Let’s Talk About Love: How to Cultivate Love in Our Lives: Obedience
Another way we can cultivate the fruit of love in our lives, and cause it to grow and produce, is by being obedient to God’s Word. 1 John 5:3 (Amplified), “For the [true] love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts.” If our mind is stayed on God, we will find it much easier to walk in love and to be obedient to God’s Word.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (Amplified) says, “The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ.”
We are three-part beings, just like God. He made us in His image, remember?! We are body (the physical realm), soul (the mental and emotional realm), and spirit (the real person, spiritual realm). We must bring our flesh and our minds into subjection and submission of our spirits; but in order to do this, we must build up our spirits with God’s Word and renew our minds. This verse says we must “take captive” every thought and make it obedient to Christ. This is a real war!
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) says, “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligentual) act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on Godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].” Wouldn’t you like to know what God’s perfect will for your life is? If you are like me, it seems easier to trust and follow and obey if we know the plan!
David knew the importance of hearing God’s Word to know His will for our lives. In Chronicles 28:19 (NIV) he wrote, “‘All this,’ David said, ‘I have in writing from the hand of the Lord upon me, and He gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.'” Wouldn’t it be great to understand all the details of His plan? At least we can know the nature of His plan for us, so that we can be obedient! In Jeremiah 29:11 (Amplified), it says, “‘For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope.'” Gosh, it sure looks like our lives are in good hands when we trust God!
There are some other benefits you should know about of being obedient to God’s Word by keeping our minds on Jesus. Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) says, “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts you.” I would love to have perfect peace, wouldn’t you? Peace is another fruit we will explore later! Our minds are very important in this battle for obedience! Remember the old saying, “Garbage in, garbage out?” Well it is very true.
Mark 4:24 (NIV) says, “Consider carefully what you hear.” And Romans 8:6-8 (NIV) says, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so! Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” This seems like a tall order to fill, but if we use the Law of Displacement, we can transform what is in our minds.
I once saw an illustration involving a glass of milk. The glass was held up to show that one could not see through it. Then pure water began to be poured into it, spilling over the edges, until what was in the glass was perfectly clear! It works the same way when we begin to fill our minds with God’s Word; soon our old carnal thoughts have been displaced and we can wee much more clearly!
I Corinthians 2:16 (Amplified) syas, “…But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes].” It will help us to remember this as we embark on a life of obedience; because, as with any child, when we begin to “tighten the bands” on our body and our minds to bring them into subjection to God’s Word and to our spirits, they will cry out and make it difficult; but we have the mind of Christ, so we can overcome our own minds and bodies! Isn’t God good!? When He asks us to do something, He always provides the tools and the means for us to accomplish it!