The Threat of Love

I remember a few weeks (maybe even months) ago, I was reading in 1 Corinthians about taking the Lord's supper. There it was talking about how because we do not discern the Body of Christ the way we should, that there were many sick among the Christians. I meditated on that for several days, and I started meditating on the Body of Christ, the Church. Could we have more sickness in the Body, because we don't realize the importance of each other? That came back to me several times and then, a few days ago, I was reading in one of Brother Hagin's books. He said that part of the reason that there was so much sickness in the Body of Christ (and even premature death), was because of the way that believers treated one another. My spirit exploded inside me with excitement! Not because of the sickness and death, but because I knew I was on the road to some revelation!

There have been some things that I struggled with inside myself for way too long concerning the Body of Christ and my relation to it, but when these revelations began to come, I told the Lord that I wasn't giving any place to that junk any longer! I asked Him to give me truth on this, and He did! and He continues to do so.

So what does this have to do with love? And what threat could love possibly pose? I am glad you asked that! (didn't you?)

Here's the deal. For years, satan has set it all up to make everyone feel . . . feel like they have the right, feel like they have to look out for number one, feel like they are unloved and mistreated, feel like they need to defend themselves, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. After a while, this seeped into the church. Well, how can the Church be effective when it's members are inwardly focusing and not looking out to a world that needs Jesus? When people get inward focused, there is a greater likelihood of offense, schism and division in the Body of Christ. This is a major factor that, in the past, has made the Church weak, because where there is no love, there is no unity. Love, by God's definition, is deliberately taking ourselves out of an existence based on self-seeking ways to a life of love and service to God and to man.

As I meditate and study on this, I see that the more we develop in love, we are able, as the Church, to become stronger and more unified. This threatens satan's kingdom, and as Pastor Susan said, weakens his kingdom. He is exposed for his schemes. When we are walking in love, the focus goes out to a lost and dying world instead of some little boo-boo the devil has tried to convince us that we have suffered. I mean, how could we even let ourselves take one offense against our brothers in Christ (or our family or anyone else) when we know it is a strategy of the devil to keep us ineffective for the Kingdom of God? WE CAN'T!!!!!!!!! He is a liar! He is a liar! We cannot be deceived by him any longer! The Master has need of the church in her glorious state!

Aren't you glad I went for the encapsulated version? :)