This weeks LoveLife message focussed on fighting for the relationships that we value. In the Song of Songs, as the lovers are making a move and their relationship is progressing oh so sweetly, they receive a warning: “Catch the little foxes that spoil the vine”…

Here is some feedback we received from the Hammersmith service message:

• It was brilliant and I took away sooo many practical points of how to a] get my relationship with God right b] keep my relationship with my husband and all other relationships too!!! It was a winner!!!
• It was amazing! I’m sure every person was able to apply the sermon to at least one relationship in their life. Love it!
• There was so much I’m going to have to listen to it again. Love your vulnerability and honesty, thanks.
• After reading your FB status and reading the above comments I just HAD to go and listen to your message… WOW ~ FANTASTIC!!! Such passion, such insight, such truth – just what I needed to hear! Thk you. Miss you EN bunch SO much…
• Listened to this from my hotel room in the States this morning and wish I could have been there in person. Real, honest and intimate. Thank you!

Here’s the intro video, followed by a few summary thoughts from this weeks passage in  Song of Songs chapter 2v 15-17

At this stage of their LoveLife, they have moved into relationship, and it is going well:  My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies. (verse 16)

But soon the “little foxes” start circling looking to spoil. You must know that the enemy gets mad whenever you move into any godly relationship, be that with friends, colleagues, in church, families, dating, married.  The Enemy hates Gods “joining” – and he hates and fears the fruit that comes out of godly relationships.  God is FOR your relationships (Mark 10:9 Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.), and the The enemy is AGAINST your relationships – He is after your fruit – you must fight for it.

Compare v 17 to v 8&9. In the beginning when he was pursuing her, he easily “leaped over mountains like a stage” – now in the relationship she wants him to do the same. She wants him to fight for the relationship with the same passion that he had to win her in the first place.

Sadly we start out fighting FOR one another, and end up fighting WITH one another…

Very Important:   You will only fight for a love that is worth fighting for.

If you stop loving, you will stop fighting for the relationship, that’s why it’s so important to keep love alive (more of this in part 7)

Note that in this passage there are MOUNTAINS & LITTLE foxes. Some BIG things, but many LITTLE things which come to spoil our vine and steal our fruit. These little foxes often gnaw at the roots of the vines… “killing me softly” as the other song goes…

There are “big” things that will obviously spoil the vine. It’s the small things that spoil relationship:  Unforgiveness, pride, offence, bad attitudes, entitlement, victim mentality, arrogance, unteachable, jealousy, pride, compromise, busyness, etc, etc … all these are stalking the vine, looking for a way in to spoil.

You will fight foxes when you begin to understand the consequences of letting them in: Have you ever smelt fox-poo? Disgusting!! Its MUCH worse than the worst dog-poo! Have you ever heard a fox scream – scary! Yet we let them into our personal gardens / hearts / minds all the time!

The Good News is that Jesus Christ came to break down the mountain of separation between you and God, and you and every godly relationship you have or should have. He is the Great Reconciler:

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled  (Colossians 1:19-21)

If you are facing a fox and a mountain of separation, turn to Jesus in repentance and faith, and let Him and His truth reconcile you to God your Father, and to every godly relationship that the Enemy has spoilt.

Download the full message from any of our congregations from our website here.