Midweek Communion Service: Exploring The Power Of Love Part 4 by Bishop David Oyedepo: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

We Are Redeemed for the Top

We are redeemed for the top — it is not our ambition, it is our heritage. We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. But inheritance is released through revelation. Acts 20:32 — "I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified." Even though every provision is ours, we can only take delivery through revelation. 2 Peter 1:3 — "According as His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us unto glory and virtue." Those things are released through the knowledge — the truth of scripture — concerning them.

Every provision of redemption delivers on the platform of the covenant. Salvation is open and free, but it comes with a well-defined condition: repentance. The same is true of every other provision. There are conditions for delivery.

Love: The Catalyst That Makes Everything Work

1 Corinthians 2:9 — "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of any man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him." There is no other spiritual virtue so described in scripture. The things God has prepared are out-of-this-world, pace-setting, trailblazing accomplishments — and they are for those who love Him.

Matthew 22:37-40 — "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second: love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two commandments hang all the laws and the prophets." All the provisions. All the supernatural provisions in scripture hang on these two commandments.

1 Corinthians 13:2 — "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." The Word works to the level of your love for God. Check your results if you want to know your love level.

Love Is the Foundation of Faith and Vision

There are three forces that define the destiny of believers: faith, hope (which is vision), and love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 — "The greatest of these is love." What makes love greatest? Faith works by love. Vision works by faith. Therefore both faith and vision require love to deliver. It is our love for God that actually defines our destiny in the kingdom.

Romans 8:28 — "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, and that are called according to His purpose." All things. Not some things. All things — upon these two commandments.

1 John 4:21 — "He who loves God loves his brother also." And whosoever loves his brother has fulfilled the law — and the fulfillment of the law qualifies him to all the blessings of Deuteronomy 28:1-13. Above all nations. Blessed in the city, blessed outside the city. The head and not the tail. All of that — because the blessings make rich and add no sorrow, and love for God naturally overflows to those around you.

Love Never Fails

1 Corinthians 13:8 — "Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away — but love never faileth." Love is the failure-proof realm of life in the kingdom. In season and out of season. The kind of love stronger than death that many waters cannot quench.

What took the three Hebrew boys through the fiery furnace was not boldness — it was love. They said, "Our God is able to deliver us, and He will — but even if He does not, we will not bow." The threat of death could not tamper with the name they operated in. There was no smell of fire on them when they came out. Love never faileth.

Stop harassing God with need. Just love Him. "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." When you are in that realm, even things that appear not to be working begin to work — because the love for God does not change with circumstances. You are serving Him not to get something from Him; you are serving Him because of your love for Him. And from that place, everything works together.

Our Love Level Defines Our Divinity Content

Ephesians 3:17-19 — when you know the length, breadth, height, and depth of the love of God, you are filled with all the fullness of God. How much of the love of God is at work in you is what defines your divine nature content — thirty-fold, sixty-fold, a hundred-fold. And divine nature content has one language: the supernatural. Exodus 15:11 — "Who is like unto Thee, O God, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" His name shall be called Wonderful. What defines divine nature is the wonders.

How much we dwell in His love is what determines our level of command of the supernatural. You will see wonders this year simply by turning your heart fully to God.

Elijah: Jealous Love Commanded the Supernatural

2 Kings 1:10 — "If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty." Fire came down. The captain of the second fifty came and the same thing happened. Elijah was not guessing — he was in command. What was the secret? 1 Kings 19:10, 14 — "I have been very jealous for the Lord of hosts." He was madly, deadly in love. People had forsaken the covenant, broken the altar, killed the prophets. He was consumed with jealousy for the Lord — and from that place, he commanded the supernatural.

David: Love-Driven to His Destiny

The biblical proof of love is this: he who loves God serves Him with delight. David, a man after God's own heart, was love-driven. When Goliath stood defying the army of the living God, the entire army of Israel was running — including the king with all his armor. David arrived and asked, "What are you going to give to the man who kills this Philistine?" He was not calculating risk. He was driven by love.

The king said he could not go. David said he could not use the king's armor — he had not proved it. That armor was fine on the man who owned it, but he would not go. David went with a sling and five stones. He became a national hero as a teenager — driven by love. "I found David My servant," God said in Psalm 89:20. You cannot love God and not serve Him. If you are not serving Him with joy, you do not love Him.

Examine yourself. Do not wait for applause or commendation. The proof is the fruit. Those who love God shall do exploits. All things work together for good to those who love God. Love never fails.