Do you recall the scripture of Matthew 22:36-40? In that scripture, Jesus was asked by one of His disciples, “Which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
Jesus responds, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
This statement is ‘out of this world’. It’s so powerful that though we may be able to understand it, there’s so much to it that we will never comprehend. Yet, the Holy Spirit gave me a new perspective on His Love.
First, with all the turmoil going on in the earth, we look for answers. Our hearts continually cry out to The Father for something or someone. I understand more and more, with each day, that bringing Christ to the world is the greatest answer because His Love is “out of this world”. And if we want a better earth, now and for future generations, we must carry and utilize His Love like a beautiful force and weapon.
We see the love of the heart and understand our emotions; how people make us feel and how we make others feel. We understand love as a connecting force in relationships, including our relationship with God through Christ. We understand that love shows care for the best interest of others, at heart. You may even understand that love heals.
Yet and also:
The scripture, in I Corinthians 13, says that without Love, even prophecy becomes useless. Though there is so much to say about Love, this is what I want to focus on today. As I’ve grown in understanding the Lord’s supernatural language for my life, there are things that I’ve noticed. Many Christians ask for the gift of Prophecy in understanding God’s supernatural language so that they may hear God for themselves and speak into the lives of others. But many don’t understand that it’s not for knowledge or show. It’s for love. It starts with Love for God and soaks from Him into love for self, then it pours into love for everything else.
Many want the gift of prophecy without true spiritual growth. They take on titles and start ministries and love is not even a prerequisite for them. Their intent may be a sense of purpose and duty, but it's not enough. I've seen people prophesy death, doom, and curses without understanding. They speak negatively to others and about others. Some totally lack integrity. Others follow leaders who lead them wrong and so they repeat what they've seen verses growing with God out of relationship. They are more wrapped up in being leaders of knowledge than being Servants of Love.
This is what the Lord is showing me… You can’t prophesy in His name without Love. In fact, His gifts don’t function properly without Love. Therefore, those who speak without love, for Him, aren’t really speaking for Him. They’re speaking on their own accord. The intent of the heart is a Big Deal for God! That's why you must always be in Him to be kept honest. If you're talking to God constantly, He will uproot what's in the heart for your own good and the good of His people.
If you are desiring the gift of Prophecy, the best way to start is to work on your own heart. When God is gifting you to care for His people, you need to be able to fulfill the requirements. One of the most important requirement for His gifts is Love. How can you help anyone, if you don’t truly know Love; Love for God, Love for Your Self, and therefore Love for others?
What happens when you truly love others with the gift of Prophecy?
-When you love, you listen differently.
-When you love, you pay attention to details.
-When you love, you understand the need of the person you’re giving prophecy to.
-When you love, you understand the heart of God.
-When you love, you can easily interpret what the heart of God is saying.
-When you love, because you understand the heart of God, you know exactly how to respond to the hearer, out of God’s own heart.
Overall, when you love, you understand God’s recipe for healing! Hallelujah!
The fire and heat of God is in the force of Love!
LOVE is always RIGHT NOW with God! He’s speaking all the time. He's healing All the Time!
I know you can be easily distracted, worried about today or tomorrow, not thinking much about your neighbors or others. I know how life, at times, can have you focused and more concerned about your own interests than the interests of others. I also know that with all you have to juggle, it may be challenging to truly listen to others and hear their heart. There is something everyday to keep you preoccupied only with what's going on in your own world. That's where faith needs to come in! God can take care of you while also taking care of others through you.
Rather or not you want to speak for God or use His gifts, you should represent the heart of the Father. The scripture says that the entire law and all the demands of the prophets were based on LOVE! If you want to be more Prophetic, you need to first be more LOVE. There's no other way!
If you want to walk in the Supernatural, you have to learn the language of God’s ‘Out of this World’ kind of LOVE. There’s no other way. There’s no short cut. You must first start with God and then Self. You will then become Supernatural! God wants to see you glow with His shadow!
I challenge you to try God's way of Love this week. Listen, pay attention, and be present in the environments around you. Lose yourself and then speak into someone's life.