Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Rom. 8:37-39)
In this passage the Apostle Paul assures us that regardless of what may come against us in this life, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ Who loved us enough to give His life for us.
In John 3:16 Jesus Himself says, “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.”
Jesus loves you, personally, so much that He would have given His life for you, even if you had been the only person on earth.
John the beloved disciple tells us that…
…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].
(1 John 4:18)
When we have fear in our hearts, that is a sign that we still lack the knowledge of how much God loves us. If you know the magnitude of God’s love, it will cause all of your fears to fade away.
In (John 16:27) Jesus said, “For the Father Himself [tenderly] loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from the Father.”
Is it difficult for you to believe that God cares so much about you?
For many years I was unable to receive God’s love for me because I thought I had to be worthy of His love. But now I know He loves me, even though I still have imperfections.
In (John 14:21) Jesus reminds us,
The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]
Making Himself Real
Jesus wants to make Himself real to you. Obedience is a fruit of true love, but you will never be able to love God enough to obey Him unless you first receive His love for you. You cannot earn it. You cannot buy it with good works, or purchase it with good behavior.
God’s love is a free gift; it is unconditional. It comes to us through the sacrifice that Jesus mad when He died for us on the cross. Receive God’s love right now. Sit in His presence and say, “I believe You love me, Lord, and I receive Your love.”
In (1 John 4:19) we read, “we love Him because He first loved us.” Perhaps you have been going about it backwards as I did for so many years. You may be trying to love God enough and do enough so He will then love you in return. But look at (1 John 4:19) again, “We love Him, because He first loved us.”
David was confident of God’s love when he said in Psalm 36:7, “How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of men take refuge and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.”
I would like to share with you passages of (Ps. 139). David had a unique way of communicating with God, and we would do well to follow his example. Confess with your mouth the words of the psalm:
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought. You chart the path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment, you know where I am. You know what I am going to say before I even say it. You both precede and follow me, and place your hand of blessing on my head.
This is too glorious, too wonderful to believe! I can never be lost to your Spirit! I can never get away from my God! How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn towards me. And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me!
(Ps. 139:1-7,17-18 TLB)
This Is Powerful!
The Prophet Isaiah tells us that God is waiting to be good to us:
And therefore the Lord[earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
(Isa. 30:18)
Think about that, God wants to spend time with you because He loves you and because you are special to Him. God loves you so much that He numbers and records your wanderings. He puts your tears in a bottle, and writes them in His book (Ps. 56:8).
In John 14:18, Jesus told His disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you.” In Psalm 27:10, David wrote, “Although my father and my mother have forsaken me, yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child].”
His Love Will Suffice
Perhaps you are lacking the natural love that every person desires and seeks; perhaps even your own family has forsaken you. God wants you to know today that His love for you is so strong, so mighty, and so powerful, that it will override the loss of any other person’s love. Let Him comfort you and heal your broken heart.
You have been adopted into the family of God. You are His child, and He loves you.
In (Ephesians 3:17-19) the Apostle Paul prayed for you and me:
May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
Yes, God loves you, and He is watching over you. He keeps an eye on you all the time. Isaiah 49:16 says that He has a picture of you imprinted and tattooed on the palm of each of His hands.
Praise the Lord!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on the mind, mouth, moods and attitudes. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences so others can apply what she has learned to their lives.
Joyce hosts a TV and radio show, Enjoying Everyday Life, which broadcasts worldwide to a potential audience of 4.5 billion people. She has authored 100 books, which have been translated into more than 100 languages. More than 12 million of her books have been distributed free of charge around the world, and each year millions of copies are sold.
Joyce conducts close to a dozen domestic and international conferences every year, teaching people to enjoy their everyday lives. For 30 years, her annual women's conference has attracted more than 200,000 women from all over the world to St. Louis for specifically themed teachings by her and guest speakers.
Through her teachings, God has provided opportunities to meet the needs of the suffering and bring the Gospel in a practical way. Joyce's passion to help hurting people every day is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. These outreaches around the globe include feeding programs, medical care, homes for orphans, and programs combatting human trafficking. In her hometown of St. Louis, Joyce and Dave, her husband, founded the St. Louis Dream Center (SLDC) in 2000. The SLDC serves the inner city through hands-on programs targeted at reaching the lost and hurting with the love of Christ.
Over the years, God has provided Joyce with many opportunities to share her testimony and the life-changing message of the Gospel. Having suffered sexual abuse throughout her childhood, as well as just dealing with the struggles of everyday life, Joyce discovered the freedom to live victoriously by applying God's Word to her life and in turn desires to help others do the same.
Joyce is and continues to be an incredible testimony of the dynamic, redeeming work of Jesus Christ.