10/28/21-FAITH WORKING THROUGH LOVE

I’m going to ask a loaded question. Do you believe that God loves you? Think before you respond with a rote memorization of John 3:16. Repeating a verse does not indicate a belief in the words we speak. People repeat a lot of things they don’t believe. Yes the Bible tells me so, but do we believe that God loves us? Yes, it’s written on paper, but is the reality of those words written on our hearts? We say we love Him, that’s even questionable at times. But are we truly convinced of His love for us? If we want to see change take place in any area of life, our faith must work through the prism of love, God’s love. Only then will John 3:16-17 become what Hebrews 4:12 says.

In our text for today, Paul shows us a major blockage to our faith working uninhibited in our lives. Firstly we need to understand by whose love does faith work. Is it by the love we have for each other and God? Or is it exclusively by His love for us? Let’s go to the Word to find the answer. What we consider a lack of faith for the reason our prayers are not answered, might just be a misunderstanding of what causes our faith to work or be activated in the first place. Maybe we’re working at the wrong thing.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:1-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Jewish believers were so accustomed to living by legalism, the understanding that grace through faith in God alone could be enough was presenting a problem. ‘We have to do something.’ ‘We can’t just expect God to do everything for us, can we?’ That’s where the lie of “God helps those who help themselves” came from. We also misunderstood the words of James. “Faith without works is dead.” Faith is an action word, but it is a passive active word. I’m not an English teacher but the Holy Spirit is, so I’ll let Him explain. Faith means owning what we believe. We don’t necessarily have to see the tangible manifestation to act on what we’re hearing and believing from the Word of God. For example, You wake up with a fever. Your first thought shouldn’t be what medication to take. It should be 1 Peter 2:24. That’s Faith taking ownership of the Word and placing a demand on it to do what it promises.

The Word has no authority until by faith you place a demand on it. It’s passive unless activated through believing. How do we identify a police officer? His badge. He can put that uniform on and strut around all day long. He has no power or authority to act, unless or until he puts that badge on. Faith works in the same way. We can quote scriptures all day long, but until virtue flows from those words into our situation, they remain passive. What does all this have to do with love? Everything. Because it’s not our love for God that activates our faith to bring results. It’s in believing His love for us that makes our faith fruitful. Most Christians struggle with the idea that God loves them. We cannot receive fully all He has for us until we believe that He loves us unconditionally.

I've been taught, and have even shared it here that not loving each other will block our receiving from God. It’s not a wrong concept, because Jesus taught that we can’t even bring a gift if we’re at odds with a brother. And John also taught that principle in. 1 John 4. But that love, brotherly love, isn’t what makes our faith work. Our faith isn’t activated through works. It’s activated through believing that God loves us. That’s the message of Galatians 5. Faith that is working through love isn’t based on performance but on believing. That’s why we’re not called God’s adults, we’re called His children. Childlike faith/love believes all things biblical, loving freely, is always hopeful. Why? A care-less and care-free mindset. A child has to be taught to doubt, fear and not to trust. Children are born believers. Listen to what the apostle John wrote. I believe this is where we’ve kinked our faith.

“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”1 John‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

That’s what Paul was trying to get the believers in Galatia to understand. The love that activates our faith comes through understanding and accepting His love for us. Not by working hard to prove our love for Him. When God required that they love Him with heart, mind, soul and strength in the commandments, the Jews failed miserably. Throughout the book of 1 John, the emphasis is on God’s love for us first and foremost, and secondly our love for each other. Until we believe and receive His love for us without trying to add our works to the mix, we won’t fully enjoy the benefits faith working through love produces.

Jesus lived a successful earthly life because He believed in His Father’s love for Him. He believed it so much that He boldly stated. “I only do what I see My Father do, and I only say what I hear My Father say. Jesus told His disciples that to have robust faith, they needed to have the God kind of faith. That faith operated purely in the knowledge that God loves them. Our children will jump off a ledge into our arms because they believe we love them enough to catch them. They didn’t think before leaping into our arms, they trusted our love. They didn’t wonder if they’d been good enough to warrant our catching them, they simply followed our words. Paul was teaching the believers to trust the love that God has for them. There were no hoops to jump through. Just believe in His love.

We’re working too hard to receive something we already have. Stop questioning His love for you. As soon as you do, things will begin to change in your life. It’s interesting that Jesus instructed His disciples after they were shocked by the fig tree drying up at His Word. Have faith in God. Mark 11:22. That’s the faith Paul alluded to. The faith that worketh through believing that God loves you and answers you. Jesus never questioned or doubted His Father’s love for Him.

“So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself . He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing. In fact, the Father will show Him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.”

‭‭John‬ ‭5:19-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus’ faith was always working, because He believed in the love of His Father for Him. He had bold confidence. At the tomb of Lazarus He said “ I know You always hear Me.” John 11:42. That’s faith working through love. The Love the Father has for Him. It’s not our love for Him or each other that makes our faith work. It’s believing and accepting His love for us like Jesus did, that produces manifestation for healing, finances, emotional well-being and successful relationships with others. It’s His love. Our faith works when we realize how much we’re loved by God. That His love is unconditional, that it’s never based on performance, that it’s constant, that it is totally independent of whatever circumstances we are currently facing. Moses and the Israelites learned that lesson. They failed at trying to love Him without knowing Him. They were robotic in their attempt at loving Him with all their hearts, soul and strength.

You’ll never receive love without knowing who’s offering it. And we’ll never trust love without experiencing it. How do we achieve this? We do what Jesus said: Have faith in God. Not faith in our performance. We love because He loved us first. He is love. If your faith isn’t getting the results you’d like, Immerse yourself in His love for you. The more we understand it, behold it, meditate on it, and are thankful for it, the more faith will work effortlessly and naturally in our lives. If we want to live like Jesus on the earth, we must believe like Jesus did-That our Heavenly Father loves us- And that’s enough. No circumcision except of the heart is necessary. No performance based religion necessary. Just a simple childlike faith in the Father’s love for us, and we’ll live in unhindered, uninhibited, unfettered faith. Faith working through love, by love♥️♥️ God’s love for us, not our love for Him. Whew!

In Romans 8 Paul asks a question. Notice the wording. “ who shall separate us from the love of Christ? He said nothing! Why? Because the question wasn’t who shall separate God from our love for Him. It’s always about His love for us. Our faith works because of His love for us. I’m repeating it so that it will resonate with and take root in your hearts. Out of the overflow of our hearts our mouths speak. Let this truth produce a river of freedom in you. You’ll have whatsoever you say when…you believe His love for you. My children believe that I’ll do anything humanly possible for them. Why? The answer is simple. They believe in my love for them, and trust my words. How much more should we believe God’s love for us? He promises to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask or think. Ephesians 3:18-20. How? According to the power that works in us. What power? His love.

So are you ready to experience faith that moves mountains? Have the God kind of faith. It starts by believing that He loves you. You can trust His love because it’s pure, untainted and faithful. Begin by putting your believing into action, calling those things that are not as though they were. Make this good confession like Jesus did.

Heavenly Father, I know you hear me. I believe that you always hear me. I trust and believe Your love for me. Because Your Word says faith worketh through Your love for me not mine for You. Therefore I confess today that Your love brings me health physically, spiritually, financially, emotionally and relationally. I further declare that nothing shall ever separate me from Your love which is in Christ Jesus. Amen

Do you believe that today? Believing takes the limits off you and God. Jesus didn’t struggle with God’s love for Him, He believed and walked in it. Even in the trials. So begin expecting to see a change in your faith walk As you accept the reality of the Father’s love for you. Do you want to see what a life convinced of God’s love for us looks like? Read Romans 8:31-39.

All He’s ever asked for is your heart. Completely. So don’t be distracted by your imperfect love for Him, He’s not surprised by it. Be perfected in His love for you.

Written by permission of the Holy Spirit

W. Tennant

October 28, 2021