NOTHING MORE POWERFUL THAN LOVE

NOTHING MORE POWERFUL THAN LOVE I. IT IS EASIER TO TALK ABOUT LOVE THAN IT IS PUTTING LOVE INTO ACTION. A. REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU TOLD YOUR SPOUSE YOU WERE IN LOVE? B. MATTHEW 22:37-40 II. JESUS INDICATES THAT WHEN WE LOVE GOD AND LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR, WE DISCOVER VALUE IN OURSELVES. A. LOVE IS A POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE TOOL IN STANDING AGAINST HATE. B. JESUS DISARMED THE FORCES OF DEATH AND HELL WHEN HE CHOSE LOVE TO DEFEAT SIN. C. LOVE IS A POWERFUL GIFT THAT WHEN OFFERED TO OTHERS COMES BACK TO IMPACT US. III. LOVE CAN BE DEFINED IN TWO WAYS: AS A NOUN AND AS A VERB. A. WEBSTER: “A STRONG AFFECTION FOR ANOTHER ARISING OUT OF A KINSHIP OR PERSONAL TIE.” B. WEBSTER: “TO HOLD DEAR, CHERISH; TO FEEL A LOVER’S PASSION, DEVOTION OR TENDERNESS.” C. THE FLOW OF EMOTION GENERALLY FOLLOWS THE DECISION WE MADE TO LOVE. IV. DECIDING TO LOVE GOD OFTEN PRECEDES THE FEELING WE DEVELOP TO LOVE GOD. A. TO LOVE GOD REQUIRES FAITH. B. TO ACTIVATE LOVE MEANS WE DECIDE THAT WE ARE GOING TO LOVE: FAITH PRECEDES THE FEELING. C. JOHN 3:16 1 JOHN 4:19-21 V. THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN THE FEELING OF LOVE MAYBE ABSENT; WE HAVE TO ACTIVATE THE DECISION AND BIBLICAL COMMAND TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. A. 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 KJV B. FEAR IS DEFEATED BY ACTIVATING FAITH TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. VI. LOVE TRIUMPHS OVER THE POWER AND FORCES OF DARKNESS AND DEATH. A. 1 JOHN 4:4 1 JOHN 4:18 B. HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE YOUR LOVE FOR GOD AND YOUR NEIGHBOR? IS IT ACTION LOVE OR MORE EMOTIONAL LOVE?