THE POWER OF LOVE
By W. G. Guy
God gave us the command to love for a very important reason. Everything in and of the kingdom of God moves, operates and is powered by LOVE. Thus love is the great commandment for us on earth.
Matthew 22:36-40 – Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
What is love? Love is caring, sharing and giving; desiring the best for another, even at your own expense. God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, have given us the perfect example of love: because Love gives!
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 15:13 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down (give) his life for his friends.
The greatest power in our universe is love, because love gives life and all that pertains to life and Godliness. All other forms of power are destructive to life and godliness. The apostle Paul tells us that the greatest power is love, even greater than faith and hope.
1 Corinthians 13:13 – And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love).
Love is also the evidence of those who have Christ in those of us who are the children of God.
1 John 4:7-11 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
How does this kind of love show itself powerful? Faith works through, and by love: as the apostle Paul had to remind the church at Galatia.
Galatians 5:5-7 – For we, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Love is the outward evidence of our faith in Him and being the children of God. Thus we are to be doers of His Word and not just hearers only.
James 1:22 – But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Ministering to the needs of others is best done through the supernatural Gifts of the Holy Spirit. These nine Gifts work
through those who have believed and received the power of the Holy Spirit baptism.
Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost (even future) part of the earth.
The Holy Spirit then can operate in various ways through those who have received Him and believe in His ability and power to work through us.
1 Corinthians 12:7-10 – But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
Caring for others by prayer and personal ministry, (serving them in their need), is a demonstration of love. In so doing you become a pipeline of love through whom the Spirit of God can flow bringing divine intervention by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to the one prayed for or ministered to. This is the power of God given to us to witness of His great love to the world.
1 Corinthians 12:31 – But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
This scripture tells us that love is the more excellent way minister to others, and continues as follows explaining what love is, and does, as we walk in His love. This fulfills the purpose and plan of God as we are to be His light in this world of darkness. Remember, charity, or giving of what you have, is the ultimate form of love.
1 Corinthians 13:1 – Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:
Giving of what you have received of the Lord is demonstrated by Peter and James witht he gift of healing.
Acts 3:6-8 – Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
This is the power of God’s love that is for our benefit; and to show the world as witnesses of His love!
