“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15 KJV).
There is a greater reason that we must walk in love other than just being nice to each other. When we walk in love toward one another it sends a message to the world that will draw them to Jesus, and cause them to live in total victory and dominion over Satan.
One of the last things Jesus taught His disciples is to love Him. Now let me ask this question. Do you love Jesus? The standard by which He judges your love is not what you say. His standard is in what you do.
Jesus said if you love Him keep His commandments. What commandment is that? You must love Him and love one another as Jesus has given you commandment.
Jesus’ desire is for God’s will to happen in the earth. God’s will is for Satan to be crushed. God’s will is that believers lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. God’s will is that people will be saved. Therefore, this whole issue of walking in love is the very center core of whether or not the church of the Lord Jesus Christ can produce God’s will in the earth.
So what He cares about is people being reached with the gospel. And they can only be reached one way, through the anointing, which only manifests itself through love. He’ll say it in another way.
In John 15, again, Jesus says this: “And people ask me why I will teach the same thing again and again. I’m repeating myself” (Author’s Paraphrase.) Why? Psychologists say that it takes seven times for a person to hear what is being taught. If you have children you understand that. Well Jesus, of course, knew that, so He repeated that which He most wanted to be taken to heart.
Jesus basically said, “Boys don’t forget this. I am about to go, and I want you to hear what I am telling you. You must apply this to your life, because it is going to let the world know, that you are my disciples.
“However, not only is it going to send that message, but it is going to empower them to walk in God’s anointing. It is going to empower them to operate in God’s protection. It is going to empower them to receive of God’s prosperity. It is going to empower them to walk in total dominion over Satan.”
In other words, having victory in this earth is the greater reason for this commandment besides simply being nice to each other.
Scripture References: John 15:13; Luke 10:19
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).