THE FORCE OF LOVE - Pastor David Oyedepo Jnr.


We show our love for God by:
Ø  Keeping God’s commandment. John 14.21 says ‘He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me’ (Hebrews  12.2). Jesus is the perfect example of the way we should love God – he, for the joy set before him, endured the pain and shame of the cross (Hebrews 12.2). He sought always to follow God’s will (John 5.30), and please Him (John 8.29). As believers, we are to passionately follow divine commandments, and if we don’t, it means we don’t love Him.
Ø  Living a Kingdom-priority lifestyle. Matthew 6.33 speaks of making God number one in every single thing. To love Him is not just to have affection for Him, but to ‘have greater’ for Him than anything else in our lives.

God-lovers show the following trademarks:
1)      You will love His Word. Case in study is David, a man whose heart was after God. 1 Sam 13.14. ‘O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me … I have more understanding that the ancients, because I keep thy precepts (Psalm 119.97-100). Again, Psalm 1.1-3 tells of the blessings that follow those who love the Word. Therefore, let the love of Christ dwell richly in you.
2)      You will love His house. David, again in Psalm 122.1 speaks of blessing on those who delight in God’s commandments. Those who love God enjoy being in His house, and it’s not out of obligation or some sense of duty.
3)      You will love the saints. Jesus showed his love for us in laying down his life, and we ought to do the same for the brethren (1John 3.16). You’ll continually pray for their increase and rejoice in their successes. God-lovers prefer the company of the saints to that of unbelievers because they spur each other on spiritually. Solomon started out strong with God, and was blessed beyond measure, but 1Corinthians 15.33 tells us how he drifted away from God by bad choices in associates.
4)     You will love the lost. You will be concerned about their state outside of salvation, and announce God freely everywhere you go. God gave his son for everyone (John 3.16), so we too should draw everyone to Him. Let every associate in your life be aware that you are for Him.
5)   You will cheerfully give. David gave unreservedly because he loved God (1Chronicles 29.3). 2Corinthians 8.8. Offer up obedience to God, no matter the cost (1John 5.3).

Now we should love God because:
  • Doing so fulfils His commandments. Romans 13.10.
  • The love of God fills us up (Ephesians 3.18-19). Being filled up with God’s love is what gives believers dominion in life ‘As He is, so we are in this world - 1John 4.16-17. We begin to manifest God’s divinity here on earth, as seen with Paul in Acts 14.11, and Peter & John in Acts 4.13.
  • It causes all things to line up for your good (Romans 8.28). We won’t have to work for things, rather they will work for you.


To develop yourself in God’s love:
  • Make a decision to love Him. Love is a choice, not a gift (Joshua 24.1) and bear in mind that if you are not loving God, you are choosing to love something else (Matthew 6.24).
  • Ask for the baptism of the Spirit of love. 2Timothy 1.7. It begins with a choice and ends with empowerment, for God will not empower what you have not committed to. So ask, and he will surely give - Luke 11.13. Ask with a desperate heart that thirsts for what you want - Isaiah 44.3-4. Seek Him with all your heart, and He will open the ways unto you - Isaiah 41.17-18.
  • Enter into a covenant to seek, serve, and love God, and you shall be found by Him. 2Chronicles 15.12-15.


Watch teaching link on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fntvakq83c4

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