OVERCOMERS With the Fruit of the SpiritSample

 The Power of Love Conquered the Love of Power 

  The first fruit of the Spirit to grow in our hearts is love — not our love, but the love of God! And it is this love that grows into our own ministry which is nothing more than human personality expressing the loving heart of God in Christ. The love of God is God’s love in me and reaching through me, it is not my love carried by the Holy Spirit, but me carrying His love. Thus, we shouldn't ask God to bless our concern for people, instead we must catch God’s concern and let it express itself through our flawed humanity. Romans 5:5 tells us that “God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us.” I must identify with what God is doing, not ask God to identify with what I am doing. That is a principle of ministry laid down in the New Testament. You and I, we mortals represent Him, but talk is cheap, and His love must come through laying down our lives not just opening our mouths. 

Christ’s death was His greatest achievement and God’s greatest act of love. Through it the power of love conquered the love of power. It was no mistake, no misfortune, and no accident. Christ was not a martyred victim, but a mighty victor — our champion and God’s hero. Jesus came to “…work the works of God” and all His works are love works. God is love! You can’t stop the sun from shining and you can’t stop God from loving. The sun is for shining and God is for loving. The fruit of His love grows and blossoms in our heart and through our life as naturally as the sun shines. And as it does, He loves and reaches to desperate, deceived, and hopeless people through us.