Every year, when Valentine’s Day rolls around, love is in the air and images of arrow-pierced hearts abound. While these iconic symbols make for cute gifts & cards, they miss the mark when it comes to understanding what true love is!
According to Greek mythology, a person who is shot by cupid’s arrow is filled with uncontrollable desire. This idea that people are essentially “love-struck” victims with no control over whom they fall in or out of love with is the opposite of everything the Word teaches! This kind of thinking has fostered a society that has gone so far as to tell its children, “You can’t choose whom you love”, “Your desires define you”, and “Your physical attractions determine your identity”.
The world doesn’t understand the difference between sensual gratification of the senses and the selfless, unconditional love of God. Jude warned, “there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit” (Jude 1:18-19).
In contrast, believers have the power to choose whom, when, and how they will love. It’s why Jude continues, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 1:20-21).
Instead of waiting to be struck with uncontrollable feelings, we can take the initiative to stir up, direct and activate His love by faith.
1. Get READY to love:
According to Romans 5:5, “…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us”.
As partakers of His divine nature we have the capability and responsibility to draw this love out from the hidden man of the heart so that it can impact the lives of others. “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14, NLT).
Jude tells us to “keep ourselves” in His love. The more we build ourselves up by praying in the Holy Spirit, the more ready we will be to share this love with others!
With the unconditional love of God as our foundation, we are also equipped with the capacity to offer and reciprocate brotherly love and affection to those around us. In the context of holy matrimony, a man and a woman who’ve entered into covenant are even empowered and encouraged to share intimate physical love.
2. AIM your love in the right direction.
We have the power to direct ALL of our love and affection towards whoever we choose! Colossians 3:2 says to“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” And we’ve been warned not to “love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15). Our thoughts and feelings of love should never control us! We should control them!
Love is a decision! The commandments in the Word are proof of that. We’ve been instructed to love God, our neighbors, ourselves, and our enemies. Husbands are directed to love their wives. Even passionate, sexual desires, which are holy when aimed in the right direction, are subject to our control: “Always rejoice with the wife of your youth… and always be enraptured with her love” (Proverbs 5:18-19).
3. Release your LOVE by faith!
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).
Faith works by love, but we also know that love works by faith! Whether you feel it or not, God’s love is poured out in your heart and you have the power to aim it, along with the feelings affections of your soul, in any direction you choose!
Once you’ve built yourself up on your most holy faith and have taken aim, you can launch His divine love towards the person of your choosing with the faith-filled words of your mouth accompanied by corresponding actions!
“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:18, NLT).
It’s not always easy, but it really is simple! READY…AIM…LOVE!!!
Why don’t you start today?
*Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are from NKJV.
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