November 23, 2017November 23, 2017
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Love, A Segment of the Fruit of The Spirit, by Brother Adefarati Oloruntoba

Love, A Segment of the Fruit of The Spirit, by Brother Adefarati Oloruntoba

Text: 1 Cor 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (NIV).

The word Love is a cliché in our contemporary world; it has been panel-beat and reduced to mere quotes, slangs, and name. Man’s definition of love remains shallow, defective and ineffectual which accounts for why consistent and unconditional love among people remains a mirage regardless of the huge investment of time and labour. The more we talk about it, the less of it we experience because love is supernatural and it takes the supernatural to operate in absolute love. Love was not manufactured by man, meaning you can’t assume authority over.

We clamour for love because it’s the spring of unity, joy and life but look for it incorrectly, Love is not emotion phantoms and it’s beyond affection. The best way to learn or understand Love is to borrow the definition from the manufacturer’s perspective.

Facts about Love:

  • God is love; God does not have love but he himself is Love. He is the ultimate love 1John 4:7-8 and whatever he does is an expression of his love.

  • You will always struggle to show true love until God’s love distils in your heart (1John 4:16) because humanity is coded to love only things that face the direction of his interest. Hence, it is natural to hate. Jesus was hated (Isaiah 53:2-3), it was normal for people to chant crucify him because the humanity residing in them was lending his voice.

  • You cannot actually value love until you drink from the cup of hostility, hatred gives us another definition of love

  • Jesus demonstrated how to find and live in love. He channelled his focus on God, John 5:19 -20, He did not only acknowledge that God loves him but also made a pious commitment to pleasing God always; prioritize Gods above other things. This is why it was easier for him to love people because God is living in him.

  • Love is God’s language and emphasis in every generation. If that is not your hallmark too, then something is wrong with your Christianity. Deut. 6:5, Matt 22:37,

  • God’s reward system is based on love; he recognises his love and advertises it to people. Mat 3:17, Mat 17:5 (NLT)

  • Love is the seal of sonship: Luke 6:35

  • Love is the platform for transacting with God, it’s the currency of heaven

  • Love is the ultimate need of man

  • Love is the new testament commandment Mark 12:28-31,

  • Love is the debt you owe everyman you come across and the recipe for an acceptable service to God. Rom 13:8, 1John 4:7-11, Lk 6:27, 1Pet4:8

  • Love reflects your closeness to eternity; the kingdom of God Mark 12:31-33, 1John 4:18-19

  • God requires you coordinate your love towards him before you can synthesize unconditional love toward fellow man,

  • Love reveals the direction of your life. The true test of your love is your pursuits, check your greatest appetite, your love lurks around it. God’s love made people (Abraham, Lots, Stephen, etc.) set aside their personal principles, ambitions and dreams in order to please God. Love goalpost of every believer is 1 Cor 13:4-8

Love gives; it’s sacrificial. God (Love) has given his best, Jesus did likewise, men of like passion also gave their all as an expression of love; Paul, Peter, Reinhard Bonnke, among others. The more you love God, the easier it will be to love people genuinely and unconditionally Rom 12:9-21, Eph 4:1-6

Now is your turn, what would you give to God and what would you give your generation before you step out from time into eternity.

The sermon, Love, A Segment of the Fruit of The Spirit, by Brother Adefarati Oloruntoba, was delivered on 19th November 2017 at the Special New Workers/Talent Audition Service.