Springs Article 2022-02 (1)

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
1 Corinthians 13:9-13

What is the foundation of love?

  • The foundation of (genuine, spiritual) love is God!
  • God is love
  • 1 John 4:7-8
  • Human love is based on reason and emotion – it can turn to hatred when you are maltreated or offended
  • Your love for God is the true foundation of loving others
  • Loving God is more important than loving others
  • You cannot truly love others unless motivated by your love for God
  • You cannot truly love God without necessarily loving others
  • 1 John 4:17
  • Loving others is an overflow of the love of God that dwells inside your heart!

What is the God-kind of love?

  • It is spiritual love that flows from God through an enlightened heart!
  • The love of God is selfless, unfailing and overflowing
  • When you got born-again, the love of God was shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit
  • Romans 5:5, 8
  • The God-kind of love is righteous, holy, faithful, patient, kind and merciful

How can I walk in God’s love?

  • God is the owner of genuine love!
  • If you are truly born-again, the love of God dwells within your heart
  • Romans 5:5
  • To walk in love, you have to embrace God’s love!
  • Every tap connected to the water source has water within it
  • However, you have to turn the tap open!
  •  An opening turn will increase the water flow while a closing turn will reduce the water flow
  • To open the tap of love in your heart, you need faith and humility
  • Faith is a decision to trust God and diligently seek to do His will
  • Humility is a decision to lay down your rights (ego, pride) in order to please/honour God and do His will

How does God heal a wounded heart?

  • You have to separate between the soul and the spirit, Hebrews 4:12
  • Your soul is your inner man; your spirit is your innermost being
  • When people offend you, it assaults your mind (thoughts) and hurts your feelings (emotions). All these reside in your soul which lives in your head.
  • It is your soul that needs healing! This comes through ‘renewal and restoration’ that is empowered by the Word and Spirit
  • Your spirit does not need healing. Rather, it needs ‘redemption and cleansing’ that is empowered by the blood of Jesus Christ
  • What offends your spirit is Sin! Offences in your soul can easily graduate to become unforgiveness, bitterness or guilt in your spirit 
  • Don’t allow offence to remain in your spirit because it will block your flow with God. Offence in your spirit will hinder you from walking in God’s love
  • When you are offended in your spirit, you need to repent quickly and receive cleansing by faith. Repentance is the only way to restore a wounded spirit
  • 1 John 1:8-9

2022: A Year of Fruitfulness

To find out more, listen to the audio sermon.