1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMPC Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. (5) It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. (6) It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. (7) Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. (8) Love never fails…
Why Does God Make Such A Big Deal About Love?
Love is a Commandment!
John 13:34-35 NKJV A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (35) By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Two things to note about these verses:
-
- Walking in love is not a suggestion. It is a commandment.
- This is the way that the world we know that we are Jesus’ disciples: the way we love one another.
Faith works by love!
Galatians 5:6 TPT When you’re placed into the Anointed One and joined to him, circumcision and religious obligations can benefit you nothing. All that matters now is living in the faith that is activated and brought to perfection by love.
-
- Your faith in God and His Word will not be activated and work without love!
The Love of God will drive out fear!
1 John 4:18 AMPC There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].
-
- As a believer, the last person you need to fear is God!
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 ERV The Spirit God gave us does not make us afraid. His Spirit is a source of power and love and self-control.
The Main Reason!
1 John 4:16 NLT We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
-
- God HAS all power. God HAS all wisdom. God HAS faith. God HAS peace. But God IS love.
What Does God’s Love Look Like?
- If we are going to understand real love, then we must go to the Source of love and that is God Himself.
1 John 4:8-12 NLT But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (9) God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. (10) This is real love–not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (11) Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. (12) No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us.
1 John 4:19 NLT We love each other because He loved us first.
Love is not something we came up with or made up. God so loved, He did something.
Five Characteristics of the Love of God:
- God’s love is unconditional.
You cannot qualify for God’s love.
Romans 5:8 NKJV But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- God’s love is sacrificial.
God’s love cost Him greatly.
John 3:16 NKJV For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…
- God’s love is personable.
God’s love is not philosophy, it is a Person found in Jesus.
John 14:21 TPT Those who truly love me are those who obey my commands. Whoever passionately loves me will be passionately loved by my Father. And I will passionately love you in return and will manifest my life within you.”
- God’s love is accessible.
God’s love is available to every human being that will simply believe, in spite of background, history, etc.
John 3:16 AMPC For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
- God’s love is receivable.
You can receive God’s love.
1 John 4:15-16 NKJV Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (16) And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
-
- The secret to walking in love is to first walk in how much He loves you!
- You cannot give what you have not received!
Your “love walk” will never go beyond your ability to receive the love God has for you.
-
- The first step to love is not to step towards them; it is to step towards Him!
You Already Have What It Takes!
Romans 5:5 NKJV Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5 BBE And hope does not put to shame; because our hearts are full of the love of God through the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
You have the potential already in you to love people because God’s love is in you by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In this series we are going to learn how-to walk-in God’s love for us, in us, and through us as His love never fails!