Many years ago, I began to ask Yahweh for ‘a baptism of love’. I’d heard it mentioned in sermons but neither understood what it was, nor knew how it could ‘happen’; but I knew I needed more of Calvary love! I expected a dramatic experience of some kind, a visitation of the Holy Spirit that would change me completely! I eagerly anticipated an in-filling of over-flowing love. Something precious and powerful that would embrace my family, my friends, my church, my work colleagues and all the world. I was very young!
I prayed earnestly over a period of time, but the only thing that seemed to be happening was an increasing awareness of just how much I needed that heavenly love. Difficult people, distressing situations, trying circumstances jostled the peace in my life. What was happening? My personal resource of love seemed to be bankrupt! Many times, I checked the standard set by Paul [1 Corinthians 13:4-7] against my life, and felt I had ‘failed’ in every way; why wasn’t the prayer ‘changing things’? I was too inexperienced to understand that the Holy Spirit was opening my eyes to the insufficiency of my human love, in order to encourage me to reach out to Him for the heavenly love which is a gift from Yahweh through the Spirit.
“The love of [Messiah], manifested in His death on the cross, is the only rule for our life and conduct,” writes Andrew Murray, challengingly! Does that sound incredible? Absolutely! But Yahshua did say, “Love one another as I have loved you…” [John 13:34, italics mine]. In order to access this quality of love, it’s important to be fully convinced of our personal inability to ‘produce’ it in ourselves.
Paul also wrote that Yahweh’s love “has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit…” [Romans 5:5]. We can’t generate it in our own strength, it’s a supernatural gift of great power. My younger self was to discover that heavenly love developed as I learned to yield to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him control of my life. I find I’ve spent my entire life growing into the vastness and beauty of Yahshua’s love, and there is always more to discover.
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1 timothy 3:16 NIV - Beyond all question, the mystery from - Bible Gateway
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