We can tap into the deep, rich reservoir of God’s love residing within us even when people rub us the wrong way. Love is a force much more powerful than
human emotion.
The God-kind of love is the most powerful force in existence. It’s even more powerful than any force known in the physical realm.
First John 4:8 tells us that God is love. This love has been imitated, misunderstood, and misrepresented. Yet God’s love is the most powerful and important
part of every true Christian’s life. In fact, it’s so important that if we are not growing in the God-kind of love, we are not really growing at all.
On the other hand, if we have made a life of love our goal, it makes every other aspect of life meaningful. Life becomes filled with the hope and the enjoyment
God has always intended.
The God-kind of love touches every level of human existence: spirit, soul, and body. It is the most important ingredient in making our faith, prayer, or
any other activity fulfilling—whether it’s a natural or spiritual interest.
This kind of love is the foundation for the covenant God made with every Christian. The God-kind of love is beyond anything the natural mind could ever
think or create. This new kind of love is born and developed in the recreated human spirit. This love is evidence that Jesus is alive in us.
Knowledge alone has many limitations. Feelings and reasoning are undependable. But there are no limits in God’s totally reliable love. First Corinthians
8:1 says:
“Mere knowledge causes people to be puffed up (to bear themselves loftily and be proud), but love (affection and goodwill and benevolence) edifies and
builds up and encourages one to grow [to his full stature]” (AMP).
The word agape is the Greek word for the God-kind of love. Agape is God in action — His love demonstrated through the ones He loves, toward those
who need His love.
Agape love denotes an overwhelming generosity and undefeatable goodwill that always seeks the highest good of the other person — no matter what he
does. It is a self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return. It is a love based on choice and decision rather than feeling and
emotion. Agape describes the unconditional love of God for every individual.
This God-kind of love acts quite different from natural, human love. For instance, to feel loved, some people tend to be performance-oriented. Others think
they must do something to deserve love. That kind of love is purely human or natural love.
People who love with this natural type of love are governed by their emotions. Their love for others continually changes. Natural love is filled with conditions.
This love says: “If you do something for me or give me the right thing, then I will continue to love you, otherwise you won’t get my love.”
In contrast, when we choose to release God’s love, then we act based on the decision we have made. It doesn’t matter whether anyone responds or not, we
have decided to be a person of love.
