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Jesus’ kingdom is radically different than the way of this world. In Jesus’ kingdom, our battles are won, not through violence, but through LOVE.
Read Luke 6: 27-36.
Jesus re-defined love at the cross. There, He taught us that love isn’t based simply on feelings, neither is it found in selfishness (What can I get out of this?). Rather, Christ-like love is self-sacrificial love.
Jesus willingly laid down His life to bring about our redemption.
His love for us (as seen through the cross) has a purpose in the here and now. It isn’t something for us to simply receive; rather, it is to be lived out for others (self-sacrificially).
(Think of Jesus’ instructions to His disciples in John 13.)
And, get this: Jesus didn’t say to love only those who love us, but to love even our ENEMIES. He called us to love those who hate us, hurt us, and spitefully use us.
Think of this. In the book of Acts, the apostles were able to stand before kings (even in the midst of persecution) and declare the gospel of Jesus. I always believed that it was courage (through the Holy Spirit) that gave them the strength to do this, but now I understand that it wasn’t courage, but love. They truly loved even their enemies, and therefore they were able to stand before them (even facing death) and speak the truth.
Love changes everything.
The Enemy lives (really, thrives) through hate and false love, but he (and his influence over us) begins to die the moment we live out Christ-like love.
The kingdom of Jesus is radically different from the way of the world. It isn’t brought about through violence or war, but through peace. It isn’t seen in hate, but in love. It isn’t found in self-centered power, but in the giving up of power through self-sacrificial love.
How is the Holy Spirit leading me to live out that Christ-like love today?
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