Love one another with brotherly affection—as members of one family—giving precedence and showing honor to one another.The most powerful force on the earth is the love of God. It was the love of God that sent Jesus to the earth. It was God's love that sent Jesus to the cross. It was God's love that raised Him from the dead.
(Rom. 12:10 AMP)
If we'll learn how to love in the family of God (the Body of Christ), we'll know how to love in our immediate family. The difficulty, however, is that we haven't, in many cases, learned either.
God has called us to minister love. Love will break down barriers that nothing else can break. Sometimes people feel like breaking things over their wife or husband's head to get a message through to them! Now, there's a message that always comes through in that!
Some people feel that by fighting in the family they can resolve differences, but real changes are made only when we minister love.
Love will penetrate through to someone who has been hardened or mistreated, who has had a difficult background, or who has rejected our love.
What do we usually want to do when we see someone who's angry or bitter, or who strikes out at us? Usually, if we're operating in the flesh, we want to strike back. If we're operating in fear, we want to hit the trail. I mean, we'll let them have it and go.
But what does it take to minister love? It takes God's love in us. You can only give what you have.
Some people received the love of God from their parents while they were growing up, while others were deprived of this type of parental love.
If you'll accept Jesus Christ and let His love come into you in its fullness, it will drive out all of the hurt, anger, bitterness, and the sense of being deprived of love from Mom and Dad.
Agape love is the kind of love that Jesus expressed on the cross. I want more of it every day in my life. I need it. God is in me and what I'm really saying is, "I want to let more of His love flow out of me." I want to demonstrate it. The Scripture admonishes us, "Walk in Love. Put on Love."
Technically, theologically, and legally we who are born again have the love of God in us, but in actuality and practice, we have to put it on.
We have to release it. We have to activate it so that it will come out—and that comes by a decision.
There may be people you'll have to love on purpose. In other words, it won't come naturally. They're not going to draw on your love because of their attitude. You'll have to love them in spite of the way they are!
Usually, when someone is unkind, it's an indication that they're hurting inside. Love recognizes this fact and reaches out to minister to these people to set them free and release them in that area.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers