God’s Team - Part 4 –The Love of God

John 15:17b “Love one another.”

The final characteristic of a successful team is that they love one another.  Therefore, above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness – Colossians 3:14.  We are to put on God's unconditional love which binds us together in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. As we love our Lord, we love each other with the love with which He has loved us. We have been called as bondservants, slaves who are bound not by chains of guilt or obligation; rather we are bound to Him by a bond of love to serve Him willingly ... for believing works by love. Love energizes believing that appropriates the power of God into manifestation.  

There are four types of love in Greek. The first is "phileo" or friendship love.  The second is “familial” love; Greek word "storge." We have no control over the family into which we're born, yet (they are mine) and we love our earthly family as modeled in our heavenly family. The third type of love is "eros" or romance. These three types of love are "reciprocal." Each requires the same type of love in return. If these types of love are not returned, one party is shortchanged. The fourth type of love is "agape." This is the unconditional love of God. This is the love of grace and mercy ... a totally unconditional giving love of God that requires nothing given in return. There is nothing that a team cannot accomplish when the team loves one another and doesn't care which team member gets the credit.  Love covers for one another. It bears up under suffering and pressure, it sacrifices for the good of others, even those who have taken advantage of us.  Love transcends personal likes and dislikes. 

1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual to the pulling down of strongholds – 2 Corinthians 10:4. The best way to defeat your enemy is to make him your friend. The battlefield is in the mind. Therefore, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ – 2 Corinthians 10:5. Only with the love of God, in the regenerated heart and renewed mind, in manifestation can we stand against the schemes of the devil. We must put on with love, the full armor of God to prepare for the spiritual battle. The victory in the battle starts with surrendering our heart to our Lord Jesus Christ. The breastplate of righteousness can be donned only by understanding that we are righteous in Him and not in our own flesh.  

Therefore, in the spiritual battle, be thou my vision O Lord of my heart, Naught be all else to me save that thou art. To win the battle, we must surrender ourselves upon the altar of Christ. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship – Romans 12:1.

God has called us to his winning team.  In the words of the old hymn by Eugene Bartlettt: O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever. He sought me and bought me With His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew him, And all my love is due Him, He plunged me to victory, Beneath the cleansing flood.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ, Michael