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Discipleship One
Lesson 9Jesus said to him, "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second one is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40
As disciples of Jesus we are to live a lifestyle of love. We are expected to love ourselves and we are commanded to love God and every one else. Not only are we to love those who loves us, Jesus said even the heathens do this, but we are commanded to love even our enemies.
Jesus speaking. "You have heard that it was said hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you , and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven; for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Matthew 5:43-47
And to love Him with all the heart, and all the the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark 12:33
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34
We know we have the ability to love by three ways:
1) We are commanded by God to love. If all knowing God commands us to love everyone, then we must have the ability to love everyone. God would never command us to do something we are incapable of doing.
2) Romans 5:5 tells us that the love of God has been poured into our heart . When we are born again, that old stone cold heart dies and we receive a heart of love. We have the love of God to give to others.
3) Galations 5: 22-26 tells us that the fruit of the Holy Spirit whom we have been given, is love, peace, joy, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. All of these things are on the inside of you right now if you are born-again because you have been given the Holy Spirit. He produces the good fruit of love in your life and supernaturally enables you to love even the unlovable. We choose to let these fruit come forth by submitting ourselves to our spirit which is lead by the Holy Spirit rather than being lead by our flesh which will bring fourth anger, bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness, resentment, etc. in the face of adversity.
What is Love?
In order to love the way we are commanded to love by God, we need to have understanding of what love is. There are differences in the love we have for our mates and the kind of love we have for others, but the bottom line for both are the same.
Love is: A caring and a concern for the welfare of another. It is putting others before our self.
Love is: A choice. It is an act of our will. We don't fall into and out of love. We fall into and out of lust. We choose to love or not to love.
Love is: A commitment. We make up our mind to love because God has commanded us and enabled us to love.
Love is: Action. We act out our love towards others through acts of kindness. Love has to be expressed in deeds or it is empty and void.
We also have to understand what love is not.
Love is not a feeling, regardless of what Websters might tell you. Thinking of love as a feeling is very deceptive and the cause of many marital woes and break ups. Many times we feel love but the absence of the feeling is not necessarily the absence of love. Sometimes we feel it, sometimes we don't. God's children are not to be moved by their feelings but by the Spirit of God guiding through our spirit man. Choose to love and act on that love out of obedience to God and the feelings will be there.
Love is not an attraction.
Love is not necessarily passion, but it is compassion.
Love is not sex. Sex can be an expression of our love to our spouse but is not love in itself. How many teen girls are deceived into believing this? Far too many.
Taking on the worlds views on anything is a mistake. The world's views are inspired by the god of this world, Satan. Believing deceptions about what love is and is not opens the door to Satan in our lives to wreck havoc. Remember, he goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.
Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy; love does not parade itself, its not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a
How do we live a lifestyle of love?
1) Make a decision and a commitment to love. Meditate on it. Talk to God about it. Ask God for his help. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you ways to walk a deeper love walk. Ask Him to convict you every time you act or react in a different spirit than one of love. Submit and commit your plan to the Lord. Walk it out one day at a time. If you fall short, and you will, repent and continue to walk it out. Be humble and willing to say I was wrong and I am sorry to those offended. Don't give up.
2) Renew your mind to God's word and His ways. Bring every single thought captive to the obedience of Christ. In other words, control your thought life. Think on those things that are good and of the Lord. Take on the mind of Christ.
3) Always allow God to be your defender. Revenge is mine says the Lord. He will defend you. He will contend with those who contend with you if you will let him by walking in love. It will amaze you to see how quickly God will rise up on your behalf, He loves to defend his kids. Once you get revelation of this truth you will find yourself often saying, "forgive them Father for they know not what they do".
5) Pray for others: There is no way you can harbor hard feelings for those you pray regularly for. God will give you His heart for that person and compassion will rise up from your spirit which comes from the Holy Spirit.
6) Pray for yourself: Realize your own frailties and put your hope and trust in God. None of us have arrived in this but must strive daily to perfect our love walk. His strenght, not ours.
Weekly Challenges:
Read your proverbs scripture and Matthew scriptures.
Think about areas that you could improve your love walk. Think of areas where you are strong.
Spend at least 15 minutes each day in prayer. Be sure to discuss your love walk with God, asking for his guidance and help in this area. Ask Him to help you get revelation of His love for you.
Operation L.O.V.E.: Think of someone that has been mean to you lately, do something kind for him/her.
Scripture Memorization:
Jesus said to him, "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second one is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40