Character: Love

Matthew‬ ‭26:36-42‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.””

Jesus gave Himself to be:

  • Brutally whipped
  • Beaten, crown of thorns on His head
  • Publicly shamed and despised
  • Proclaimed guilty by the crowds
  • Mocked and insulted

Matthew‬ ‭27:45-46, 50-51‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,”

Genuine love was demonstrated on the cross of Golgotha. Jesus, God in the flesh, died to carry the penalty of our sin. 

John‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “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.”

  • Love of God in action
  • For the joy set before Him
  • Faithfully did all Father had for Him to do
  • Patiently enduring, paying the price we could not pay 
  • Showing the kindness and goodness of the Father to us
  • Gentle and meek servant of God
  • Prince of peace
  • Only yielding to the Holy Spirit, He did not sin

In response to His love (1. Joh. 4:19), we love Him. Just like Mary (Luke 10:39),

He is the target of our affection.

Our relationship with out heavenly Father becomes the first priority in our lives!

Christ paid the price, we receive His grace by faith (Joh. 3:16, Eph. 2:8). We’re unable to do what He did, and we don’t have to do what He did, He paid the price already been. We receive His love and we follow His example in love.

The Agape love of God is unselfish, while all earthly kinds of love are selfish in the end. Operating in love moves the focus from our own belly buttons (and digging navel lint) to the Lord and others.

1 John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Same in the family:

Ephesians‬ ‭5:25‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her”

Jesus’ commandment to the church, His body:

John‬ ‭15:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “This is my command: Love each other.”

We have received His love:

Romans‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬ “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

This is the love we are learning to live in, daily, in every area. Real life, real love.

When you have His Love in you, if you are born again!

Everything flows out of love, for God is Love (1. Joh. 3:8), and we are now in Him. Faith works by this Love (Gal. 5:6).

The World is disobedient, rebellious and selfish.

1 John‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬ “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

We love Him, and we keep His commandments.

John‬ ‭15:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”

Word divides the soul and the spirit:

Hebrews‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

Living in Love is to live in God’s perfect will. 

Fear can’t stay in a life of love. (1. John 4:18). Like never before, perfected in love! And love never fails (1. Cor.  13:8) – that’s our path to victory. To be free from fear and having victorious life of love.

How to cultivate the fruit of love

  1. Your personal relationship with your Heavenly Father.
  2. Baptized in the Holy Ghost, and stay full of the Holy Ghost!
  3. Act and love. Start today.

When radical love is combined with the spirit of faith you become an unstoppable force!