The God Kind of Love Part 2

We pick up from where we left off last Sunday, contemplating about this spirit and power called love. We learnt that God taught us on the best expression of love, which is giving. God is Spirit, and does not have a physical body. Many a times we need to feel loved, and be told physically that we are loved. God has given us our loved ones as an expression of His love. Think about that person who really loves you: they are an expression of God's love for you, that is why He brought them your way. Many times we fight these people, instead of appreciating them and thanking God for them. 

God not only loves you dearly, but cares for you deeply. Look at this:

Matthew 10:29-31

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  

A sparrow is so cheap, yet it is God who allows even a single one to die. He cares for them so much, and even feeds them personally (Matthew 6:26). We are of more value than sparrows. Our worth is Jesus’ life. The amount of care you issue to a possession increases with its value. Our value is Jesus’ life, so the amount of care issued to us is so much. 

When you have something very valuable, you will want to know more about it, every detail so that you can take good care of it. The more someone knows about something, the more he/ she cares. God has numbered the hairs of our head, and when one falls He is aware. He loves us so much that HE took the liberty to number our hair and let us know that He has done so, to show us how concerned He is about us. If He cares about this dearly, what would make us think that He has neglected us in times of trouble? If He has taken the liberty to number your hair, what makes you think He is not aware of what you are going through?

If every sparrow falls in accordance to God’s will, and we are of more value than sparrows, then that should tell us that nothing happens in our life will escape our Father’s care and concern. He knows everything that happens, and wills for it to happen;His plans for us are good (Jeremiah 29:11). Before your problem existed, God was. HE had a solution for your problem even before it got to you. He willed and allowed for it to happen so that you may turn to Him for the solution, and thus strengthen your relationship with Him. When the problem comes, do not run away from the only one who loves you so dearly and has the solutjon at hand. If you know that God loves you dearly and that you are of more worth than the sparrow, you will not fear (Matthew 10:31). Fear comes when you do not know your worth, when you do not know how much God loves you.

Ephesians 3:14-20 (AMP)

For this reason [seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name].

16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. 17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] [unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— 21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
Paul prayed that we may be “rooted and founded securely deep on love”. The Holy Spirit by shedding His love in our hearts, was providing us with “grounds” or “foundation” that can hold us as Christians. This is the God-kind of love, that can help us behave, walk, be and talk like God. It is a strong driving force, an affection that drives us. When we are founded securely on love, we cannot be shaken by anything. 

The first thing you start with when building a house is a foundation, and the higher the house you need it to be, the deeper you’ll have to lay the foundation. The Holy Spirit knew the importance of love, which is why He began by shedding it in our hearts:

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.

As Christians, we are supposed be deeply rooted and grounded in love, meaning that we get our supplies, nutrients and resoures from love. We get our driving force, our motivation, from love. Which love? The God kind of love. The more we are aware of what we are planted and grounded on, the more we go deep and become secure on this love; the deeper our roots sink in, thus the more unshaken we become.

Paul prays that we get to comprehend/ understand/ grasp with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which far passes knowledge. “to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]” (AMP). When we know how much God loves us, then we will end up believing in Him more and more. We will be deeply and firmly secured on love, nothing will ever shake us. 

This knowledge and experience will dispel fear, as it is love being perfected: 

1 John 4:17-18 

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. 

We will believe in God more, and His love in us will be our motivation for doing anything we do. When you know that your parent loves you, you will never question their actions towards you. We will never question or doubt God’s hand in our lives, if we know how much God loves us. We will know that God loves us so much and will never allow anything that can harm us come our way (Jeremiah 29:11), and believe that everything can turn out for the good, no matter how bad it is (Romans 8:28). Paul prays, according to the Amplified version, that we would really come to know the love of Christ – that love that caused Him to die for us: 

1 John 4:9-10 
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

1 John 3:16 
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

He emphasizes on really, meaning that most of us think we know the love of Christ, while we don’t. Otherwise why would we doubt or fear? If He died for you, what else can’t He do for you? Can you die for someone and leave them to be overwhelmed by life? NO! How much do you value something you paid Kshs. 10 for? How much do you value something you paid Kshs. 1 million for? Will anyone mess with it on your watch? How about something you paid for with your LIFE? Yes, you would preserve it and carefully watch over it.

God loves you so much, and that is why He gave you His word, and His promises. Your faith in God's love is what the enemy targets, to make you think that God does not love you. This is what He has done from the beginning; look at what He did with Eve: 

Genesis 3:1-5
And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from EVERY tree of the garden? …But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity.  (AMP, Emphasis added)

The enemy will use his lies to make you doubt of God’s love for you, as that is the basis and foundation of your salvation and faith in God. You have faith in God because you believe He loves you, just like a child has faith in the father knowing that he loves him/her and will do anything for them. The enemy will do whatever he can to make you start thinking God has neglected you, and does not care about you. Furthermore, he’ll try and make you doubt that His promises are not true, despite God saying that His promises for you are Yes and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20).

God’s love is unchanging, and nothing you can do or not do will make Him love you any more or less. That is why it’s called AGAPE love. It is immeasurable, endless, unfathomable and unchanging. All His promises in the Bible are Yes and Amen because He loves you. Believe that He will do anything for you He has promised in His word, because He loves you.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Your faith in God’s love will come by you hearing and hearing His word on how much He loves you. How many times have you read scriptures on God’s love for you? Spend time contemplating on God’s love for you, and whenever the enemy reminds you of your problems,  just say “everything will be okay, because God loves me.” That’s how faith works through love! You believe that God will take care of you and make everything work out for the good because of the love He has for you.

Love is power, love is Spirit. It is power to believe and the Spirit to remind you of God’s love for you, but you have to be aware of it for it to work. 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be full of God? How it would be like to be full of the Provider, Healer, All-Mighty, God of All Comfort, Holy God, Good God, Banner etc.? Paul gives us the formula that will guarantee us of being full of God:

Ephesians 3:19 (AMP)

[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] [unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

We all know of the old adage that says "experience is the best teacher." Paul knew this, and prayed that we got to experience for ourselves the love of Christ. This is the love that far surpasses mere knowledge, that would require experience to understand. Knowing of this love is not alone; experiencing it is what will fill us with God. The more you experience the love of Christ, the more you will be filled and flooded with God Himself, unto all His fullness. It should be your prayer every morning that God would allow you to experience the love of His Son. We do not experience it because we do not ask!

James 4:2

...you do not have because you do not ask.

It is God's will that you be full of Him, and this is what we know concerning asking things according to His will:

1 John 5:14-15

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

If you ask God to allow you to experience His love, He will. So much that people will start saying of you: "they are really loved by God." The more you experience His love, the more you will "be filled [through all your being] [unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!" (verse 19).  Wake up every morning and ask God "Daddy, let me experience your love today." You will be surprised at how your days will change, when you make this a habit. The more you will ask, the more He will do it!

When we know how much God loves us and get to practically experience it, then we will be confident to ask us for more. A child that doubts or is unaware of their parent’s love for them will never ask for much, or for anything. One that is aware of the love and affection of their parents for them will ask for anything. Love is best expressed in giving, and a child who knows this will ask for more and more, and the parent will delight in giving the child. When we realize how much God loves us, then we will be able to ask for much more. This is why Ephesians 3:20 is like so:

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]

He can do all that, according to (in harmony with, in consequence of) that power that works in us. Which power? The power of love. The more knowledge we have of that power working in us, that power that the Holy Spirit deposited in us, that power to do all things, believe all things, endure all things and hope all things; the more God will work to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. He is willing to work in harmony/ accordance/ in line with that power that He deposited in us. He wants us to ask for more, to out-think and out-dream ourselves in our requests, as we realize how much He loves us! 

As I finish, you may ask why in the world God would love us and want to do all this for you. The answer lies in verse 21, of Ephesians 3:

To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).

Everything God has done or created since the beginning of the universe was, has been and will be for His glory. God loves you, and has done that since He even created you: you are an expression of His love. He will fill you with His fullness so that all glory will go back to Him. The more people realize of the power of His love, the more glory will go back to Him. He did not create human beings or even the earth because He was lonely or really needed us: He did it to express His glory, that we may reflect His glory more. He will love you and do all we've seen in this sermon to express His glory! Ever wondered the main reason why Jesus died on the cross?

Philippians 2:8, 11

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ... to the glory of God the Father.

God gave Him a Name that is above every name, and it was all for His glory! It is yet to be seen how much God will and can do through an individual who is willing to give all glory back to God. This is why Paul asks us this:

1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

God loves you, and the moment you start living according to this truth and allow yourself to experience His love, His glory will be seen through you more and more. 

God loves you, believe it!!!

-- Sam Gitonga. 

(3/3/13 Sunday Service Sermon, Africa Transformation Mission. Pramukh Plaza, 6th Floor.)

Sam Gitonga is a Youth Leader at Africa Transformation Mission, a ministry under Christ Harvesters Ministries.