Living With Victorious Love

Luke 6:27 says this, "But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you." I love the Message version that says it this way, "... love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst."

The word "love" here is the word Agape, which means not so much an emotion or a feeling, but an intentionality for the benefit of someone else. It is having unselfish concern for others and a willingness to seek the higher good for another.

Luke 6:35 continues in the same vein of thought by saying this, "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are un-thankful and wicked."

Ahh yes. Because this journey is all about reflecting the image of Christ and resembling the Lord Himself.

We emulate God when we love our enemies.

And He would actually reveal this scripture to me just moments after having discovered that I was removed from someone's facebook Friend's list.

In all honesty I have been sad after this discovery. And while I would under NO terms define this individual as an "enemy", I am challenged by God to behave in a manner regarding it in the highest of honorable ways.

It's the way of scripture, isn't it? To shine a light on the dark places of our souls so that we can adjust our sails. Ahh, yes, grace for the moments we stumble!

And the truth really is that we show by our actions, through agape love, that we are true children of God according to His nature and His will.

And a search in the scriptures reveals His nature. Deut 10:17-19 says that He is a great God, a mighty God, an awesome God. It reveals that He is a God who shows no partiality, who cannot be bribed, and shows love to foreigners.

Foreigners. Those outside the faith who we may be often tempted to label as "enemies."

And so I see it there on a Friday morning. I am to resemble God by living with victorious love. Agape love. Love that doesn't make sense, but love that wins souls to Christ!

And by doing this, loving in this extraordinary way, we're not only breathing in the oxygen of heaven, but we're exhaling kingdom realities into our earthly atmosphere. When we master agape love this side of eternity, we are ruling and reigning our humble lives by the very principles He is ruling and reigning His vast dominion.

This is bringing heaven here now.

And it very much matters!

Father God, help us to love with YOUR love. We need Your help to be kingdom carriers that exhale Your sweet goodness on everyone we meet! They cannot afford to miss you when encountering us.