Summary:

The pursuit of love should be your greatest pursuit in life, because walking in love is the essence of Christianity. Once you activate the law of love, experiencing the benefits of your covenant with God will be sweatless!

 

  1. Love is a law.
    1. A law is "an established principle" that works for anyone.
      1. Example: The law of gravity.

    2. You must be willing to abide by the principles that govern the law of love for it to work on your behalf.

  2. Clothe yourself with the love of God (Colossians 3:12-14, AMP).
    1. When you clothe yourself with the love of God, you clothe yourself with holiness, mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance and forgiveness (verse 14).

    2. Love is the bond of perfection, or completeness.

    3. Love helps you to cultivate all the elements of the fruit of the Spirit.

    4. Love is the root to character.
      1. As long as the fruit is attached to its root, it flourishes.

      2. Fruit that is detached from its root will eventually spoil.

      3. Many Christians strive to achieve prosperity, healing and other promises of God without striving to cultivate love; unfortunately, these "fruits" spoil as a result.

      4. We must be rooted and grounded in the love of God to harvest His promises (Ephesians 3:17).
    5. Developing the love of God positions you in His power.

    6. Satan wants to keep you from experiencing the positive results that come when you operate by the law of love.
      1. Be prepared for an attack against your love walk.
  3. There are specific principles that make up the law of love (Luke 6:27-36).
    1. Love your enemies and do good to them who hate you (verse 27).
      1. This will be hard on your flesh, especially if you were not trained to walk in love.

      2. When you're walking in selfishness, you will attempt to justify why you shouldn't love your enemies.
    2. Bless them who curse you and pray for them who despitefully use you (verse 28).
      1. Rather than retaliating, speak a blessing over the person cursing you; pray for his or her happiness.

      2. Discovering that you're being "used" may hurt, but offer a response that will activate the law of love.

      3. God does not want you to remain where you will be mistreated.
    3. "Offer the other cheek" when someone strikes you (verse 29).
      1. This response steps you into love and out of selfishness, giving God the opportunity to defend you.

      2. You may feel like a wimp, but don't attempt to defend yourself your way.

      3. Self-defense is a form of self-preservation that is fear-based, making you your own god.
    4. Don't stop someone if they steal from you out of need; instead, offer him or her something else (verse 29-30).
      1. Your loving response will be greater than anything anyone can do to or take away from you.

      2. Be willing to give to everyone who has a true need, and don't demand the return of your goods when they are stolen.

      3. Be mindful not to give to someone who is running a scam.

    5. Do to others what you would want them to do to you (verse 31).

    6. Following the law of love positions you for reward and shows others that you possess God's character (verse 35).

  4. Why is walking in love a requirement?
    1. Loving others and not wishing them ill fulfills the law of God (Romans 13:10).

    2. God wants you to consider the profit and interests of others instead of your own so that they can be saved (1 Corinthians 10:33, AMP).
      1. Because God's agenda is high, selfishness has no place.

    3. Love is a commandment, just like the Ten Commandments (John 15:12-14).
      1. Not loving others is against God's law just as murder and stealing are against His law.

      2. To break the law of love is to break all of God's commandments.

      3. The judgment for breaking the commandment to love is your not experiencing the benefits of your covenant with God.
  5. Don't allow anything to separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39, AMP).
    1. Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, danger and character flaws are factors that try to separate you from the love of God.

    2. The love walk is designed to teach you how to overcome adversity.

    3. Remaining in love enables you to conquer hatred shown to you, curses spoken over you and everything else that comes to defeat you.

    4. Become persuaded that nothing will separate you from God's love as long as you continue to love others (verse 38).

  6. Stop sinning.
    1. When you "step out" of love, it becomes easy to step into sin. A "step out" of love is a step away from God, because He is Love (1 John 4:16).

    2. Love covers, or "prevents," a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8; Proverbs 10:12).
      1. When you follow the law of love, you fulfill the law of God, and not sinning becomes your lifestyle.
    3. Love God enough not to sin.

    4. As the love of God increases in your life, hatred, unforgiveness and other sins will automatically decrease.

    5. Your love must not be conditional; if it is, you will be quick to turn your back on God.

    6. Allow the "motor of love" to drive you toward achieving results God's way.

  7. To walk in the love of God is the essence of Christianity.
    1. Many churches have become places of entertainment where the love of God is not taught and, consequently, is not present.

    2. Some Christians only seek what they can get from God, not how they can exemplify His love.

    3. Christianity is not about performing religious acts or doing "good" works. Even these acts become sin when not executed in love.

    4. Love is the most important topic for believers to understand.
      1. Gain a proper understanding of the love of God, and you will understand the "true light" of His character (1 John 2:7-8).

Scripture References:

  • Colossians 3:12-14, AMP
  • Ephesians 3:17
  • Luke 6:27-36
  • Romans 13:10
  • 1 Corinthians 10:33, AMP
  • John 15:12-14
  • Romans 8:35-39, AMP
  • 1 John 4:16
  • 1 Peter 4:8
  • Proverbs 10:12
  • 1 John 2:7-8