USING YOUR LOVE SOFTWARE

While I was writing the last post, I began to sense in my heart that the anointing on this word is such that it will stretch over a series (albeit short), and not in the usual 2-weekly fashion  but rather in rapid succession. I must admit I have been disobedient about the "rapid succession" part but I have repented, bless God!

I have a young friend, let's call her Conqueror. She loves to say "I hate him" or "I hate her", referring to people around her. Conqueror is born again, the love of God is shed abroad in her heart by the Holy Ghost, yet that's the way she talks and acts. What's the problem here? Simple. She's got the love software but she ain't using it as she ought to. Actually, I'm like her when it comes to my laptop, I've got so many softwares I either don't know I have or haven't learnt to use.

Using your love software starts with a little thing called your WILL. It is God that works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phillipians 2:13). It is His good pleasure that you use your love software, or He would not have given you in the first place. Now, does this verse mean you have no part to play, since it is God that works it in me? A thousand times NO! What Phillipians 2:12-13 actually says is that YOU are to WORK OUT your salvation with fear and trembling, for (or because) it is GOD that WORKS IN you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. God is working IN, you are working OUT, it's an unbeatable partnership!

This truth is so simple, it's very easy to miss. To use your love software, you must first set your will, BE WILLING to walk in love. Folks have lots of reasons they don't want to walk in love, or at least not "a hundred percent". They want to have the privilege of holding on to a grudge, they don't want to be taken for granted, they're afraid of being cheated. Some want to retain the right to retaliate, they want to be free to uphold the "inverse golden rule" (do unto others what they have done unto you), because if they don't, the universe will be "out of balance". Others are wary or just plain afraid of being hurt.

All these things stem from a root of fear, but praise God, we have an assurance in God's Word "there is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear" (1John 4:18a). Halleluyah, there's NO FEAR in love! Perfect love casts out fear! God has NOT given us the spirit of FEAR, but He HAS GIVEN us the Spirit of power and of LOVE and of a sound mind! Fear not, but be bold to walk in God's love! Be willing to be offended by people, be willing to be misunderstood, be willing to be called a weakling, be willing to be misused and taken for granted! But also be willing and ready to win, because love ALWAYS wins, love never fails! (2Timothy 1:7, 1Corinthians 13:8)

When agape is seeking expression through you to another, let it flow, let HIM flow. Don't hold back and switch to your Lagos mentality, your Nigerian mentality, your human mentality, NO! Let love win! Fear not, love much, give much, live much! If you've been unwilling to love, struggling with agape, suppressing your love software, you can repent (change your mind) today, you can reset your will with words....I WILL LOVE, I CHOOSE TO LOVE, I WALK IN LOVE, I AM LOVE, I CANNOT BUT LOVE, I LOVE, I LOVE AND I LOVE SOME MORE.....AND I DON'T STOP LOVING!!!