When I became a Christian, my circle of secular friends was completely uprooted and replaced with Christian friends.

For me, that was to be expected.

When I started going through and talking about deliverance, my circle of Christian friends shrunk considerably and some of the very same Christian friends suddenly didn’t feel comfortable around me anymore. They didn’t want to talk to me. Conversations with many of these believers suddenly became awkward and there was a noticeable level of avoidance.

I didn’t expect that.

One thing I will say, this is worth the cost. It is well worth the cost to become a disciple of Jesus. And it is absolutely worth the cost to be on the front lines of spiritual warfare.

I was looking at some old notes that I took when I was first born again. I didn’t have a church at the time so all of my learning came from just reading the bible and watching hours and hours of sermons on a daily basis. (I was unemployed so I could do this easily.) I realized from the notes I took that Jesus was trying to show me about deliverance although I didn’t really understand it at the time. And when I did finally get involved with a church, I was warned against watching this particular minister so I stopped because I assumed that they knew best. But I realize now that back then the Holy Spirit was using this minister to show me that I still needed deliverance. The enemy had used Christians to keep me from fighting!

This revelation has fanned a flame inside me.
I realized that I hate the enemy so much for what he tricked me into, for what happened to me at the hands of others before I was saved, and for the way he used Christians to make me question everything after I was born again. I hate that my deliverance was delayed. I hate him with a passion. I hate what I see him doing to other Christians. I hate what I see him doing in to the church and how everywhere I look, churches are compromising to please the masses. I hate what I see him doing to the lost. I hate the way I see him using people to hurt one another. I mean, I have seen it before obviously but I feel like I am seeing it with new eyes and with greater understanding. I am so angry at him. I hate him so much.

This is a righteous hatred. A glorious gift to have in your battle against the enemy. A Godly hate.

“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him, A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” -Proverbs 6:16-19

It is important to hate the enemy. Hate produces a fight in you. It motivates you. It empowers you. It is a God-given tool against the enemy. If you don’t hate what the enemy is doing to you and has done to you, you are weak. You are a child of King of kings. An heir. A knight in the Lord’s army. A warrior. Pray to the Lord to give you the gift of hate.