First Corinthians 13 provides the guidelines for walking in love because it explains what love is and what it is not. When we can understand these principles and judge our behavior by the standard of God’s love according to the Word, we can begin to operate in the power God desires for our lives. Many times, we bring our own definitions of love to the table, which are usually based on our emotions. However, in order to truly walk in the biblical type of love, we must follow the Word’s outline.

The Apostle Paul begins the chapter by discussing some of the things that Christians use to gauge the success of their relationship with God. Verses 1-3 talk about speaking in tongues, prophesying, understanding the things of God, having a lot of biblical knowledge, having strong faith, and giving to the poor. While all these things are important and we may identify with them as Believers, none of them supersede walking in love. There are people who give to the poor and prophesy, but when it comes to their dealings with others, they can be as mean as a rattlesnake!

Verses 4-8 describe the characteristics of love—things we should be striving to exemplify in our relationships with others:

Love endures long and is patient and kind: love is never envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong] (The Amplified Bible).

What an impressive set of qualities! I am sure we can all think of times where we have failed to walk in love where our treatment of others is concerned. Sometimes our words and actions may be motivated out of jealousy and pride. As Christians, we can easily become “puffed up” and arrogant when we feel we have reached a certain spiritual level. Unfortunately, everything we do that is the opposite of love can be felt by others, and it can push them away from God. After all, if those in the body of Christ aren’t walking in love, who will be the true example?

In order to become better “lovers,” we must make an honest assessment of our lives. Have we allowed the responses of the flesh to dictate how we treat others? Has the enemy deceived us about what is really important? There is no doubt that we will be faced with situations and people that may push our buttons, or try to move us from our love walk, but we must purpose in our hearts to make the 1 Corinthians model of love our ultimate goal in life. From our marriages to our dealings with co-workers, family, and friends, we must always consider the love of God when interacting with others. If it doesn’t line up with God’s way of doing things, it must be rejected.

Renewing our minds to walk in love is a process. We all have our flesh to contend with and overcome. Before we came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, many of us were used to responding to people and situations a certain way. The flesh, or way of thinking that opposes God’s Word, is always looking for an opportunity to express itself. It wants to fly off the handle, cuss folks out, and be selfish. However, those are the times when we must choose God’s way as an act of our will. If we miss the mark, we should at least have the ability to discern where we got out of love and get back on track by repenting and asking the Lord to forgive us.

The more we practice the principles outlined in 1 Corinthians 13, the more love will become “first-nature.” As we continue to renew our minds and walk in love on purpose, we will find ourselves being used mightily by God. There is no situation that cannot be overcome with the love of God. It never fails.

Therefore, My dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

With so much going on in our world today we must make sure that we are anchored in the Lord. We can’t be unnerved by every little thing that threatens us. As a child we used to play a game when we were little called, “Made You Move.” The object of the game was that one person would remain steady, staring straight ahead while the other person would act like they were going to hit the focused person in the face to see if they would move or flinch. If the person blinked or moved, the other perosn would say, “Ha Ha, made you move.”

The devil’s only job is to make you move out of position and miss your blessing. If he can get you disturbed over what somebody said about you, if he can get you hurt by something that happened at church, if he can use the economy to scare you away from your faith, then he has succeeded at his job. He made you move. You cannot afford to move from your position. You are too blessed to be stressed. No matter what it looks like:

1. Stand firm. Make sure your feet are set on solid ground. On Jesus Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

2. Let nothing move you. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. Jesus said, “Do not fear the person who can kill the body but fear God who can kill body and soul.” Don’t let idle threats and negative reports move you, whose report shall you believe God’s or man’s?

3. Give yourself fully to the work of the Lord. When you are busy doing God’s work you don’t have time to worry about the foolishness of the world. There is a peace that comes over you when you are doing the work of the Lord that doesn’t allow you to be easily moved. Keep working for the Lord because your work is not in vain.

Dear God,

Keep me steadfast and unmovable. Help me to keep my eyes on the prize and hold on. Today, don’t let any bad news or negativity phase me as i strive toward reaching my goals. I will not be moved by anything or anybody. I’m trusting you to see me through.

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Similar to the law of gravity, the law of confession will work for anyone who will get involved with it. Many Christians who have been defeated in life are defeated because they believe and confess the wrong things. They don’t realize that their words are activating a spiritual law that is working against them. We must understand the law of confession if we want things to work for us. We have been given access to the power of God through our words, which are weapons against the enemy.

Satan is constantly applying pressure to our minds in order to get us to quit in these last days; however, we do not have to allow hard times or pressure to defeat us. We can use the Word of God as a weapon against the enemy, and win.

In order to be victorious over the attacks of the enemy, we must think, believe, and speak in line with God’s Word. In fact, believing the Word in our hearts is the prerequisite for our confessions having a significant impact in our lives. Mark 9:23 says, “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Faith is the force that must be in operation in order for our confessions to come to pass. Sometimes people confess God’s Word religiously, mechanically, and out of fear; however, these types of confessions don’t accomplish anything. We must believe that the things we confess from the Bible are coming to pass as we pray and speak them.

We can look to God as an example of how faith-filled words cause things to manifest in the natural realm. In the biblical account of how God created the earth, the Word says that He spoke and whatever He spoke came into existence (Genesis 1). God’s words are full of faith, which is what caused them to become actual physical substance. The things we see in this earth today, from the sky to the trees, are the result of words that were spoken by God.

The same creative power that God possesses has been invested in us. As spiritual beings who possess the nature of God, we have the ability to speak things into existence just like God did. This isn’t some mystical, New Age idea; it is scriptural. When Jesus walked the earth, He imitated His Father by speaking what the Father spoke. As a result, He saw results everywhere He went. Likewise, we must be imitators of God, who think, act, and speak like Him. When we speak His Words, we release His creative ability into the earth, and something always happens. When we believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that the words we speak will come to pass, we will see what we are speaking (Mark 11:22-23).

The Bible says that all things are possible for those who believe. Confessing God’s Word is so powerful because every time we hear ourselves speaking the Scriptures, we are actually planting faith in our hearts. The more we become established on the Word of God through speaking it on a consistent basis, the more our faith will grow. And faith, when acted upon, will always produce the desired results.

There shouldn’t be a day that passes that the Believer does not speak the Word of God. It is the Word that strengthens our faith, and releases the power of God into our situations and circumstances. By making daily confessions, we frame our worlds with the Word of God, shut the devil out of our lives, and plant faith in our hearts. It is the key to victory and supernatural manifestation.

We can all live a radically changed life. All that is required is obedience to God. As we grow spiritually, there are levels of maturity He expects us to reach. He also expects us to move from fear to faith, in obedience to Him. He wants us to learn His Word and do it without wavering.

A. God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better—but that time has passed. The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life change (Acts 17:30, The Message Translation).

1. Being radical means having an established root or foundation. It means a person has a foundation for what he or she does. As Christians, we must be rooted in the Word of God. It has to be our foundation for what we do. The root of the righteous yields fruit (Proverbs 12:12). We begin to see manifestations of our faith when we decide to have the proper foundation in our life.

2. Being radical is a type of obedience; it is obedience that is rooted in obeying God’s Word. When we are rooted in the Word of God, we are obedient.

B. Trials and tests will come our way when we make God’s Word our final authority. However, we must not allow them to move us (Mark 4:6-17).

1. Radical people do not quit when they are faced with challenges, obstacles, or hardship; they press forward. Jesus is our primary example of a radical person; He did not quit when times got hard. Sometimes offense can cause us to quit (Mark 4:17). We reap whatever we sow. For example, when we obey the Word, we harvest God’s blessing. But if we sow disobedience to God’s Word, we will harvest lack.

C. Do not be deceived, deluded, and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at—scorned, disdained, or mocked (Galatians 6:7, AMP).

1. Our harvest is connected to the things we sow, or the deeds we do. God wants us to do extraordinary things. He wants us to prosper and succeed in life. He is able to do exceedingly above all we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). We are blessed to be a blessing to others.

D. Examples of Radical Obedience

1.Radical obedience is obeying God when it doesn’t make sense. For example, Jesus told His disciples to let down their nets and launch out into the deep, when they had finished their fishing jobs (Luke 5:4-5). Peter made a radical move by obeying Jesus even though he didn’t see the point in it. As a result, they caught a great number of fish. Obedience produces breakthrough. We must obey Jesus’ commands.

2. Radical obedience is doing the will of God even when your own agenda makes more sense.
. For example, Commander Naaman became a leper and came to the prophet Elisha for help (2 Kings 5:1-14). Naaman did not like the instructions he received from Elisha; however, he obeyed and was healed instantly. Radical obedience is not just asking, “What would Jesus do?” Instead, being radically obedient is doing what Jesus did. Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only (James 1:22-25). Radical obedience is refusing to compromise when it comes to obeying God’s Word even when it means losing friends. Radical obedience means venturing outside of your comfort zone, no matter how uncomfortable or unreasonable it feels. Radical obedience is born out of delight, not duty. It is not a burden or a grudge.

All must deal with the baggage we accumulate as we journey through life. You know what “baggage” is. It’s the stuff from your past that you carry around in your soul. It’s the words people said and the things people did that haunt your mind and limit your potential. It weighs you down. It crowds your relationships. It causes you to stumble through life.
Today, we begin a journey of looking into our “life suitcase,” and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will bring it to him as he asked us to…

If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28, CEV)

THE TRUTH ABOUT BAGGAGE

The key sources of baggage…

Unforgiven Offenses

Hebrews 12:15, Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. (NLT)

Unhealed Wounds

Psalm 72:2, I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn’t heal. (Msg)

Unfulfilled Dreams

Proverbs 13:12, Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick. (Msg)

Unredeemd Sin
1 John 1:6, We are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. (NLT)

Baggage hinders us in the race of life.

Hebrews 12:1, We must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially the sin that just won’t let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. (CEV)

Great men and women of the Bible struggled with baggage.

Romans 8:15-24, In fact, I don’t understand why I act the way I do. I don’t do what I know is right. I do the things I hate…I am not the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them. With my whole heart I agree with the Law of God. But in every part of me I discover something fighting against my mind, and it makes me a prisoner of sin that controls everything I do. What a miserable person I am. Who will rescue me…? (CEV)

Baggage gives Satan an opportunity in your life.

Ephesians 4:26-27, Don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. (Msg)

TAKE ON YOUR BAGGAGE

Take responsibility.

1 Corinthians 6:12, I will not let anything make me its slave. (NCV)

Take it seriously.

1 Corinthians 9:27, I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. (NLT)

Take it to God.

Romans 6:12-14, Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires…but rather offer yourselves to God…For sin shall not be your master…(NIV)

REFRAME YOUR LIFE

Do not let your past determine who you are.

1 Cor 6:9-11, Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (NLT)

Embrace your identity in Christ.

2 Cor 5:16-17, We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be…Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. (CEV)

Romans 7:24-25, Who will rescue me? Thank God, Jesus Christ will rescue me! (CEV)

B. We must harmonize or be in agreement with God and His Word if we expect to have what we say.
1. When you’re out of harmony with God, your speech will be polluted.
a. Negative speaking hinders God’s desire to bring His Word to pass in your life (Malachi 3:13).
i. You weary God by speaking words that contradict His Word (Malachi 2:17).
2. The power of agreement is released when you speak in line with God’s Word.
a. How can two walk together unless they agree (Amos 3:3)?
b. How can blessing and cursing come from the same source?
i. To bless means to speak positively or good of.
ii. To curse means to speak negatively or evil of.

C. You are literally words away from your harvest.
1. Do you believe the words you speak? If you do, you’ll have what you say.
a. Because Jesus skillfully chose His words and believed what He said, He obtained quick results (Mark 11:20-23).
2. Carefully consider every word you speak.
a. Don’t pervert your words; learn what you’re saying and use words in the proper context.
b. Ask yourself: Is what I’m saying what I expect to see?
3. Avoid idle words, perverted speech, and saying things you don’t believe.
a. Speak the Word of God only!
i. If you’re unable to speak the Word, it is better not to speak at all.

A. People are products of their thoughts.
You are what you continually think (Proverbs 23:7). You change your life by changing your mindset. Right thinking precedes right actions. There are two sources of thoughts—God and Satan. Satan’s greatest weapon is suggestion. The Devil wants you to worry and to think outside of God’s Word so that he can gain access to your life. Do not allow him to gain a foothold (Ephesians 4:27, AMP). An empty mind, or one that hasn’t been renewed with the Word, will give place to the Devil. Your thoughts determine your destiny.

B. Take hold of your thought life so that your life can be changed.
It’s not the thoughts that come from outside of a person that defile him, but the thoughts that come from inside—those things on which his mind dwells (Mark 7:14-15, 18-23). If you continue dwelling on the past, it will hinder your future. Feed your heart and mind with the right things so that your thoughts will line up properly. What you meditate on is the source of your actions. Example: A person doesn’t just wake up one morning and ask for a divorce. Divorce was a thought that had been nourished, nurtured and meditated on for a long time. When your spirit man has developed, God wants you to hear Him so that you can live an “inside-out” life. God wants you to think from the source: His Word. When you take your mind off of God, you will fall. Adam and Eve fell when they took their minds off of God (Genesis 3). Everything in life begins as a thought; it’s a seed.

C. You can win the battle over your mind each and every time.
Put off your old ways of thinking (Ephesians 4:22-24), and then set your mind and affection on higher things (Colossians 3:2, 6-10). Rid yourself of fear, as it gives Satan access to your mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear is an enemy of God; it is designed to get your thoughts off God. Be perfected in God’s love, because perfected love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Develop a sound, or disciplined, mind. An undisciplined mind is one whose thoughts wander (2 Timothy 1:6-7, AMP); it is unstable (James 1:5-8). Concentrate on what you are doing (Ecclesiastes 5:1). A disciplined mind is not easily confused. A focused and care-free mind leads to perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3-4; Philippians 4:5-8).The cares of the world will choke your harvest (Mark 4:19). Be aggressive in casting down evil thoughts with the Word. Study, listen to and speak the Word daily.

How the Word of God prepares us to hear from Him:
1. His Word instructs us. When we know the Word, we recognize deceptive voices that try to lead us into error. A person who preaches any other gospel is a deceiver (Galatians 1:8). Studying the Word and walking in love will help you recognize God’s voice.
2. His Word tunes our spirits. Your spiritual ears will know God’s voice when you acquaint yourself with His Word. The Word purifies and separates you from the world (John 17:17). If you are not feeding your spirit daily with the Word, it will not be tuned.
3. God’s written Word confirms what He has spoken to your spirit (Proverbs 6:20-23). Allow the peace of God to rule in your heart before making decisions. Let the Word to be your guide; the Word gives light in a dark and confused world (Psalm 119:105).
4. God washes your spirit with the Word, removing the filth and grime of the world.
5. The Word of God consistently defeats the devil. Use the Word of God to cancel out the devil’s deceptive voice. For example, when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He answered the devil with the Word.
6. God’s Word feeds your spirit man (1 Peter 2:2, 3, AMP). Desire the spiritual milk of the Word so you can grow spiritually. Spend time feeding your spirit with the Word of God to receive revelation and wisdom.

How does praying in the Spirit help you hear from God?
1. When you pray in the Spirit, you release your faith.
2. Prayer is the perfect way to enhance your hearing.
3. Remember to thank God for what you believe you receive in prayer.
4. God uses relationships to speak into your life.
5. Become thirsty for God; if you do not have a thirst for Him, ask for it.
6. Every day, tell God how much you need Him.

Three ways to see change in your ability to hear from God:
1. Decide how badly you want change.
2. Eliminate all excuses.
3. Take immediate action; refuse to put it off any longer. Start today!

I think one of the great difficulties in life is letting go of what we think we need so that we can have what God wants for us.

The man wanted money. It’s what he desired. It’s what he thought he needed.
But it’s not what he got. Peter and John’s monetary resources were limited. But the power of Christ that was at their disposal was unlimited. And so he walked.

While the man ended up rejoicing, I can’t help but wonder what he thought when he first heard Peter say that they didn’t have any silver or gold. He was probably disappointed. Silver and gold was exactly what he wanted. But the truth is that if Peter would have had money in that situation, the man would never have gotten to walk. And what’s better: having some money, or being able to walk for the rest of your life?

Not getting what you want or are expecting is never easy. It can sometimes feel like you’re getting shortchanged by God. You can come to believe that you’re missing out on your best life. That you’ve lost something irreplaceable.

But like the crippled man, we have to flip our perspective. We have to understand that if we got what we wanted, it might mean forfeiting what we really need. If God shuts down the thing you desire, it may be because He desires something even better. If God doesn’t do what you’re hoping He will, He must be planning to do something bigger and better.

For example, what’s better:
The relationship you had that you thought would last a lifetime, or the relationship God has for you that He wants to last a lifetime?
The job you really wanted but didn’t get, or the job God has custom tailored for you that’s waiting in its place?

Your destiny never depends on anyone or anything that leaves your life. Or on a desire that doesn’t end up being fulfilled. Let go of what you wanted. Take hold of what God wants for you.

God will never shortchange you. If God has shut down something you desired recently, I dare you to believe that He’s got something better for you on the way.