Luke 10:19

Listen carefully: I have given you authority (that you now possess) to tread on serpents and scorpions, and (the ability to exercise authority) over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will (in any way) harm you.

Jesus gave us authority over the enemy. What does that mean? That we can speak to lack, sickness, fear, depression, and overall repression in our lives and command it to go in the name of Jesus. WE have authority over all the power of the enemy, and we don’t have to listen to his lies. We must speak our faith and use our authority to rout the enemy and reclaim our territory. 

Micah 6:8

He has told me, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you except to be just, and to love (and to diligently practice) kindness (compassion).

There is a difference between being kind and being nice. We can be nice but not have any compassion in our hearts. Kindness requires compassion and empathy for the other person. God doesn’t call us to be superficial with one another. We are to examine our hearts and keep our minds focused on love for one another.

Proverbs 19:17

He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed. 

Someone somewhere is going to need help. The only way Jesus can help them is through us, for what they need. Listen when the Holy Spirit guides us to bring groceries, pay the gas bill, or give someone a ride. Our good deed will be rewarded.

Lamentations 3:22-23

It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindness that we are not consumed, because His (tender) compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness. 

God sees our potential for greatness in His kingdom. His loving kindness calls us to walk with Him and be His children. When we choose to walk in the ways of God, we will not be consumed by the evils of this world. God is faithful even when we are unfaithful. He doesn’t waver in compassion but waits for us to turn and be saved. 

Psalm 103:13

Just as a father loves his children, so the Lord loves those who fear and worship Him (with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence).

We are to show we fear, respect, and send our worship to God. We do this because we understand His power and authority to work in our lives. Without God, we stumble, fall, and go all the wrong directions. God is our beacon and guide, and He loves us.

Romans 12:9

Love is to be sincere and active (the real thing, without guile and hypocrisy). Hate what is evil (detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness); hold on tightly to what is good. 

Love is a decision, not an emotion. We must choose to love despite the actions of others. Evil cannot be tolerated because it will contaminate the believer and cause our faith to weaken. We cannot compromise what is Good! Those things which are good keep our faith alive and the promises of God real.  

Zechariah 7:9-10

Thus has the Lord of hosts said, “Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion to each other; and do not oppress or exploit the widow and fatherless, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise or even imagine evil in your hearts against one another. 

Every day, we are called to practice compassion, kindness, and dispense true justice toward one another. When we walk in integrity and remove the evil from our hearts, we will not selfishly exploit the widow, fatherless, stranger, or poor. When we keep a guard over our hearts and refuse to accept evil as good, our lives and the lives of those around us will flourish. 

2 Timothy 2:24

The servant of the Lord must not participate in quarrels, but must be kind to everyone (even tempered, preserving peace, and he must be), skilled in teaching, patient and tolerant when wronged. 

Quarrels matter to God because they interfere with the ability to hear from God. Strife doesn’t bring peace but clouds the mind with fears and anger. Patience, kindness, and choosing not to let our peace be disturbed by the enemy qualify a person to serve the Lord. Our skill in teaching relies on our Bible knowledge and willingness to be used by God whenever we hear the call. 

Isaiah 30:18

Therefore, the Lord waits (expectantly) and longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed (happy, fortunate) are all those who long for Him (since He will never fail them).

When we turn away from a dead-end path, and when we come to the end of ourselves and realize we don’t have all the answers. The Lord waits for us and longs to be gracious to us. God waits, wanting to express compassion and salvation to those who are lost, in need of help, and seeking comfort. God will not fail.

Matthew 9:36

When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd.

Think of moments in our lives when Jesus has sent someone or provided for us when we were distressed. We are to represent Jesus and have compassion on others. Love doesn’t operate in isolation! God has shared love for mankind through Jesus. We are to walk in the same compassion for the lost, dispirited, and distressed just as Jesus did when He was here on earth.