A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another – John 13: 35-35.

We have been given the commandment to love. When God commanded us to love one another, He also gave us the love to do it!

If you’re born again, the love of God has been poured out in your heart. You don’t need to pray for love, you just need to develop what you already have. If you feel your heart with the Word of God and exercise what you read, love will grow in your heart and will be manifested in your actions towards God and others.

If you’re saved, the love of God is in your heart, we know we’re saved because we love everyone. We don’t love what they all do, but we love them as creations of God. Our inward man who has been born again and made a new creation in Christ, because we live in a physical body which would be known as the flesh, it will want to continue doing the things it always did. That is why the Apostle Paul stated he buffet his body to make it come subject to the Word of God (But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified – 1st Corinthians 9:27).

The Apostle Paul admonished the believer to present their bodies a living sacrifice, it’s our body, and we have to do something with it. So many times we allow our flesh to dominate us. The Bible doesn’t say God’s love has been shed abroad in our flesh, it’s been shed abroad in our hearts, and we have to allow love to come out in our words and actions. Love is one of the Fruit of the Spirit that is in those who have been born-again in their spirit.

Fruit grows and develops, the love within us develops the same way through regular feeding and exercise. Love grows in our hearts by feeding on Scripture and putting it into practice. Exercising love develops love just like physical exercise strengthens muscles. Without love, we’re being disobedient to the Word of God. Fasting and praying and submission to the Word of God enable us to love the unlovable. Our love for others will be like our Father, it will be unconditional.

The Gifts of the Spirit works through love, without genuine love, the gifts will not be effective. Do not deceive yourself by reading Scripture and ignoring what you have read. Purpose in your heart you will be a doer of the Word of God in all of your actions, character, and behavior. The Law of love should be in our marriage. As Christians, we should determine how to behave toward our spouse, we should treat them by the principals in the Bible (Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law – Romans 13:10). If we have been re-born in our spirit, we have the divine love of God in our hearts towards our spouse and others.

Caring for our children involves more than providing food, shelter, and clothing. It also involves giving them love. Your actions and words help create an atmosphere of love in your home. Live a consistent Christian lifestyle, children imitate what they see, so if essential for parents to live as God’s Word instructs. Let your children see you choose your priorities according to the Word. Make sure your behavior at home matches your behavior at church. Your loving obedience to God will draw your children to Him. Make time for your children, show an interest in your children’s by participating in their activities.

Speak loving words to your children, let them hear you say “I love you”. Your words can make your home feel safe and supportive or they can make your home feel like a battle zone. Choose your words carefully, speak to your children as God would speak to them with love and encouragement. The world defines love very different than the Bible does, so it’s vital to teach our children about the God-kind of love.

Love is not a feeling, loving someone because of how that person makes us feel is worldly love, not godly love, feelings can change in a moment. Love involves taking risks. Don’t be afraid to love because of fear of rejection. God sent His only Son, Jesus to the world. There was no guarantee that anyone would accept what He did, but He did it anyway, regardless of the outcome. Love is long-lasting, it does not fade away. If it fades it was not genuine love. Make a decision to love unconditionally then you’re operating in the love of the Father.