THE VICTORIOUS LIFE
Love: The excellent way
In the kingdom of God all things are important but some are more important than others. Kingdom matters are arranged in an array of relevance and importance. Jesus expressed this in the book of Mathew 23:23 when he rebuked the Pharisees for their negligence and misplacement of kingdom priorities. The progress of a believer is hinged on their ability to discern the difference and appropriate their attention based on the designated weight of every kingdom reality.
In a time where public groaning is more cherished than secrete fellowship, hypocrisy than inward purity, arrogance and pride celebrated than the garment of humility, logic pursued above the wisdom of the Spirit, public recognition esteemed above the eternal approval of the celestial and the songs of victory almost forgotten in the camp of many believers. We must take a quick pause and look upon the scales of God again so we might re-prioritize our focus and begin to trail the path of victory.
This series is about unveiling the basics and igniting the desire for believers to walk the path of victory. In this Journey 1John 5 is our guide. In the first episode of this series we talked about the Life of God which is the foundational knowledge that births a victorious life. This knowledge ignites a consciousness of our real identity and sets a believer up for a life of continuous victory. In this episode we will progress to the later part of 1John5:1
And everyone that loveth he that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him
I grew up in a community of believers where the seemingly more spiritual people or prayer warriors always had issues in their relationships with other believers. They tend to be harsh, hard and insensitive even down to their neighborhood. There is something else that is obvious in their lives, series of defeat. Always praying and never telling the stories of dominion.
1John 5:1 says after the understanding of our identity is the need to live the love life. Everyone born of God has a nature of love and has a responsibility to love God and love all men especially other children of God 1John 4:16. The proof that you love God is that you love his children and the proof that you love his children is that you love God.
1John 3:14: We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren
The first expression of the life we have received is not the tongues of men or angels, neither is it long hours of prayer. The first proof of our transition from death to life is love for the brethren.
We have a bunch of believers professing their love for God and yet harboring strive against their brothers and sisters in Christ. Look around you and you will see that many times what people call love is selfish investment, paying attention to people they know can reciprocate their care and secure their interest in the future.
We need to really understand what love is so we know when are not walking in love.
LOVE DEFINED
Love is expressing God. It is showing genuine care and kindness without seeking anything in return. Love is not a feeling, it is our nature expressed in our daily living and actions. Love is the debt we owe everyone human around us. No one member of the body of Christ deserves more love than another. We owe everyone especially those in the family of God sincere love. From our secrete thoughts to the show of kindness.
One of the reasons why we find it difficult to love sometimes is that we hinge our show of love to our feelings and the behavior of people. We create unnecessary expectations and begin to withdraw when people fall short. That’s not the kind of love the divine offers. The love from heaven is unconditional, patient, pure and considers others first (1corinthians 13). We don’t love Gods people because they act or behave right or even meet our expectation. We love because that is who we are, children of love, benefactors of the love of the father.
Love is the atmosphere of heaven. It is the premise for the move of the Spirit. In the atmosphere of love the accuser is silenced and crippled. Evil cannot operate where love is and so the devil always play the offence card and sow the seed of disunity among believers creating a premise for defeat. The defeat and failure of many believers can be traced back to their love life. Whenever we fail to walk in love we create an atmosphere for the devil to operate. We empower darkness in our lives, families and church at large when we don’t walk in love. The devil is helpless in an atmosphere of love.
So, we must watch our thoughts and intentions because that is where it begins. We must never accommodate evil thoughts towards others. 1 Corinthians 13 made us see that love is beyond deeds, it sterns right to our intentions. Every day we must make a choice to love and stay in love. Yes people will hurt you even believers, they will speak evil of you and even curse you to your face but we must make a choice to love. We love in pain and in joy, in winter or summer, rain or storm all we do is love. Hatred is alien to us.
Beyond the miracles, signs and wonders Jesus said in the book of John that the greatest proof of his presence amongst his people is genuine brotherly love.
Love is the highest demonstration of the anointing……Philip O.
There is this wind of darkness I see around the body of Christ today. Believers only showing love to believers of the same fold as theirs. They consider other believers from other folds seemingly inferior or permit me to say ‘’Halflings’’. This is a move by the devil to stop the church as a whole from coming into the fullness of Christ and compelling the end time move of Gods glory. We might belong to different folds but we all are children of the same father (God). We are all members of the family of God. The command is to love everyone born of God and not just the members of your fold. Whoever is born of God, wherever they are, together we are Gods children.
This week write out the names of people who have hurt you and anytime you think of them you feel hurt in your soul. Call out their names in the privacy of your room one at a time and say this words : I forgive you from my heart and I chose to love you because that’s who I am, I can’t hate you, I love you with all my heart. You can chose to call them or send a mail. Chose the path of victory. Chose to love. Disarm the enemy over your life.
SAY THIS OUT LOUD TO YOURSELF
I am born of God
I am a love child
Love is my nature
I cannot hate
Everywhere I go, I exhume the fragrance of Love
