Love

Something happened towards ending of last year that reinforced again the true definition of Love to me. 

Someone offended me – deeply.
And offended my husband too.

And here’s the thing – it was not a one time thing, it was something that had happened again and again and again, because we kept giving the person opportunities upon opportunities, chances upon chances.

Finally, I had enough. 
And I made the decision to cut the person off. 
I had reached my limit. It was no more about setting boundaries, it was – I. AM. DONE. Totally with this person. 

And by the time I shared with the people closest to me and listed everything the person had been doing, everyone agreed I had tried, and I was more than justified in taking that decision. 

So, I decided to speak with the person by weekend to let her know my decision.
Then something happened, or rather – SOMEONE happened – The Holy Spirit. He stepped in. 

The following day, my Pastor asked me to take the teaching for midweek service, and I should choose my topic. 
As always, I never just randomly choose a topic, I always ask the Holy Spirit, and He told me to teach on Love from 1 Corinthians 13.

Ha! I didn’t know it was a perfect set up for me 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I prepared and went to Church in the evening.
We were all there – me o, all the people I had told about my decision plus the person who had offended me – because we all attend the same church.

I started the sermon, taking the verses one by one.
And the Holy Spirit immediately moved in. 
Every single word out of my mouth, He directed it back to me, verse by verse, in my mind. 

1 Corinthians 13:4 AMP 

[4] Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant.  

Holy Spirit: You say you have been enduring a lot from her, but you have not been enduring with Patience and Serenity. You went and bragged to people about how much you have endured. You were proud and arrogant. 

1 Corinthians 13:5 AMP 

[5] It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.  

Holy Spirit: It has been all about you – how you feel, what you have tolerated, what you can no more endure. You have become very sensitive and easily angered to every little thing from her. You have a mental list of all her perceived wrong doings. That’s why you can tell people everything one by one. You have been keeping account of her offences and holding them against her. 

1 Corinthians 13:6 AMP 

[6] It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail].  

Holy Spirit: You have behaved unjust towards her. Convicting her without mercy, and rejoicing in such a wrong decision to put her away. Rejecting the Truth of Jesus who gave you His Nature. 

1 Corinthians 13:7 AMP 

[7] Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. 

Holy Spirit: You have given up on her because you don’t believe in her, you see no good in her and have no hope in her becoming more than she currently is. 

1 Corinthians 13:8 AMP 

[8] Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away.  

Holy Spirit: Has your love for her faded? Has it ended? Then it’s not love. 

1 Corinthians 13:13 AMP 

[13] And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love. 

Godhead: In rejecting her, you are rejecting Our Love

Ha 🙆🏾‍♀️🙆🏾‍♀️🙆🏾‍♀️
At this point, my voice was shaking, I was close to tears, barely holding myself back at the Altar
Conviction was washing over me in waves.
Not guilt o! If you have ever felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit, you will know it is far stronger than guilt, but it is never condemnation.

It is like He peels back a veil for you to come face to face with yourself, in ‘comparison’ to the Holiness of God towards you. 
It is super humbling. 
But thank God for the Love and Mercy and Fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
They never leave you like that. 

I felt the warmth of Their embrace and Love and comfort – cleansing and healing me, all the way from inside, covering me from head to toes.
And the Holy Spirit told me so gently: You love her, Little One. Go and tell her you love her. 

I came down from the Altar, walked to her, wrapped my arms around her and told her – “I love you” – and she burst into tears.
I started crying too, forgiveness and acceptance flowing out of me.
Then something else happened that left me in awe of the Holy Spirit. 

Around us, the people I had told my grievances against her, surrounded us too and hugged us and told her one by one – “I love you” 
The Holy Spirit had been convicting every single one of them too, the same time He was convicting me.
And in that group embrace, healing flowed.

That’s when the Holy Spirit opened my inner eyes to see into her – she had been feeling my animosity towards her, she had been feeling unloved, isolated, condemned. 

She had withdrawn internally from everyone because whether we know it or not, how we feel about someone is projected into their subconscious whether we say it or not. 

She had been feeling so alone for long, because of the way we felt towards her.
I could ‘feel’ her pain and loneliness deeply.
It was the Holy Spirit helping me to ‘see’ her own perception, so I could truly understand and have compassion.
My heart ached for her and I determined I would never ever do that to her again. 

Did things immediately get better? No! 😂😂😂
I still vexed for her many times after that, she still annoyed me again and again.
But this time, I did not allow offense to take root, I prayed every single day for her with all my heart. 

Praying passionately for someone the exact way you pray for yourself and your loved ones (not that you are praying for God to change them for you. That is prayer for yourself, not them) is the easiest way to truly change your heart towards anyone. It implants love for the person in you, and love for you in the person. 

And I can tell you today that everything is now fine.
We have an amazing relationship with her. 
Her character and behavior has changed. 
We all truly love her. She loves us. 
She’s now one of my favourite people. 
And I’m soooo grateful to the Holy Spirit for stepping in and changing me towards her. 

---

When the Bible says LOVE IS THE GREATEST, it really really is. 
When we foolishly say ‘Love is not enough’, it’s because we have diluted and watered down the meaning of Love.
We now say things like “Marry a kind man o, not just a man that says he loves you” 

We forget that LOVE IS KIND! 
When did we split the character of Love and start isolating them as individual characteristics??? 
Marry for Love, I beg you.
It is more than enough.

But you first have to know what LOVE really is. Because our definition of Love has been so perverted, we now call all sorts of nonsense love – “All those other women/men don’t mean anything to me, it’s you I really love” 

No – that is not love. 
That has never been love
That will never be love 
To know Love, you need to know God, and I’m talking of INTIMACY WITH GOD.
GOD IS LOVE! 

It is only in Him you will know how to love and be loved the right way. 
It is only in Him you will identify and never settle for what is not love.
I remember years ago when someone asked me just before I got married why it was my husband I chose. 

My response – “I trust what he feels for me” 
That was the only way I could explain it. 
But because I knew and understood the Love of God (and the love of my earthly Dad) I knew and understood what it is to be loved. 

And in almost 16yrs of marriage, not once have I ever doubted the Love of my husband. 
I am a very very loved wife.
I know what Love is. 
Sorry for veering off into marriage talk, I just felt someone needed to hear this. 
But today’s Message is LOVE

Love God
Love People
I remember when God taught me this.
I asked Him:

Me: Abba, what does it take for You to trust a person? 
Abba: Love. A person who loves Me with all their heart is a person I trust. Love is what makes a person submit and obey Me completely for Me to direct, guide and lead in every way. Such a person will never abuse or misuse whatever I give so I do not hold back in pouring into such a person. And the person will love my people too. I trust People who Love Me wholeheartedly.

I was wowed!
Love earns God’s Trust
And the proof of Love? 

 John 14:15, 21 NLT  

[15] “If you love me, obey my commandments.  
[21] Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

Obedience is the Proof of Love.
Obedience brings you into Intimacy with God.

Accept the Love of God.
Love Him back.
Love His People
Love everyone.
Love is the Greatest.

The Holy Spirit will continue to help us all in Jesus name 🙏🏾