Summary:

To love others is a direct commandment from Jesus; yet, few Christians follow this law. Most people operate under the law of selfishness. Selfishness is the reciprocal of love. A person
chooses to walk in either love or selfishness every day. Make the
decision to walk in love so that you will fulfill Jesus’ commandment and
allow God’s spiritual principals to work in your life.

1. The commandment of love.
   1. In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus shows us two commandments that are the root to every commandment in the Bible:
      1. To love God with all of your heart, soul and mind.
      2. To love your neighbor as yourself.
   2. Jesus did not make a suggestion; He instead gave a command.
      1. Most Christians violate these commandments.
   3. When you keep the law of love, you fulfill all of the laws written in the Bible.
      1. Keeping the law of love shows others that you are a disciple of Jesus (John 13:34-35).
   4. Everything hangs on the rod of love: deliverance, answered prayers, healing, faith, etc.
   5. If God’s agape love is not working in your life, then the kingdom of God will be limited in its ability to produce or manifest in your life.
      
      
2. Love and selfishness are the two greatest forces in life.
   1. Selfishness is the reciprocal of love.
   2. Agape love is not a human form of love. It is unconditional, limitless, selfless and is not based on emotions. It tolerates anything.
      1. Agape love seeks the advantage, pleasure and well-being of others and doesn’t regard itself.
   3. Selfishness seeks its own pleasure, well-being and advantage without regard for others.
      1. Emotional love is selfishness.
         1. It has limits and is conditional.
         2. It determines how to treat others by how it is first treated.
         3. It has to be loved before it can love.
         4. It requires pre-qualification.
   4. God does not want you to love with an emotional love but with the agape love that was poured into your heart the day you became saved (Romans
      5:5).
   5. It is not impossible to walk in agape love.
      1. Jesus faced the same temptations that you face.
         1. He only considered being selfish in the Garden of Gethsemane; however, He overcame this temptation.
   6. Mankind is born with a selfish nature.
      1. As you grow in the Lord and learn more from God’s Word regarding love, areas of selfishness will diminish in your life.
         
         
3. The law of love vs. the law of selfishness.
   1. In the way that God is love (1 John 4:7-8), Satan is selfishness.
      1. The spirit of “I” is an indication that the spirit of Satan exists (Isaiah 14:12-14).
   2. When selfishness is the foundation in your life, what you were once protected from when you walked in love, can then happen to you.
   3. Two laws govern life: (1) the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which is love; and (2) the law of sin and death, which is
      selfishness—the foundation of all sin (Romans 8:1-2).
      1. Things don’t just happen.
      2. Your decisions determine the type of life you live.
   4. Faith is found in the law of love. Fear is found in the law of selfishness.
   5. Selfishness is Satan’s attempt to create his own kingdom.
   6. Faith is the key to receiving the blessings that are found in God’s kingdom.
      1. When faith is developed, it benefits others.
   7. Fear is the key to receiving hardships that result from the kingdom of darkness.
      1. Fear is developed and used to benefit self.
   8. Do not use your liberty and freedom as an occasion to be selfish (Galatians 5:13).
   9. A foundation of selfishness leads to adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,
      wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness,
      revellings and such (vv. 19-21).
   10. The foundation of love leads to joy, peace, longsuffering, faith, gentleness, goodness, meekness and temperance (vv. 22-23).
   11. God created Eve, not because Adam was lonely, but so that he could focus on someone else rather than on being self-centered.
       1. Satan tricked Eve into taking her focus off of God and putting it onto herself and Adam.
   12. Jesus overcame Satan’s temptations by walking in agape love.
   13. In the last days, it will be evident that people are lovers of themselves and self-centered (2 Timothy 3:1-2, 5).

Scripture References:

• Matthew 22:34-40
• John 13:34-35
• Romans 5:5
• 1 John 4:7-8
• Isaiah 14:12-14
• Romans 8:1-2
• Galatians 5:13, 16-23
• 2 Timothy 3:1-2, 5 (AMP)