Starve the Source: How to Actually Disarm Your Enemies

The best way to end anything is to starve its source of existence. To the average person, this may sound strange or ineffective. However, viewed holistically from an everyday-life perspective, it all makes sense. If you remove a fish from water, it dies. If we remove oxygen from a fire, it dies. If we remove fuel from an engine, it dies. And if we deprive a person of food, they will eventually die. Whenever we cease to fuel the existence of anything, the basic and natural laws dictate that it must die.

The Bible, which most of you may know I refer to as the rule book, is littered with principles that will bring certain situations to an end, or at a minimum, frustrate their efforts. While these principles may initially seem to place the practitioner at a disadvantage, they establish a path to victory and a more peaceful life.

The Command Behind Matthew 5:44

To better illustrate my point, I'd like to invite everyone to focus on Matthew 5:44:

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)

On the surface, this biblical principle for handling our enemies may seem to ask us to be a doormat for them, offering no resistance or pushback to their attacks. This is usually the view when emotions and hurt are involved.

However, if we view the Scripture above with wisdom and set our emotions aside, it will begin to make sense, leading us to approach situations with a long-term goal rather than a temporary fix that will eventually cause the issue to resurface. Going back to my initial point: the best way to end anything is to starve its source of existence. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus is advising us not to retaliate when challenged by our enemies. In fact, He's commanding us to do the opposite of what our enemies are doing to us. While this may appear to be a weak move on the surface, taking the opposite position, or refusing to retaliate, is a subtle and effective way of disabling your enemy.

How This Strategy Actually Works

You might wonder how this method actually works. It's important to realize that your enemy often hopes you'll respond, because every retaliatory reply they get from you gives them more ammunition. They expect you to react so they can keep testing you. In truth, your responses show them that their actions are getting to you. By replying, you're giving them the satisfaction they're looking for, which only encourages their foolishness.

Here is a more visual way to look at it. Let's say your enemy is fire, and you are water. When your enemy curses you (fire), the way you extinguish their fire is by blessing them (water). If they are mean to you, you show them kindness. Even if it doesn't seem to be working, keep doing the opposite, or don't respond at all. Eventually, they will become frustrated and back off.

Supporting Scriptures

Let us look at some supporting scriptures to further prove my point:

"Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not." (Romans 12:14)

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Romans 12:19)

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." (Luke 6:27-28, ESV)

"Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing." (1 Peter 3:9, ESV)

"To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:20-21, ESV)

"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you." (Proverbs 25:21-22, ESV)

"When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:23, ESV)

"And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil." (Luke 6:34-35, ESV)

"And we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things." (1 Corinthians 4:12-13, ESV)

"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him." (Exodus 23:4-5, ESV)

"Do not say, 'I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.'" (Proverbs 24:29, ESV)

"Do not say, 'I will repay evil'; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you." (Proverbs 20:22, ESV)

"Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all." (Romans 12:17, ESV)

"Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him. Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked." (Proverbs 24:17-19, ESV)

"See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone." (1 Thessalonians 5:15, ESV)

As you have read, the Bible is filled with principles and rules to extinguish the flames of our enemies. The common denominator for those who adhere to Scripture is that we do not fuel the fires of our enemies. We must not do so, nor allow anyone to encourage us to do so, because we would be in direct violation of the Scriptures.

Again, as I said before, the best way to end anything is to starve its source. Stop feeding your enemy's attacks. If you want your enemies to stop, either stop responding to them or respond according to the Word of God. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are to uphold the rules of Scripture rather than our emotions.

Kevin L A Ewing
ewinglakevin@icloud.com
kevinlaewing.blogspot.com
www.kevinlaewing.com