NATIONAL HOLY SPIRIT
CONFERENCE
THE LOVE POWER
THE LOVE POWER: THE GREATEST
FORCE FOR CHRISTIAN SERVICE
BY BRO. ENOCH
1986

SYNOPSIS: This talk challenges
believers to embrace divine love as the
greatest power, fueling righteous
conduct and overcoming all spiritual
opposition.

In our introductory paper on Tuesday, we
stated that Faith, Hope and Love are the
basic attributes of God which the Holy
Spirit imparts into the being of the
believer. They also constitute the
channel through which the Holy Spirit
pours out Himself or imparts His
energizing creative power and the divine
graces of wisdom, knowledge and
understanding unto believers for
Christian service. It will be appreciated
therefore, why the Holy Spirit, in
enjoining the church to seek after the
divine graces available to the church
spoke of “a more excellent way” (1st Cor.
12: 31).
“But covet earnestly the best
gifts: and yet shew I unto you a
Faith and Hope are good in
demonstrating the power of God, in
proving God’s power to save, to heal and
deliver, to do miracles or perform supernatural acts, and receive the blessing of
God. But crucial to the revelation of God
to the world, is charity, the Divine
Attribute and Power of Love. (1st Cor.
13:13)
“And now abideth faith, hope,
charity, these three; but the
greatest of these is charity.”
Love is the divine moving spirit behind
the coming of Christ and the calling of
the church. It is the height of the
revelation of God in the transformed life
or the new personality of the believer.
Love is the proof of the grace of God in
the inner man, the spirit-being and soul
of the believer. It is the manifestation of,
or proof of the believer actually totally
sanctified, surrendered and walking
wholly dependent upon the Holy Spirit.
When faith and hope manifest in service
under the undergirding grace of LOVE,
Christian service and the revelation of
God will be at the height. This morning,
my task is to lead a discussion on Love of
Power. As we have noted, Christian
service is essentially the revelation of
God through two things – The Divine
Character and Divine Supernatural
Power. Love can be said in this
connection to be mostly operative in the
Divine Character realm. That is to say,
love works mostly in the inner being of
the believer revealing God through the
transformed life. However, love, power
can and must have external
manifestation not only in good human
relations or righteousness and justice in
society, the socio-cultural aspect of the
Gospel of the Kingdom, but also in
demonstrating the divine fire-power in
dealing with the frailties of the human
spirit/the person of man, with the forces
of evil and demon control of human life
and society.
We have often stated that the church has
been called and sent out into the world
of a Mission of Love – to preach the Glad
Tidings, to teach a new way of life, to
establish a new culture after Christ and
to demonstrate the divine concern and
compassion for the lost and the dying
world. Christianity, then is a call unto a
LOVE-LIVE, living the divine or Christ
Love towards the brethren and the
perishing world. To live the love-life is
righteousness, it is to fulfill the law of the
prophets. It is perfection. Love is the
built-in Christian character and power
that makes the Christian a truly peculiar
person. Love is the basis and rationale,
the fundamental force behind the
operations of the spiritual gifts. To love
God is to place oneself at the service of
fellowmen for the glory of God. to love
Christ is to deny oneself so Christ be
exalted, so Christ as pre-eminence in all
things. To love is to die for one’s friends,
to die for Christ and His cause. Then you
can truly say JESUS IS LORD.
The Bible teaches 1st Cor. 13, that the
inner might or power of love is preferable
to the glamour of the outward power. If
we are truly filled with the Spirit of God
not only, would we fully appreciate the
Love of Christ, we would prove this in
humanity and love, in faithfulness, and
excellence. This is power in the inner
man, leading to a change of heart and
mind. Love is the essence of the divine
seed or nature in us. Love is the fullness
of the expression of the high calling in
Christ. Love is the mission of the church.
Love is the message. Love is the
language. Love is the new cultures. Love
is the Divine Power that manifest in acts
of faith, concern and service. To love is to
show both Divine Character and Power,
to reveal God perfectly.
In this presentation, we will consider
LOVE POWER in action in three broad
areas:
i. The revealed divine love
character in the believer
ii. The divine love grace in
purposefully Christian life and
service in the church
iii. The divine love grace in
purposeful Christian in society or
the world
The Revealed Divine Nature/Character
(1st John 4: 7, 12-13; Eph. 3: 17-19; Rom.
5: 5; Gal. 5: 22-23)
God has called the chosen ones unto
Himself in Christ. His desire is not only to
make glory with Christ but also to make
them partake of His nature and reveal
this to the world as proof of His love for
and adoption of man. For men to put on
Christ and share His glory is the height of
redemption and restoration. (John 17:
22-24).
“And the glory which thou gavest
me I have given them; that they
may be one, even as we are one: I
in them, and thou in me, that they
may be made perfect in one; and
that the world may know that thou
hast sent me, and hast loved
them, as thou hast loved me.
Father, I will that they also, whom
thou hast given me, be with me
where I am; that they may behold
my glory, which thou hast given
me: for thou lovedst me before
the foundation of the world.”
Love is the basic element in the Divine
seed of Redemption which is sealed by
the Holy Spirit against the Day of
Redemption (Eph. 1; 13; 1st Peter 2: 22-
23). Christ in us is the seed of the divine
by which we are born-again, the Spirit
which we receive into our hears (Gal. 4:
4-6; Rom. 8: 9) and which according to
1st John 4: 7, 12-13, 15-16 manifest in
love, for the Spirit by which we are born
of God is Love.
“And we have known and believed
the love that God has for us, God
is love, and he that dwelleth in
love, dwelleth in God and God in
him.” (1st John 4:16)
In order that the seed of love sown in us
will grow into full maturity and permeate
the believers life, the Holy Spirit not only
sheds love further abroad the hearts of
the believer, He works again upon the
inner man to effect the desirable change
in the human character to reflect the
divine character (Eph. 3: 16-17, 19-21).
The Transformed Life.
When the seed of love grows into
maturity, that is to say when the saint is
fully grounded and rooted in the Love of
Christ, he bears fruit of the Divine, His
character and lifestyle change into Love,
joy, peace and longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness gentleness, selfcontrol. At that point, the saint does not
need any law or stipulation to guide
him/her in righteousness, sacrificial
service and perfection. His/her is a life
totally yielded to the Holy Spirit, being
filled with the fullness of God, for God to
reveal His full character through him. The
love-life is the height of the truly
transformed life, the nature of the new
man which is renewed daily after the
image of Christ (Co. 3: 4-10; Eph. 4: 24)
The Divine Love and Grace in Purposeful
Christian Life and Service in the Church
(John 13: 34-35; 14; 12-16, 21-23; 1st
John 2: 29; 3: 10; 1st Cor. 13: 1-10)
Christian life and service demand a
purposeful dependence upon the Holy
Spirit. It also involves service in the
church which is likened unto a family
with God as Father, Christ as Elder
Brother, the elders as seniors, then
juniors, youth and children. The basic
feature of a good family life is love, which
produces and characterizes the family
with peace and unity. Love therefore is
the force in her missy of love. The Holy
Spirit not only here works to produce the
full effulgence or manifestation of the
divine LOVE CHARACTER in us but also
directs the affairs of the church for
faithful fulfillment of the purposes of
God.
Christianity is relationship or fellowship
with God. Meaningful fellowship with
God depends upon love of God and
obedience to His word (Matt. 22: 37-40;
John 21: 23). Love and obedience is
righteousness, manifesting in loving
relationship the church and active
Christian service. Life in the church is a
family affair, with God. The basic
problem of the church is fellowship and
united action in service. Fellowship
demands living in the light and love of
God. Thus, no where will maturity and
the Christian character be tested most or
any more in the church. It is in the church
that the saints mature, strengthen and
exhibit daily the new divine character. It
is in the church therefore that our
weaknesses show, where also we prove
our knowledge of God and
understanding of His Will. Love Power
manifest in three main ways in the
church: –
i. Love for the brethren (John 13: 34-
35; 1st John 3: 11-19, 4: 7-21; Acts
2: 42-47)
ii. Righteousness and holy living (1st
John 1: 3-10; 2: 8-11, 29; 3: 10; 5:
16-21)
iii. Committed, purposefully and
faithful service (Rom. 12: 1-2, 8:
31-39; Gal. 5: 22-23
The basic manifestation of love power in
the church is basic love, sharing, giving,
concern for one another and cooperative work in the fulfillment of the
Great Commission. Regeneration is
shown in righteousness and in
manifested in love. Love is practiced in
self-sacrifice and not by mere
profession. Love for the brethren is
shown to be an inseparable product of
love for God. Love power makes us obey
God’s commandments, makes us take
delight in His people and service. The
mutual love of God and concern for each
other in the family strengthens our love
power further, as God pours His
blessings of righteousness through the
brethren. This builds our knowledge of
and confidence and trust in God. Love
power manifest in the church grants us
confidence in prayer, patience in
tribulation and joy in faithful service and
assurance in the day of judgement (Rom.
5: 11; 8: 14-19, 28-29; 12: 9-19)
Paul says, “who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulations, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword? As
it is written, for thy sake we are
killed all the day long: we are
accounted as sheep for the
slaughter. Nay, in all these things
we are more than conquerors,
through Him that loved us. For I
am persuaded, that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor
thins present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 8: 35-39)
The Divine Love Grace in Purposeful
Service in the World (Matt. 28: 18-20; 25:
14-46; Mark 16: 15-18; Acts 26: 16-18).
There is not much that remains to be said
except to emphasize that love is the main
propelling force behind Christian service
in the world. Love power made Christ to
die on the cross to save us from our sins.
Our calling is to reveal, to demonstrate
this love power whilst proclaiming the
Good News of the finished work at
Calvary and the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. We live the love-life in the church.
We prove it in purposeful action and
faithful, unyielding and uncompromising
service in the world. Love power in
service in the world emanates from two
angles:
• Love of God and His Christ,
Commitment to the Kingdom of
God and God’s Glory on earth
• Love for the lost, dying and
perishing world.
It is for this purpose primarily that the
Holy Spirit power came. He leads us in
meaningful, God-pleasing worship and
fellowship with God. He directs the
leadership in building the saints and the
whole body in ministering to the needs of
the saints in love. Yet, His greatest
purpose is to Witness of Christ to all
nations and peoples, to set the captives
free, to serve, heal and deliver. Above all,
the Holy Spirit has come to assist the
church to subdue all things under Christ
and establish the Kingdom of God.
It is obvious that this brings the saints
into conflict, battle with principalities
and powers, kingdoms and systems of
men and devils. Beloved, this is the story
behind the killings and wickedness, lies
and subterfuge against the prophets and
men of God and martyrs in every
generation and age. They killed Jesus
and continue to kill Him. As Jesus said,
the Kingdom of God has always suffered
violence. When you see the people
militia destroying church property and
harming the saints, when Christian
broadcasts are cancelled and preaching
on TV/Radio is reduced to soulish or rock
music, know that men and devils are at
work against Christ and the Kingdom of
God. When saints begin to denounce
suffering and sacrifice and rather uphold
worldliness, materialism, pleasure and
comfort, when rock music is presented
as gospel music, and the church parades
in gorgeous clothes, remember
principalities and powers and seducing
spirits are at work. When iniquity
abounds, love power waxes cold.
Where the fire of love-power is burning
hot, the Spirit of God inspires the saints
to stand against and save from sin, to
fight against evil, and resist the devil,
destroy his works in a consuming
passion of divine love for the afflicted,
the oppressed, the dispossessed, the
demon-possessed, the poor and the
exploited. The preaching of the Gospel
assumes a new dimension when
unrighteousness and wickedness,
violence, death and darkness have
engulfed a people. War is declared by
God; the forces of light are set in battle.
God will raise a standard. This is the
setting for the coming of Christ in very
society to establish the Kingdom of God
(Is. 9; 10; 11; 12).
Evangelism, Christian mission and
social action come or should come
therefore from love and joy, divine
compassion and burden that the Holy
Spirit brings to our hearts. The church is
not on a humanitarian or economic
mission. We are under divine
commission to serve the world and
establish the Kingdom of God. The Lord
will therefore raise a standard. The Lord
will establish righteousness. The
Kingdom of God and His Christ will be
established. And of His Kingdom, there
shall be no end.
To conclude, Love is the foundation rock
of the Christian calling. Love is the
manifestation of the divine character
and the divine supernatural power at
work in and through the church. Love is
the spirit that begat us, the spirit that
works in us, the fruit that proves our
birth, maturity, walk and identity with
God. Love is the mission, language and
culture of the Christian faith. Love is
Christ. God is Love.
Love is the power that inspires the
believer to do great things for God’s glory.
Love provides an inner force against
defeatism and discouragement, against
temptation and trials, against
persecution and tribulation. Love helps
the saints to bear and endure, to believe
and hope, and to continue in faithfulness
under all circumstances. Such was
Jesus. He loved, He died, He rose again.
He endured.
Love power therefore manifests in loving
and righteous relations in the church and
in committed, faithful and purposeful
service in church and world. It is the Holy
Spirit that imparts the grace of divine
love into the inner man of the believer.
Love power is more important and
transcends the other gifts of the Holy
Spirit in revealing the Nature, Will and
Power of God. To live the perfect lovelife is to be like Christ, filled with the
fullness of God. It is also to enjoy inward
peace and inward might in Christian
service.
Walk in the Spirit. Walk in Love. Work in
Love. Do not Hate. Do not Work Evil.
Love God. Love Man. LOVE IS POWER.
Amen.