In Acts 2:8, Jesus told the disciples to wait until they received the Holy Ghost who would give them power (ability, efficiency and might—AMP) to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. They would take the word of salvation and wholeness to nations.
The Holy Ghost was sent so we could be witnesses to the power of God’s love toward man, His ultimate creation.
Unfortunately today, many people put so much focus on the love of power that they forget about the power of love. Jesus never intended for us to focus on the “power” or the spectacular that so many thrive on. He wanted us to realize that we witness the supernatural because of God’s unending passion for mankind.
The gospel is the power of this love, working together with the Holy Ghost, to lead people into “sozo” (salvation and wholeness in every sense of the word).
The gospel is the good-news message of the finished work of Jesus Christ and everything it accomplished for ALL men for ALL time because of the free gift of the grace, goodness, mercy, love and forgiveness of God.
I am reminded of a part in the movie Iron Man II where the main character is watching a video recorded before his father died. The young man had always believed he was a failure and couldn’t meet his father’s expectations. But in the recording, his father tells him he is and always has been his father’s GREATEST CREATION.
This is such a great picture of mankind today. Too many people feel they have failed God and don’t measure up. The gospel is the good news that YOU ARE AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN GOD’S GREATEST CREATION. Because of that, the cosmos was created and He has done everything needed for your salvation!
The whole salvation plan depended on God’s agape love for mankind.
My favorite definition of agape love is: In my worst hour, God sees me as precious, valuable and to be highly esteemed. God doesn’t see who we are in our worst moment. He just loves us with all the agape that He is. God IS love and that love springs FROM Him. “… for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love (I Jn. 4:7-8).
Love is who God is, not something He possesses. He cannot be separated from it—ever. When we understand and receive this love, we receive HIM. Love is brought to completion and perfection through our union with Christ.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (I Jn. 4:16-17)
If we don’t keep God’s love for mankind first place in every Bible conversation, we will end up arguing about pointless things. We can only help others if we keep the power of God’s love in the forefront of our hearts and minds. Once we open our eyes and hearts to the power of love, it is almost impossible to misinterpret God’s Word (I Tim. 1:5).
I Corinthians 13 is an awesome discovery of God’s love for mankind, but I Corinthians 14:1 goes on to read: “Go after (this) love as if your life depended on it—because it does” (MSG). We need to know God’s love as much as we need to breathe. Nothing life can throw at us can change or remove the power of this love (Rom. 8:35-39).
Jude 21 reminds us to stay where the love of God can reach and keep us (TLB). The only way to “get out” of this love is to believe the lies of the enemy and our own thoughts and perceptions of life. Our circumstances NEVER change God’s love for us! We cannot allow circumstances to draw us out of the awareness of this love. “God so loved the world that He gave His son so we would be safe and sound in Him” (Jn. 3:16 AMP).
Jesus provided safety—the provision of security and protection, free from the feelings of risk or danger. Andsoundness—a state of being healthy, whole or complete. Not diseased, damaged or inferior.
You’re ALWAYS safe and sound in the power of love. No matter what life throws at you or how you feel, the power of love will keep you safe and make you whole. It will NEVER fail you!
