Introduction
· Last week we spoke about the Law of Love and defined the importance of our love walk in our life.
· We studied that without love, none of the principles of God work as intended.
· We learned that the foundation of all the principles are rooted in the Law of Love.
· This week we will expound on the process of walking in love. How do we do this and what are the key benefits.
· Mankind is born with the tendency to think and act selfishly, but the agape love of God is deposited within your heart when you became born again.
· Once a Believer develops in love, power becomes available, but walking in love is a process that requires sacrifice and development.
· Let us look to the scriptures and see what the Word says about Walking in Love – The Process.
A. Mankind is born with the tendency to be selfish.
1. Human beings have stony hearts until they become born again.
(NKJV) Ezekiel 36 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
a. Sin nature is present within every person until we become born again & supernaturally receives a new heart from God.
(NKJV) Ezekiel 11 19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
2. Adam and Eve rebelled against God because of fear and selfishness, which are opposites of love.
a. They feared that God was withholding something they wanted.
b. They allowed their senses and negative emotions to guide their decisions, and their actions ultimately cursed mankind to follow their pattern of selfish behavior.
B. Agape love is supernaturally deposited into the heart of every born-again Believer.
(NKJV) Romans 5 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
1. The agape love of God enables Believers to share unconditional, love with God and with others.
2. Agape love enables a Believer to exercise supernatural power.
a. The Believer who walks in agape love has the power to resist sin and keep God’s commandments.
b. Agape love enables the Believer to do as God commands, which is to respond to our enemies with forgiveness, prayer and words of blessing.
(NKJV) John 14 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
c. Believers who walk in agape love have the power to edify members of the Body of Christ by considering others first; praying for them and showing compassion whenever possible.
C. Walking in agape love requires development and training.
1. Christians build strength to walk in love by experiencing pressure (temptation) and facing resistance (the flesh).
a. Temptation comes to cause pressure, but when resisted, builds spiritual muscle.
b. When temptation occurs repeatedly, ongoing resistance enables you to grow stronger, move to increased levels of resistance and strengthen the spiritual muscles involved in expressing agape love.
c. A strong Christian who walks in agape love threatens the kingdom of darkness (devil).
2. Development includes proper spiritual nutrition and rest.
a. The spirit man needs the Word of God to be edified, sustained and refreshed during and after spiritual workouts.
D. Selfishness and fear are two primary blockages to agape love in the life of a Believer.
1. Some Christians allow selfishness to stop them from walking in the unconditional, unqualified love of God.
(NKJV) 2 Timothy 3 1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
a. Selfishness is a way of thinking that motivates a person to always seek his or her own advantage, pleasure or well-being without regard for the well-being of others.
b. Selfishness will cause lack in the last days.
c. Believers can avoid selfishness by seeking the well-being of others.
2. Fear stops some Believers from walking in agape love.
a. Complete surrender is the only attitude that allows Believers to deny themselves and walk in the perfect will of God (Matthew 10:39).
b. A Believer should never esteem themselves life and purposes above another person’s or above the plans and purposes of God.
(NKJV) Matthew 16 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
c. The fear of missing out on pleasure or benefits and experiencing hardship stops many Believers from walking selflessly in the power that comes with love (Acts 20:22).
d. A Believer must deny self, follow God’s instructions and abandon his or her own plans to experience the power that accompanies agape love.
(NKJV) Luke 17 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
Conclusion
· Mankind is born with the tendency to think & act selfishly, but the agape love of God is deposited within your heart when you became born again.
· We can love God because He dwells within us through the Holy Spirit.
· Once a Believer develops in love, power becomes available, but walking in love is a process that requires sacrifice and development.
· Selfishness is rooted in fear, you worry about what others think or say over what God has already said about you.
· Fear causes doubt that then takes you out of faith and the love walk of God.
· We must deny self and pick up the way of the cross – love – Jesus.
· In order for us to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, have favor and blessings, we must first walk in the law of love.
· We must think of others and God over our own selfish motives, thoughts and desires.
· We must do it God’s way through love.
· Let us pray.
Salvation Call / Altar Call
