her on the spot, and I no longer needed to deal with her opposition.
As I walked through this situation, Proverbs 16:7 helped me stay focused on pleasing the Lord and continuing to manage the nursing unit well, despite an unfriendly atmosphere. When we please God and walk with Him it’s as if the Lord is telling us, “Since you please Me, I will cause your enemies to leave you alone.”
The Message Bible says it this way: “When God approves of your life,
even your enemies will end up shaking your hand” (Prov 16:7).
If you are experiencing hostility or adversity from those working or living around you, exert your faith and confidence in God’s promise to make your enemies be at peace with you!
Eileen Daniels is a staff member of Lord of Hosts Church.
