THE POWER OF LOVE

A project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the

School of Prayer, Institute of Spiritual Warfare (INSWAR), Ota Study Centre, Ota.

MOUNTAIN OF FIRE AND MIRACLES MINISTRIES

OTA REGION, SOUTH WEST 6

2015.

By

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 CERTIFICATION

The Board of Examiners declare as follows “that this is the original work of Sister Stella

Amara Aririguzoh submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a

diploma by the School of Prayer, Institute of Spiritual Warfare, Mountain of Fire and

Miracles Ministries, Ota Campus.”

Campus Principal,
Pastor Olusegun Oluwole.

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 DEDICATION

To

Pastor (Dr.) Daniel Kolawole Olukoya

(God’s renowned vessel for intelligent spiritual warfare prayers)

Thank you for your deep and uncompromising teachings in not retreating
from the enemy; but in giving him heartache

My life took a better turn forever when I listened to your teachings and read
your eye-opening books.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I
am most grateful to the Almighty God. It is a great privilege to be called His child.

I have been upheld by the power of His love on display in my life. Every day, I feel

the warmth of His love surrounding me. This great journey of love and grace is

most exciting and definitely interesting.

I appreciate Pastor Oluwole Olusegun who is the Principal of the School of Prayer, Ota

Campus. His friendly but no nonsense approach made all of us to sit up. In fact, his

presence livened up the classes.

I remain grateful to Pastors Timothy Abiodun and Sunday Olujobi. Their dedication to the

cause of INSWAR is deep. Both offered happy smiles and encouragement at all times.

Pastor David Olanase - the Zonal Pastor of MFM, Benja Ota - and all the members of the

pastorate added great value to my life by giving me the opportunity to do my ministerial

training in the church. Furthermore, I thank Brothers Sanyaolu Tosin and Olawale

Olusegun who lent me their lecture notes and interpreted many Yoruba phrases and songs

for me. The presence of Odesanya Gbolahan alias Baba Ti Mbo Alaye made the classes

more interesting and lively.

Finally, I thank my daughter, Victoria-Grace Onyekachi Miracle for braving to stay alone

at home while I went to attend classes. She also searched out some scriptures for this

project.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Certification …. …. …. …. …. …. 2
Dedication …. …. …. …. …. …. 3
Acknowledgements …. …. …. …. …. …. 4
Table of contents …. …. …. …. …. …. 5
Keys …. …. .… …. …. …. 7

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction …. …. …. …. …. …. 8
1.2 The basis of love …. …. …. …. …. …. 9
1.3 Our love affair with our Father …. …. …. …. 13
1.3.1 The mighty God is with us …. …. …. ….. 16
1.3.2 The mighty God has power to save …. …. …. 17
1.3.3 Worth more than a sparrow …. …. …. 18

CHAPTER TWO: THE POWER OF LOVE

2.1 God’s words of love …. …. …. …. …. 20

2.2 The greatest description of love …. …. …. …. 23
2.2.1 Characteristics of love …. …. …. …. …. 24
2.3 Types of love …. …. …. …. …. …. 24
2.3.1 Eros …. …. …. …. …. …. 24
2.3.2 Phileo …. …. …. …. …. …. 25
2.3.3 Storge …. …. …. …. …. …. 26
2.3.4 Agape …. …. …. …. …. …. 27
2.4 Biblical demonstrations of God’s love …. …. …. 28
2.4.1 Noah …. …. …. …. …. …. 28
2.4.2 Moses …. …. …. …. …. …. 28
2.4.3 Daniel …. …. …. …. …. …. 29
2.4.4 Peter …. …. …. …. …. …. 29
2.4.5 Matthew …. …. …. …. …. …. 30
2.5 Biblical demonstrations of men that loved God …. …. 30
2.5.1 Abraham …. …. …. …. …. …. 30
2.5.2 David …. …. …. …. …. …. 31
2.5.3 Solomon …. …. …. …. …. …. 31
2.5.4 Paul …. …. …. …. …. …. 31
2.5.5 Mary of Bethany …. …. …. …. …. 32

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CHAPTER THREE: LOVE BOOSTERS AND KILLERS

3.1 Love boosters …. …. …. …. …. …. 33

3.1.1 Anointing of the Holy Ghost …. …. …. 33
3.1.2 Word of God …. …. …. …. 35
3.1.3 Remember the past victories …. …. …. 36
3.1.4 Keep the company of lovers …. …. …. 37
3.2 Love killers …. .… .…. …. 38
3.2.1 Sin …. …. …. …. 38
3.2.2 Doubts and unbelief …. …. …. …. 39
3.2.3 Works of the flesh …. …. …. …. 40
3.2.4 Earthly cares …. …. …. …. 41
3.3 Consequences of not loving God …. …. …. …. 42
3.3.1 Eternal damnation …. …. …. …. 42
3.3.2 Destruction and death …. …. …. …. 43
3.3.3 Perversion of the destiny …. …. …. …. 44
3.3.4 Meaningless life of slavery …. …. …. …. 44
3.3.5 Lack of direction …. …. …. …. 45

CHAPTER FOUR: STAYING IN LOVE

4.1 Provoking the love of God …. …. …. …. 47

4.1.1 Walking the right steps …. …. …. …. 47
4.2 The full love story …. …. …. …. …. 53
4.2.1 His word …. …. …. …. …. …. 53
4.2.2 His house …. …. …. …. …. …. 54
4.2.3 His service …. …. …. …. …. …. 55
4.3 Summary …. …. …. …. …. …. 58
4.4 Conclusion …. …. …. …. .… …. 58

REFERENCES …. …. .… …. …. …. 59

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 KEYS
ASV: American Standard Version

ESV: English Standard Version

GWT: God’s Word Translation

KJV: King James Version

MLB: Modern Language Bible

NIV: New International Version

NLT: New Living Translation

NLV: New Life Version

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 CH AP TER O NE
INTRO DU C TIO N

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Love is the visible signature of God’s ownership on His special creatures. It is the

most important gift anybody can receive. Love is the most powerful weapon in

both the physical and spiritual realms of existence because love conquers all things.

It has the power to exercise influence or authority or both on the loved person and

on the person loving. Love commands attention because it transforms lives and

brings us to the class of God because God Himself is love:

God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God
in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness
in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

(1 John 4:16-17, KJV)

Therefore, the best thing that God can offer any person is love. When you have

God’s love, you have everything. This is because love breeds only good.

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for

them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that
take refuge in thee, before the sons of men!
(Psalms 31:19, KJV)

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; And
thou wilt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee
is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light
(Psalms 36:8-9, KJV)

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 Whosoever dwells in God dwells in love. Whosoever dwells in true love lives in

the class of God. No person, power, confederation or army has ever being able to

defeat God. Similarly, no person, power, confederation or army can ever defeat a

person of love. When you are in love, you are in God because God Himself is love.

When you are in love with God, He empowers you to become indestructible. God’s

love is indeed amazing. It makes Him to forgive us our trespasses and moves Him

to do things for us even when we do not deserve them. It is in the power of this

love that God sacrificed His only son to redeem man back to Himself (John 3:16).

The power of love is to establish a very close bond between man and God. Love is

the key to the heart of God. We are made better individuals with the grace to enter

into divine presence. Of importance to us are the men and women He has chosen to

brand with His special love. Nobody comes to God without God showering him

with His love. God’s full love is for those who love Him fully and unconditionally.

In the power of this love is he empowered into a life of exploits. Drawing from

Genesis 1: 22-30, Ford (2008, p. 4) remarks that God’s love is made manifest by

the His:

 Abundant blessings upon His creation.

 Satisfying purposes for His creation.
 Establishing faithful provisions for His creation.

1.2 THE BASIS OF LOVE

The foundation of God’s love for us started with creation. After creating

everything, God then made man and placed him in the Garden of Eden. When God

created man, He had the mind of having fellowship with him: revealing His plan

for man's life, redemption, and eternal destiny. However, this great plan got the

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devil jealous. He sought for all ways to destroy this creature that God described as

the “apple of His eyes” (Zechariah 2:8, Deuteronomy 32:10) and delighted in

having fellowship with in the cool of the evenings (Genesis 3:8). Of course, this

was a great mistake. What the devil meant for much evil, God turned to much gain

for mankind.

God is always ahead of the devil. After all, He created him and all his evil cohorts

who seek to turn the days of people to unending nights. May be, if the devil has

known that his deceiving Eve in that beautiful Eden was to result in the unfolding

of God’s amazing plan of redemption for mankind, he would have thought twice.

Redemption became the great platform for the Almighty God to enter into another

business of love with man and his descendants. In fact, God decreed that his

misadventure would make the children of the woman he beguiled to bruise his

heels (Genesis 3:15). Of course, the devil still snatches some souls into hell. He is

still most unhappy with man and has declared war on him, his woman and their

children. He brews troubles and fans the fire of challenges. Every one of the

devil’s attack is to provoke the redeemed to sin against God.

Herein are we faced with an interesting situation. Aririguzoh (2013) calls it a

situation of conflict. According to Aririguzoh (2013, p.7), “the ministry of conflict

declares war on the devil, his activities and wicked agents in order to paralyse and

lay all of their evil activities to waste. It seeks to enforce the freedom of the

children of God from all forms of bondage, so that their cups of joy is not only

filled, but also run over.”

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Nevertheless, the gate pass to the love banquet is now different. Today, the

admission ticket is accepted on any individual’s acceptance of His only son, Jesus

Christ of Nazareth as personal Lord and savior.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
(Roman 5:8, KJV)

According to Isaiah 53:10, it pleased the LORD to bruise, put him to grief and

make his soul an offering for the sins of man. Christ was offered as the sacrificial

lamb for the propiation of our sins. On the third day, he rose from the dead. He

seats at the right hand of God making intercessions as a high priest for all who

come to God through him. The following scriptures are illustrative of this offer of

salvation:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved.
(Romans 10:9, KJV)
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.
(Phillipians 2:11, KJV)

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in
him, and he in God.
(1John 4:15, KJV)

The shed blood of Jesus Christ is the new foundation of God’s love for man. This is

the foundation of the Christian faith. According to Murray (1993), redemption is by

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blood. It is for reconciliation, cleansing, sanctification. It also allows us to dwell in

the holiest place, be in victory and joy.

Today, people lift up holy hands in deep worship and praise to the Almighty God

as an acknowledgement of this great sacrifice of love. His redeemed sing His

praises and tell others about His abundant mercies. They also "worship him that

made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Revelation

14:7). Thus, the redeemed and doer of His words become known as the

"ambassadors for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:20). They also acquired the power to

turn the counsel of their enemies to nought (Psalm 33:10, Isaiah 8:10).

Don Moen’s At the Foot of the Cross (Ashes to Beauty) song captures this

completely new love affair:

At the foot of the cross

Where grace and suffering meet
You have shown me your love
Through the judgment you received

And you've won my heart

And you've won my heart, now I can

Trade these ashes in for beauty

And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down at the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross

Where I am made complete
You have given me life
Through the death you bore for me

And you've won my heart

And you've won my heart, now I can

Trade these ashes in for beauty

And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy

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 I lay every burden down at the foot of the cross
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down at the foot of the cross

And you've won my heart

And you've won my heart, now I can

Trade these ashes in for beauty

And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down
I trade these ashes in for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down

I lay every burden down, every burden

I lay every burden down
At the foot of the cross
At the foot of the cross
At the foot of the cross
At the foot of the cross

1.3 OUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH OUR FATHER

Love is power. God is the source of all love and we are all recipients of this

richness. Love deals with trust, loyalty and relationship. The love of God for us

and our love for Him has the power to make us to be lion hearted and give us

reason to love Him more. Because divine love transcends human understanding, a

lot of people fail to understand that God has emotions and these can be hurt or

betrayed.

Our love affair or romance with God began when He sacrificed His only son,

Jesus Christ, so that many others would have life and have it in abundance. He is

the good shepherd that gave his life for his sheep (John 10:11). Our romance with

God grows in intimacy with the passing of each day for He has loved us with an

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everlasting love and with loving kindness has drawn us to Himself (Jer. 31:3).

God’s love is as boundless as the waters of the oceans; as everlasting as the

ancient mountains and as abundant as the air we freely breathe in.

He has created the flowers to perfume the air that we breathe and the beautiful

sunsets to turn gladden our hearts at the end of a busy day. Even the light of the

moon are to cast silver lights on our paths when we take night strolls. Should we

listen very carefully, we can hear the birds singing so sweetly in contest and the

insects chirping in the background.

Our love affair with God is anchored on some deep truths. These are:

 He wants us to worship Him

 He wants us to love Him
 He wants us to adore Him
 He wants us to cherish Him
 He wants us to treasure Him

God also wants us to seek him, hence, His first and greatest commandment is for

us to love him (Mark 12:29-30; Matthew 22:36-38). He wants us to love and seek

Him with all our hearts without any competitor distracting our attention. He loves

us to cleave to Him with all our hearts and strength. The story of Martha and

Mary in Luke 10: 38-42 is most illustrative. Even though Martha busied herself

trying to make dinner for Jesus, yet Jesus commended Mary who appeared lazy

and unhelpful for choosing the better portion of staying at His feet to listen. Why?

He answers:

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 I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your
affection with any other god!

(Exodus 20:5, NLT)

God loves us with a depth that perverse men may find very difficult to believe.

The enormity of God’s love is demonstrated by His care and details of all that

concerns us. He even knows the number of hair strands on our heads (Luke 12:7)

and assures us that not even one of these hairs are allowed to be wasted (Luke

21:18). He knows about our tears and records them in His book (Psalm 56:8).

When we cannot sleep, He gives us sweet sleep (Psalm 127:2) and wakes us up

(Psalm 78:65). While we sleep, He stays awake to watch over us (Psalm 121:4).

When the day is over, our loving father makes us to lay down again, to sleep in

peace and dwell in safety. (Psalm 78: 65). Should any evil king wants to hinder or

stop us from worshipping Him, He kills his first son (Exodus 12:29) or use them

as our ransom (Isaiah 43:3, Proverb 21:18). Then we should join David in singing

this psalm:

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

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 6
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
7
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8
I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.
(Psalm 65:1-8, NIV)

Then we can shout loudly that “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have

entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that

love him”

(1 Corinthians 2:9, KJV).

1.3.1 THE MIGHTY GOD IS WITH US

God’s enormous love for us is captured in this beautiful verse:

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he
will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy
over thee with singing.

(Zephaniah 3:17, KJV)

For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm
all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
(Zephaniah 3:17, NLT)

The LORD your God is with you. He is a hero who saves you. He
happily rejoices over you, renews you with his love, and celebrates
over you with shouts of joy.
(Zephaniah 3:17, GWT)

The Lord your God is with you, a Powerful One Who wins the
battle. He will have much joy over you. With His love He will give
you new life. He will have joy over you with loud singing.
(Zephaniah 3:17, NLV)

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In the School of Understanding, we can see that the Almighty God dances with,

skips happily, leaps up, spins around merrily and sings with shouts of joy because

we are having a very special love affair that He will not allow any other person,

including the devil, envious witchcraft or territorial powers to contradict or

destroy. God’s love should offer us peace, joy and the calmness to know that He

stops the storms (Psalm 46), and shuts up the mouths of the lions (Daniel 6:22),

and turns the fire to air conditioned mansions (Daniel 3:25-27), makes the ground

to open up and bury alive those that challenge our authority (Psalm 106:17;

Number 26:10; Deuteronomy 11:6). For those who plan our deaths and funeral

services while we are still alive, He first hangs them and then bury them in the

graves that they have dug for us (Esther 7:10). Then he hands over their estates to

us.

The Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them is

strong enough to save me because He loves me. My presence makes Him to sing

heartily and with full joy. God celebrates me in songs. Pause for a minute and

imagine the creator of the universe singing me a love song because He is having

an affair with me! This in itself offers deep consolation to me and any other weary

soul.

1.3.2 THE MIGHTY GOD HAS POWER TO SAVE

Another aspect of our love relation is demonstrated in His power to save those

He loves:

Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from
Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the
greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to
save.
(Isaiah 63:1, KJV)

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 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments
stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in
the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to
save.
(Isaiah 63:1, NIV)

Who is this who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his
clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes, marching in his
great strength? “It is I, the LORD, announcing your salvation! It is I,
the LORD, who has the power to save!”
(Isaiah 63:1, NLT)

The royal robes of Jesus shows His kingship. He is the king of kings and Lord of

all. Even the hem of his garments makes sicknesses that have defied medical

attention to vanish instantly (Luke 8: 43-44, Matthew 14:34). His designer clothes

were so beautiful and expensive that the Roman soldiers could not afford to tear it

up. Rather they cast lots to see who would be the next lucky owner (Matthew

27:35, Luke 23:34, John 19:23-24). He is still the mightiest king marching in all his

strength to defend His beloved and the members of his church, These group of

people may not been capable of defending themselves. Without armed soldiers or

any army of his own, He ushers them into victories over their enemies.

1.3.3 WORTH MORE THAN A SPARROW

God thinks about us all the time. His thoughts towards me are for good and to

grant us the earnest desires of our hearts in accordance to His perfect will. It may

not make sense to the human mind, but our Father wants to hold us up in His arms.

Most parents are proud of their children. They show them off. God is even more

proud of us and brags about it to the devil (Job 1:8). He tells us that if He can take

care of the worthless sparrows, He can take better care of us because we are too

special and important to Him. We even have His DNA and share the same surname

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because we are members of the same household. In addition, we are made in His

image.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And [yet] not one of
them is forgotten or uncared for in the presence of God. But [even]
the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be struck with
fear or seized with alarm; you are of greater worth than many
[flocks] of sparrows.

(Luke 12:6-7, Amplified Bible)

A clear comprehension of these sacred truths will make us demand that our Father

should set us as seals upon His heart, as a seal upon His arm: for love is strong as

death. (Song of Solomon 8:6, KJV).

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 CH AP TER TWO
TH E P O WER O F LO VE

The power of God to save is rooted in the power of His love for man. His love is in

His word. God’s love for man still shines through His awesome protection,

provision and intervention in very grim and incredible situations.

2.1 GOD’S WORDS ON LOVE

God loves us. Some of the scriptures below tell us that even while we were still

wallowing in sin, His love made Him to make us His sons through redemption:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
(John 3:16, KJV)

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave
the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood
nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
(John 1:12-13, ESV)

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
(Romans 5:8 ESV)

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for
his friends.
(John 15:13, KJV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the

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 world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He
predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus
Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His
glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.

(Ephesians 1:3-6, ESV)

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
(Deuteronomy 6:5, KJV)

His love towards us makes Him to show mercy to the thousands in their thousand

generations, that keep his commandments (Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 5:10,

Deuteronomy 7:9, KJV). In addition, He will bless and ensure that we are fruitful.

The good health to enjoy these fruits are guaranteed:

He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also
bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and
thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of
thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or
female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the LORD
will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil
diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them
upon all them that hate thee.
(Deuteronomy 7:13-15, KJV).

On our own part, we are required to:

… fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him,
and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy
soul. To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes…

(Deuteronomy 10:12-13, KJV).

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 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge,
and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments,
always.

(Deuteronomy 11:1, KJV)

Jesus adds:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:
this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely
this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other
commandment greater than these.

(Mark 12:30-31, KJV)

Jesus goes further:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another;

as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall
all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to
another.

(John 13:34-35, KJV)

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

(1 John 4:8, KJV)

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because
fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
(1 John 4:18, KJV)

God then places us on top and high above all the nations of the earth

((Deuteronomy 28:1-13); defends us (Psalm 5:1); delivers us (Psalm 91:14);

preserves us (Psalm 145:20) and causes us to inherit substance (Proverbs 8:21). We

can then join Paul in asking his rhetorical question on what can separate us from

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 the love of the father through Jesus Christ and equally answer that tribulations,

distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, death, life, angels,

principalities, powers, things present or things to come, height, 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).

2.2 THE GREATEST DESCRIPTION OF LOVE

Love is the fulfillment of the law. The greatest description of this law as it appears

in the Bible is written by Paul:

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I
am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and
all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,
but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not
arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or
resentful;
6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for
tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I
reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish
ways.
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I
know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully
known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest
of these is love.

(1 Corinthians 13, ESV)

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 2.2.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF LOVE

From this chapter, we can draw out some characteristics of true love.

 Love is patient
 Love is kind
 Love does not envy or boast;
 Love is not arrogant or rude.
 Love does not insist on its own way
 Love is not irritable or resentful
 Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
 Love bears all things
 Love believes all things,
 Love hopes in all things
 Love endures all things.
 Love never ends
 Love is the greatest

Although the word of God commands us to abide in faith, hope and love, Daniels

(2012, p.47) confirms that love is the greatest of all of them. According to her,

“without love, people can still call you great and desire your presence, but you will

not be able to abide in the presence of the Lord”.

2.3 TYPES OF LOVE

According to Ichykoo, the Greeks describe love in four different ways: eros, phileo,

storge and agape. Lewis calls them The Four Loves characteristic of humans.

2.3.1 Eros

This is romantic or physical love between a man and a woman. Through it, some

people may find joy and laughter. Physical intimacy may also result in children and

families. However, it may not be strong enough to sustain a relationship over a

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long time because attractions and desires change. Pungent attractions wither when

there is no depth to sustain it. This is the type of love described in:

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better

than wine.

(Songs of Solomon 1:2, KJV)

Still in this book, we find:

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me

was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner
over my head when I was near him]. Sustain me with raisins,
refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love. [I can feel] his left
hand under my head and his right hand embraces me!

(Songs of Solomon 2: 4-6, Amplified Bible)

The eros type of love can be maintained by following Chapman love languages of

using gifts, spending quality time, giving words of affirmation, engaging in acts of

service, and physically touching the loved person.

2.3.2 Phileo

This is love based on caring relationships. It is our affectionate love towards

members of our families and friends. Filial love is based on affection, is the most

basic kind of love, the most rare, the least jealous and perhaps the most intense. It

makes us love our families. For example, the love a mother has for her child is

deep in emotion and feeling and at times defies understanding. This love also

makes us value our friends. It is deeper than fleeting eros

Example: the love between Jonathan and David as seen in:

Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him

as his own soul.

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 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and
gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his
bow, and to his girdle.

(1 Samuel 18:3-4, KJV)

Jonathan’s love for David was so strong that they entered into a covenant

(1 Samuel 18:3). When he was killed, David greatly lamented thus:

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast

thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love
of women.
(2 Samuel 1:26, KJV)

2.3.3 Storge

This is the love for a community. It is built on the call for duty. This explains why

some patriotic people are ready to die for their countries in their lines of duty. A

classical example is what David did:

For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the
LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel ….
(1 Samuel 19:5)

Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that
time, which went up with them into the camp from the country
round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that
were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of Israel which
had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the
Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the
battle.

(1 Samuel 14: 21-22, KJV)

Even when David became an outlaw and came to live among the Philistines, the

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acclaimed enemies of the Israelites, His nationalistic spirit still made him to kill

without leaving any witness testify against him.

Now David and his men went up and made attacks on the
Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites [enemies of Israel Joshua
had failed to exterminate]. For from of old those nations
inhabited the land, as one goes to Shur even to the land of Egypt.
And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive,
and took away the sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and the apparel,
and returned to Achish. Achish would ask, Against whom have
you made a raid today? And David would reply, Against the South
(Negeb) of Judah, or of the Jerahmeelites, or of the Kenites. And
David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to
Gath, thinking, Lest they should say about us, So did David, and
so will he do as long as he dwells in the Philistines' country.

(1 Samuel 27: -8-11, KJV)

2.3.4 Agape

This is unconditional love that stands in spite of everything that wants to destroy.

There is the deepest value in the object of love. Whether the loved merits it or not

is immaterial. The important thing is that the lover sees him as most valuable and

priceless and therefore determines not to abandon him. This is sacrificial love. It is

the most spiritual and the least selfish from the point of the giver. For example,

parents deny themselves to provide the best for their children. God’s love for His

children and all that come to Him to Jesus Christ is sacrificial:

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He
[even] gave up His only begotten ( unique) Son, so that whoever
believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish
(come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

(John 3:16, Amplified Bible)

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 Lewis (2012) sees it as the love that functions regardless of varying conditions and

labels it as the greatest of all the love types. Specifically he says it is a Christian

virtue to accomplish. According to Paulson (paragraph 10.9), “Christ's love is the

freest thing in the world, - free as the sunbeam, free as the mountain torrent, free as

the air. It comes to the child of God without purchase and without merit, and in this

respect it is better than wine.”

2.4 BIBLICAL DEMONSTRATIONS OF GOD’S LOVE

There are Bible characters that God demonstrated His love to them when they were

in a crisis:

2.4.1 NOAH

In a world of iniquity, God commanded Noah to build an ark. Yet the flood took

many years to descend upon the earth. But he found grace in the eyes of the Lord

(Genesis 6:8) because he was a perfect man in his generations. He walked with

God.

Not only did Noah survive the great flood, he came out with his wife, his sons and

his sons' wives and all the animals that entered the ark with him. If not for the

favour of God, Noah could have perished with the rest. He still lived 349 years

after the great flood

2.4.2 MOSES

Moses is an interesting character. From birth, he fought for survival because an evil

king has given a commandant that all male children of the children of Israel should

be killed at birth. His mother hid him for three months before dropping him by the

banks of the Nile where Pharaoh’s daughter found him and adopted him. Even

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though other Jewish boys were been killed, yet Moses was been fed and trained in

Pharaoh’s own house. Then came the interesting encounter with the burning bush.

When he was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt at the age of 80, a mixed multitude

followed him. Behind was the furious advancing army of Pharaoh and in front was

the roaring Red Sea. It was like there was no way of escape. God stepped in and

rolled the waters for Moses and the children of Israel to pass. To feed the

murmuring and grumbling three million people in the wilderness, God rained down

manna from heaven (Exodus 15:16). God also made the rock to gush out water for

them to drink (Exodus17:6). If not, the crowd could have killed Moses.

2.4.3 DANIEL

First, Daniel took a decision not to defile himself with the king’s meat (Daniel 1:8)

and then broke the law of the kingdom where he was carried into exile by praying

to God (Daniel 6: 10-11). He was cast into the lion’s den. But, the angel of the Lord

closed the mouths of the lions and his life was preserved. When he was delivered

out of the den, his accusers were thrown into the same den and the lions ate them

up. After this scary experience, Daniel was promoted. There has been no repetition

of this miracle of delivery.

2.4.4 PETER

Jesus drew Peter from fishing to be an apostle. He denied Jesus thrice before he

was crucified. After Jesus died, Apostle Peter went back to his fishing business.

The other apostles followed him. After Jesus died, he was thrown into prison to be

executed the next day. Even with the armed soldiers waiting by the door of the

maximum security prison, the love of God reached him. God sent his angel to open

the door and lead him to freedom (Acts 12:5-11).

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 2.4.5 MATTHEW

Matthew was a tax collector during the days that Jesus was ministering. Tax

collectors were hated greatly then because they extorted money from people. Jesus

called him to follow him (Matthew 9:9). He rose and followed the Lord (Luke

5:28). Even though the civilized society frowned at this, Jesus was not bothered.

He went ahead to attend the great feast this man threw. This lead to Jesus making

the famous statements that “they that are whole need not a physician; but they that

are sick” (Luke 5:31) and that He “came not to call the righteous, but sinners to

repentance.” (Luke 5:32).

2.5 BIBLICAL DEMONSTRATIONS OF MEN THAT LOVED GOD

There are too people who demonstrated their love for God and their names entered

into the Book of Financial Fortunes.

2.5.1 ABRAHAM
Abraham’s love for God was demonstrated by his extraordinary obedience to

God’s command (Genesis 26:5). Because Abraham believed God, it was accounted

to him for righteousness (Galatians 3:6). He is known as the Father of Faith

(Hebrews 11:8). Abraham promptly obeyed God in all things: circumcising

himself, Ishmael and all the males in his household (Genesis 17:23-26); in sending

Hager and Ishmael away (Genesis 21:21-24) and offering his beloved Isaac for a

sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-10). He forgot he waited for twenty five years before his

birth after he got the prophecy that his wife Sarah would bear him a son. Abraham

built an altar unto God (Genesis 21:33). He also made a covenant with God. He

was called the friend of God (James 2:23).

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2.5.2 DAVID
David became a five star general. He fought wars and won all of them because God

was with him. David was anointed thrice: by Samuel, as king over Judah and as

king over Israel. When he killed boasting Goliath by coming against him “in the

name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, ” he became a target

that Saul wanted to kill. David showed godly sorrow when Nathan accused him of

taking Beersheba (2 Samuel 12:1-13). David greatly loved worshipping and

praising God (Psalm 119:164). He wrote songs and psalms praising God and

extolling His virtues. He also danced before the Lord in reckless abandon. He

further showed his love when he set his affection to the house of my God by

donating to the building of the temple (1 Chronicles 29:3).

2.5.3 SOLOMON
Solomon loved the Lord with all his heart (1 Kings 3:3) and offered a thousand

burnt offerings to God. God added every other thing to his life including riches and

honour. He became the richest and wisest man because of his love for God. His

kingdom also expanded. (1 King 4:22-34). However, this was before he got

entrapped in the arms of strange women and their stranger customs and he then

started seeing everything as vanity. Solomonic wisdom became Solomonic

foolishness.

2.5.4 PAUL

Paul made more missionary journeys than the other apostles. Paul’s evangelism

was very radical. He was either preaching or his presence was causing uproars in

the cities in the cities that he visited. Throughout his ministry, he suffered different

afflictions as he himself testified:

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 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered
shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep
(2 Corinthians 11:25)

He was attacked by false believers, faced a mob, a viper and even imprisoned. In

all these things, he demonstrated his love for God. Even when Prophet Agabus

(Acts 21: 4-11) told him that he was going to be bound if he went to Jerusalem, he

still went and there and preached the word of God. His response was a commentary

of his deep commitment to the Lord:

What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am

ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for
the name of the Lord Jesus.
(Acts 21:13, ESV)

There he was imprisoned and killed.

2.5.5 MARY OF BETHANY

She was the sister of Lazarus (John 11:2). She sat at the feet of Jesus listening to

him as he spoke. Jesus described this as “that good part” (Luke 10:42), She loved

Jesus and proved it by breaking the alabaster box containing the very precious

ointment. She poured it on his head (Matthew26:7, Mark 14:3). She did what most

people would not:

And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his
feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and
kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
(Luke 7:38, KJV)

Judas condemned her action and would have preffered that the ointment be sold

and the proceeds given to the poor. But, Jesus commended her for raising up a

memorial for him. Grace is always with them that love Jesus Christ with sincerity.

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 CH AP TER TH REE
LO VE BO O STERS AND K ILLER S

In the natural, there are some substances that boost or increase our level of love. On

the other hand, there are also some others that kill the same love. In the spiritual,

there are some factors s that boost our love for God. There are also those things that

kill our love for Him. Wisdom is in knowing these two conflicting situations to

boost our love for Him. Our love for Him impacts on His love for us for He draws

near to those who draw nearer to Him and all that seek Him early find Him..

3.1 LOVE BOOSTERS

These increase our affection for God. The love boosters raise, lift up and bolster

our liking for God. They include:

3.1.1 ANOINTING OF THE HOLY GHOST

The presence of God in the life of a man is a booster of the love of God. The Holy

Ghost allows the believer to hold “constant communion with God and be so wrought

upon by the Spirit and by the Spirit shall works of righteousness be manifested from

strength to strength, judging all things and holding fast that which is good.”

(Wigglesworth, p.15). Then we can boldly declare that:

... eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into

the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them

that love him.

(1Corinthians 2:9, KJV)

What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him
(1Corinthians 2:9, ESV)

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What gives us the boldness and confidence to make this open declaration can be

found in the scriptures below:

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in
him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of
God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the
spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are
freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the
words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they
are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all
things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known
the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the
mind of Christ
(1Corinthians 2:10-16, KJV)
… these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the
Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who
knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which
is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except
the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the
world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand
the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not
taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting
spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person
does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to
him, and he is not able to understand them because they are
spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is
himself to be judged by no one. For who has understood the mind
of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
(1Corinthians 2:10-16, ESV)

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The Holy Spirit is the custodian of the secrets of God. Once we are redeemed, we

become members of the House of God. We can access God’s secret through the

Holy Spirit because this Spirit searches and reveals what is the mind of God! We

may not understand some of the things that this Spirit reveals. He comes back to

teach and interpret them for us.

3.1.2 WORD OF GOD

The word of God is the greatest booster of love because we can clearly read all His

wonderful promises to those He loves and also to those that love Him. He has

exalted these words above His names. His words are “quick, and powerful, and

sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul

and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and

intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4.12). This word of God is also referred as “the

sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). We can war with it and expect resounding

success because everything in this word is upheld by His words (Hebrews 1:3)! As

the psalmist has gladly declared:

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven

(Psalm 119:89, KJV)
Eating, chewing and digesting His words builds up our love tank for Him and

compels Him to answer us, even in times of distress. It is the word in us that makes

the wicked to flee, because many are the angels waiting to hear its sound and

willing to carry the command to make us rejoice:

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was
unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by
thy name, O LORD God of host

(Jeremiah 15:16, KJV)

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 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous
judgments endureth for ever
(Psalm 119:160, KJV)

3.1.3 REMEMBER THE PAST VICTORIES

When Christ rose from the dead, He finally truncated every evil counsel of the

devil, powers, principalities and his visible and invisible agents. He proudly made a

public disgrace of and triumphed over all of them (Colossia ns 2:14-15). He was

able to do this because there is no wisdom, counsel or imagination against the Lord

(Proverbs 21:30). Even when the unwise gather to take any such counsel, God

scatters them in the imagination of their hearts (Luke 1:51) and brings their counsel

to nought (Psalm33:10). Only the counsel of the Lord stands, no matter how it may

appear as if the devil is winning.

If God has won victories before, He is still winning more today and would win

some more tomorrow. God never loses. Recalling the past victories will increase

your love quotient and even courage. David never kept his mouth. He gladly shared

his testimonies of past victories with King Saul. Most probably, this was the time

Goliath knew his head was already off even before Davis threw the stone on him:

… Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a
bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went out after him,
and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he
arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and
slew him.

(1 Samuel 17:34-35)

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3.1.4 KEEP COMPANY WITH LOVERS

Keep company with the lovers of God. A common adage says that birds of the

same feathers flock together. I add that birds of the same feathers fly together.

Lovers of God should keep company with other lovers of God. Straying into the

arms of the wrong lovers would spell disaster and turn God’s face away. The

wrong companies destroy.

The daughters of Lot were virgins while they remained with Abraham. But when

they entered into Sodom - a city of high immorality and incest – they started

sleeping with their father who got them pregnant (Genesis 19:30-36). This was a

great abomination.

Fellowship with lovers of God offers guidance, encouragement and scriptural

instructions. Constant fellowship with lovers of God will keep you in Zion. In Zion,

you have the good company of innumerable angels, spirits of just men made perfect

God and Jesus Christ themselves. You also become a citizen of the City of the

Living God, with express approval to attend the General Assembly and Church of

the Firstborn. In Zion too, you can access the blood of sprinkling that speaks better

things than that of Abel (Hebrew 12: 22-24).

To keep company with God’s love, we are commanded not to forsake:

… the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;

but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the
day approaching.

(Hebrew 10:25, KJV)

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3.2 LOVE KILLERS

The following are love killers because they can take us away from the love of the

Father. They destroy your love for God and God’s love for you. Most times, they

come camouflaged in other uniforms. But the end result is that if one is not careful,

they slaughter and lay to waste the love of God for us. God has already established

His principles through the covenant He made with us by the shed blood of Jesus

Christ. Anything that mocks or brings into disrepute this token of sacrifice is a

killer. These killers include:

3.2.1 SIN

Sin is satan’s identification number of those he plans to slaughter and waste. It is

his tested , trusted and strongest ladder that he uses to climb into people’s lives.

First, he lures his unwary captives with his subtle deception, exploits their

ignorance and hinders them from coming to the gospel. When you sin, you

welcome the devil as your special guest. He is never in a hurry to go.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine to them.
(2 Corinthians 4:4, KJV)

When you sin, you rouse God to anger and break the shield of His love around you.

Sin separates man from God. It is an offence against God. A sinner cannot be

God’s friend because He is a holy God that cannot love iniquities. As long as a

person is living in sin, he contravenes the laws of and murdering God’s love.

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and
your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
(Isaiah 59:2, KJV)

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 According to Aririguzoh (2013, p.9), “the devil keeps people in bondage by

keeping them in ignorance and in sin. As long as men sin and abound in it, the

devil has the legal right to keep them in his camp”.

He that committeth sin is of the demon; for the demon sinneth from
the beginning.
(1 John 3:8, KJV)

Sin is a silent killer and keeps sinners in the devil’s maximum security prison.

Do you not know that you are committed to obey as slaves the one
to whom you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, whether that be to
sin that leads to death, or to obedience that leads to righteousness?
(Romans 6:16, MLB)

3.2.2 DOUBTS AND UNBELIEF

Harbouring doubts and unbelief in one’s heart is failing even before starting. By

entertaining these two greedy guests, you hinder God’s hands from touching you

and shut out His love because you have destroyed your trust and confidence in

Him.

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest
by faith. Be not high minded, but fear
(Roman 11:20, KJV)

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of

unbelief, in departing from the living God.
(Hebrew 3:12, KJV)

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

(Hebrew 3:19, KJV)

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3.2.3. WORKS OF THE FLESH

The works of the flesh are many and drive us away from God’s company and love.

They are “ … sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity,

strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness,

orgies ….” (Galatians 5: 19-21, ESV).

Sexual immorality defiles our physical bodies. The body is described as the temple

of the Holy Ghost. This body was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

God hates and confounds idols, their worshippers and makers with a deep passion.

They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they

shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

(Isaiah 45:16, KJV)

Idol worshippers also include “any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass

through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter,

or a witch” (Deuteronomy 18:10).

Anger is a dangerous luxury because it opens the angry man up to more demonic

visitations. Any angry person is a dangerous person. Similarly, a proud man is

offensive to God. Pride pushed the devil out of heaven because he wanted to

occupy the seat of the Almighty God.

God himself destroys the proud man. He resists them (James 4:6). When you are

proud, you cannot flow in God and therefore cannot flow in His love. Some others

become over familiar with God and call themselves into an office that God did not

elect them in to (1 Samuel 13:9). Some people take God as the Junior Uncles and

have no more respect for Him. Over familiarity brings contempt. God has no

business with those who do not reverence Him. Yet another group in the School of

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the Flesh have sold themselves to do evil by oppressing the poor and needy,

spoiling by violence, refusing to restore the pledge, have lifted up their eyes to

idols, and committed abomination (Ezekiel 18:12).

3.2.4 EARTHLY CARES: The concerns for the affairs of this earth strangles

our love. Because of what they think that they might lose, some people refuse to

break up their fallow grounds. It is not possible to sow good seeds and expect them

to grow up among thorns. The cares of this world as written in:

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall
eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put
on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye
not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add
one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither
do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe
the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the
oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What
shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all
these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things.
(Matthew 6-25-32, KJV)

What to eat, drink, wear will always drive away the faint hearted away from God.

These cares are expressed by engaging in some unholy acts to get met these three

needs. Unfortunately, some of what we eat and drink are always excreted as waste

after some hours. What we worry wear our hearts to buy as the latest fashion soon

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 goes out of vogue. The pursuit of deceitful earthly riches will always turn men’s

heart away from the love of the Father.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
(1John 2:16, KJV)

In their chasing wealth and its representatives, they ignore the advice in 1 Peter 5:7

to cast all our cares on Him. With all the hot pursuit, none of the earthly riches

follow us to the great beyond (Job 1:21) and (Psalm 49:17). To many, they are

pierced with hot darts. Others they become bound with chains. Olukoya (2010)

writes that these chains may be physical, spiritual, invisible, coven, idol, emotional,

mental, financial, marital and closed heaven types.

3.3 CONSEQUENCES OF NOT LOVING GOD

Anything that is done outside the love of God is actually a failure, even before its

commencement. The consequences of not loving God include:

3.3.1 ETERNAL DAMNATION:

By rejecting God’s love through Jesus Christ, you reject heaven and therefore land

in hell where the fire never goes out.

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men
that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die,
neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an
abhorring unto all flesh.

(Isaiah 66:24, KJV)

All those that do not believe in the divinity of Jesus register their names for eternal

damnation and punishment:

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 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance
of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves
damnation.
(Roman 13:2, KJV)

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the

righteous into life eternal.
(Matthew 25:46, KJV)

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that

believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God
abideth on him.
(John 3:36, KJV)

3.3.2 DESTRUCTION AND DEATH

Sodom and Gomorrah were visited with destruction and death because they

rejected the love of God. The love of God is enshrined in His word. The men of

these two cities deviated from following His word that barred homosexuality and

sodomy. They made their own laws. They became so debased that they demanded

to sleep with angels who came in the shape of men to rescue Lot and his family

from being destroyed with them (Genesis 19 1-10).

When Samson left God and went ahead to love the Philistinistic women, God left

him. He never knew. He died with his enemies.

And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed
himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and
upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew
at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
(Judges 16:30, KJV)

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3.3.3 PERVERSION OF DESTINY

When purpose is unknown, perversion is inevitable. Perversion is the changing of

God’s good order into something unnatural, unacceptable and evil. Perversion

comes to destroy uprightness by turning people away from the gospel of Jesus:

And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the
devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to
pervert the right ways of the Lord?
(Acts 13:10, KJV)

Destinies are perverted when people walk out of God’s love. Adam and Eve lost

their destinies and the beautiful garden of Eden when the serpent deceived them.

Cain lost out on destiny after killing his brother, Abel (Genesis 4:8). God punished

him more than he could bear (Genesis 4:13). Until Saul turned to Paul, he was

living in perversion, not even knowing that he was ordained to be a chief apostle of

the same gospel of Jesus Christ for which he was persecuting Christians. He was

busy hurling and killing the people of God (Acts 9:13-14; 22:20). A perverted life

is a life of open foolishness, shame and disgrace.

3.3.4 MEANINGLESS LIFE OF SLAVERY

A slave is someone who is owned by another person and works for him for no

money. A slave is the property of his master. He can be sold or killed. Even his

children are also slaves by inheritance. No slave ever lives a meaningful life

because he cannot even plan what to do with a life that he does not own. Rejection

of God’s love forces people to live the life of slavery where the devil is the lord. Of

course, the devil is a wicked taskmaster that loves nobody, not even those

worshipping him or wasting their lives in servitude to him.

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Every taskmaster is like Pharaoh who would never allow the children of Israel to

go in peace. Instead they

… ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made

their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all
kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made
them work as slaves.
(Exodus 1:13-14, KJV)

When Israel turned away from worshipping the true God, she served her enemies

under great oppression as these pathetic verses relate to us:

Again the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD]'s sight. So the
LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The
Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites fled to the mountains,
where they made hiding places for themselves in caves and dens.
Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian,
Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, camping in the
land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites
with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, oxen, and donkeys. These
enemy hordes, coming with their cattle and tents as thick as locusts,
arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed
until the land was stripped bare. So Israel was reduced to starvation
by the Midianites….
(Judges 6:1-6, NLT)

3.3.5 LACK OF DIRECTION

Lack of clear direction in in the affairs of man is a serious matter. A man who does

not know where he is like a sheep without a shepherd. When God is with a person,

He makes the way plain. But when He is not there:

He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the

wilderness, where there is no way.
(Psalm 107:40, KJV)

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 … but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season
Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest,
and without law.
(2 Chronicles 15:2-3, KJV)
The man that lacks direction can land in a dark pit.

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 CH AP TER F O UR
STAY ING IN LO VE

To love is a choice. You can choose to stay in love and to enjoy the blessings and

peace of God. Staying in love with God is an individual decision. Nevertheless, it is

the decision of the wise. Those that love God love life and shine as stars.

4.1 PROVOKING THE LOVE OF GOD

Provoking the love of God is the platform that provokes God’s intervention. A man

that loves God lives next to divinity. As a man grows in love, he grows in divinity.

The love of God in its perfect state transforms a mere man to the nature of God.

Since God is indestructible, a man of love is indestructible. The good news is that

mortal man can provoke the love of God by taking the following covenant steps:

4.1.1 WALKING THE RIGHT STEPS

Salvation: The initial walking steps that lead into the House of God starts with

accepting the gift of salvation. This is the first step into a love relationship. Until

you accept Jesus Christ as your saviour and Lord, you have not started the love

walk. Jesus still saves people from their sins.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
(Acts 4:12, KJV)

Even though salvation is freely offered to all because God has no desire to see any

one perish, yet the sinner must confess. Thus:

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 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved.
(Romans 10:9, KJV)

For God appointed us not into wrath, but unto the obtaining of
salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake
or sleep, we should live together with him.

(1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, ASV)

Hagin (1995, p. 30) writes that it is the most important thing in the life of any

person. The man that is not saved is not safe because there is nothing protecting

him from the arrows that fly by day and night. Salvation grants us access into the

presence of God.

The blood of Jesus is what redeems back to God because by it “we are justified

freely by His grace through the ransom that Christ Jesus provided” (Romans 3:24,

MLB). Through his blood too, we obtain the forgiveness of our sins, according to

the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7) and (Colossians 1:14). By the blood of

Jesus, we have perpetual redemption (Hebrews 9:12, John 14.6).

Repentance: Openly repent before the Lord of all that you have consciously or

ignorantly done to hurt His love offer. Then make a conscious decision to turn

away from a life of sin to a life of righteousness. The person seeking to be in love

with God must carefully seek and secure His forgiveness. Forgiveness should never

be assumed. We are assured of His forgiveness

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 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:9, KJV)

When the people in Nineveh repented and changed from their evil ways, God also

repented from punishing them. He forgave them (Jonah 3:9-10). Nineveh still

holds the pride of place of a city where everyone completely repented including the

animals. Jesus still beckons to sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32; Mathew 9:13). In

heaven, big celebrations mark the events of sinners repenting! (Luke 15:17).

The redeemed is advised to flee from all appearances of evil. It is common sense to

avoid the magnetic field of sin. Sinning may appear attractive, especially when

committed in the secret. Nevertheless, Joseph avoided the sin of fornication with

Potiphar’s wife out of his fear for God. He already knew that God did not support

this kind of unusual behaviour. Because he kept to his integrity and landed in

prison, yet the love of God pursued him. From the prison, God promoted him to the

Prime Minister of the world power of the time. According to Olukoya (1997,

p.117), the person practicing brokenness “will live under the anointing of the Holy

Spirit and offer the devil no co-operation at all”.

Prayer and Fasting

Prayer is an open channel between God and man. It is a precious and wonderful

instrument that connects man with His creator. Through prayers, man develops a

closer relationship with the Almighty God. Through praying, God releases answers

and blessings that change the lives of those praying and those they are praying for.

Generate prayer pressure to hook up to God. Pray earnestly. The prayer altar is the

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altar of empowerment and release of grace. Usually, the voices of men praying are

normally the voices of men who have challenges. Challenges of life can be so

overwhelming, that at times, the troubled do not know what next to do. When

people are in trouble, they face God and become completely dependent on Him.

Prayer remains the rope that draws men nearer to God. Of course, God wants His

own to look up to Him and be completely dependent on Him.

Praying advanced Daniel (Daniel 5:29) and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1;1-10); lifted

the plague off Abimelech (Genesis 20:17); stopped the planned death of the Jews

(Esther 4:16); got freedom from evil ancestral stranglehold (1 Chronicles 1:15);

lengthened life by fifteen years (Isaiah 38:35) and lead to the recovery of all that

was lost (2 Samuel 5:18-22). Jesus showed us how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). The

earnest prayer of the righteous person has great power and obtains wonderful

results. (James 5:16). We are commanded to pray and continue doing so until we

get the answers. The problems of life usually push people to seek God’s help. In

fact, most present day prayer addicts were desperate people who were

overwhelmed with so many storms. In frustration, they turned to God for succour.

Lord, in distress they sought Thee; they poured forth a whispered

prayer when Thy punishment was upon them.
(Isaiah 26:16, MLB)

If you do not give up, your problems will give up. God has never disappointed any

person that completely puts his trust in Him. He is an expert in re-arranging

situations to favour His own because He respects those who do not quit. The

presence of God forces their problems to tremble, skip and to flee as He enters the

arena with them (Psalm 114:7)! No power can stand against God. He takes care of

His own people first. Prayer moves God into action. Any person that prays well

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enough will get answers because God does not store prayers. He hears the voices of

their supplication. He answers them as evidenced in:

He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.

(Psalms 102:17, KJV)

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

(Psalms 66:19, KJV)

Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

(Psalms 66:20, KJV)

Do not neglect warfare prayers to clear off every opposition. When there is

successful warring in praying, there is welfare and deliverance of the victims. The

devil is not a gentle man and will never leave his victims without fighting bitterly.

His aim is to steal, kill, and destroy the breakthroughs of God’s children. The only

language he understands is violence. But, Olukoya (2013) has arrayed 101 weapons

we can employ to defeat him. Olukoya (2010b) insists we must set their covens

blaze.

Fasting makes the flesh to be subdued and for the spirit to be more sensitive to the

things of God and of His Spirit. Praying and fasting is the believer’s power station

Fasting achieves these things:

 Loose the bonds of wickedness

 Undo the straps of the yoke
 Let the oppressed go free
 Break every yoke
 Make your light break forth like the dawn,
 Make your healing spring up speedily;
 Make your righteousness shall go before you;
 Make the glory of the lord to be your rear guard.

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  Make the lord answer you
 Make your light rise in the darkness
 Make your gloom become as the noonday.
 Make the lord guide you continually
 Satisfy your desires in scorched places
 Make your bones strong;
 Make you to be like a watered garden,
 Make you like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
 Your ancient ruins to be rebuilt;
 Raise up the foundations of many (Isaiah 58:6,8-12)

Praise: God is glorified in praise (Psalm 67:5-7, Psalm 22:3). He loves those who

praise Him from the depths of their hearts. Praise is a double edged spiritual

weapon the saints can use to invoke victory and as well as punish the enemies.

Praise invokes God’s love and divine intervention (Acts 16:25-26) and (Acts 2: 1-

4).

And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set
ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir,
which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the
children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of
mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made
an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.
(2 Chronicles 20:22-23, KJV)

There are some things we may not get from the altar of prayer, especially, when we

pray amiss, pray with fear or in sin. Nonetheless, we can achieve a lot more in

proper praise. In praise, God brings some secrets that are hidden from the eyes of

others to show them to those who love Him (Psalm 105:17-22). He also sets in

motion the machinery to execute the written judgement against the enemies of our

destinies and silences the enemies (2 Samuel 6:14, 23). You want to remain in

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 God’s love? Praise Him. It is a covenant platform to raise kingdom lovers.

(Jeremiah 30:19-21).

When the Egyptians were drowned, Moses sang God’s praises for this and for what

he was to do to the enemies he knew that they would encounter on the way:

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious
in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy
right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the
people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength
unto thy holy habitation. The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall
take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. Then the dukes of Edom shall be
amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all
the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon
them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy
people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast
purchased.
(Exodus 15:11-16, KJV)

4.2 THE FULL LOVE TO STAY

To experience the full power of God’s love, the redeemed must love three things. These

are to love:

 His word
 His house
 His service

4.2.1 HIS WORD

The word of God is what paints the love of God for us in very brilliant and bright

colours. All the weapons in God’s armoury are packaged in His word. The rod of

God’s strength is His word. The word of God is still the highest platform for any

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love relationship between man and God. Using the word of God confers authority

on us. The word of God lights up our paths. Studying His word and meditating on it

provokes God’s love. It then aligns all the forces to co-operate to bring our desires

into physical manifestation.

God’s words speak according to His size and not to human imagination (Psalm

66:7, 2 Kings 7:2-20); infinite power and authority (Luke 4:36); resources (Haggai

2:8) and integrity (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18). God is a consuming fire

(Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3 and Hebrew 12:29). His words consumes every chaff away

and melts the everlasting mountains standing as obstacles to His children’s

breakthroughs.

A word rich lover is a sign commander. When he speaks out His word in

confidence blasts the enemies to pieces. God’s word is creative (Genesis 1:1-31,

John 1:1-5); illuminative (Psalm 119:105), John 1:1) and prophetic (Ezekiel 37, 2

Peter 1:19-22). Happily, His words cannot fail (1 Peter 1:23); cannot be destroyed;

is medicinal (Proverbs 4:22, Psalm 107:20); is quick and powerful (Hebrew 4:12)

and controls everything (Hebrews 1:3).

Every word encounter is a love encounter that connects us to God; protects us from

the imaginations of the wicked; dignifies our lives and advances our destinies.

4.2.2 HIS HOUSE

The house of God is the place of worship and fellowship. Any lover of God is

always delighted to go to this house. Every child of God belongs to a spiritual

home. Discovering the house where you belong and residing in such is most

profitable, because that is where you will fit in most appropriately in worship and

in service:

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 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a
cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD
shall flourish in the courts of our God
(Psalm 92:12-13, KJV)

But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all
your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye
seek, and thither thou shalt come: And thither ye shall bring your
burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave
offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings,
and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: And there ye shall
eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put
your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God
hath blessed thee.
(Deuteronomy 12: 5-7, KJV)

His house is in Zion or wherever His presence is. Therefore, it is wisdom for any of

God’s lovers to “ …arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her,

yea, the set time, is come. ”(Psalm 102:13).

He therefore warns that:

… the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet,

where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and
my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they,
nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their
kings in their high places. In their setting of their threshold by my
thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and
them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations
that they have committed: wherefore I have consumed them in mine
anger. Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of
their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for
ever.
(Ezekiel 43:7-9)

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4.2.3 HIS SERVICE

Serving God is good business. Kingdom stewardship certifies us for kingdom

rewards:

If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in
prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
(Job 36:11, KJV)
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of
the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall serve and obey him.
(Daniel 7:27, KJV)

In His service is our practical commitment to all forms of kingdom promotion

activities. Kingdom service is of three types:

 Spiritual Stewardship or activities involved in dragging men into the

kingdom through soul winning. You can win souls through evangelism,

praying and fasting. John Knox cried “give me Scotland or I would die.”

He prayed Scotland away from medieval Roman Catholicism. He turned

this country to seek integrity in Christ.

 Altar service or teaching the word and other services offered in the church

by using physical strength. These include ushering, singing, sanctuary

keeping, etc

 Material stewardship or building churches and places for His worship.

You can also make financial donations to meet the needs of the needy.

Be upright in heart in your service in His house. Serve in an acceptable manner.

Serve willingly. Serve cheerfully. It is the fear of the Lord that makes people to

serve Him.

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 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the
knowledge of the holy is understanding.
(Proverbs 9:10, KJV)

This fear of the Lord is rooted in serving him with delight and in having a heart for

Him.

Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that
delighteth greatly in his commandments.

(Psalm 112:1)

The man that serves Him must do so in obedience in order to enjoy the full blessing

of His love and to live the mountaintop life as described in Deuteronomy 26:1-13.

Also:

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that
hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the
kingdom of God's sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this
present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

(Luke 18: 29-30, KJV)

You must obey all that he tells you to do: neither going to the left, the right or aside

from any of His words which He has commanded. You obey His words and the

words of His prophets (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).

These comforting words of Yonggi Cho (2001, p.11) should warm our hearts. “As

long as we believe in Him, there is no reason for us to doubt Him or His

love….God who loves us today makes His presence known through the Holy Spirit

and works among us in His way. We should not worry about anything at all, but

believe in God and depend on Him”.

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4.3 SUMMARY

The basis of our love relationship with God is based on the covenant made by the

supreme sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross of Calvary. Our power to love is

based on God’s word. There are some acts that either boost or kill our love for God.

When we stop loving God, there are some dire consequences. Finally, the steps to

take to maintain the love walk were examined.

4.4 CONCLUSION

There is power in love. If man loves God, he stands to profit. If God loves the

man, the man experiences heaven on earth, for indeed, love is the greatest force on

earth.

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 REFERENCES

Daniels, K. (2012). Spiritual boot camp. Lake Mary, Florida: Charisma House

Ford, L. (2008). Communicating the Wonders of God's Creation. Acts & Facts. 37 (5): 4.

Moen, D. At the feet of Jesus. 8th track on Don Moen's Thank You Lord album.
Lewis, C.S. (2012). The Four Loves. (first published 1960). Bunbury, Australia: Collins
Books.

Liardon, R. (2006). Smith Wigglesworth: On prayer, power, and miracles. Shippensburg:

Destiny Image Publishers, Inc.

https://fromerostoagape.wordpress.com/author/ichykoo/

Olukoya, D.K. (2013). 101 Weapons of spiritual warfare. Yaba: Mountain of Fire and
Miracles Ministries Press.

Olukoya, D.K. (2010). The chain breaker: Prayers to break every chain limiting your
destiny. Yaba: Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Press.

Olukoya, D.K (2010b). Setting the covens ablaze: Woe unto witchcraft. Yaba: Prayer City
Patner and Friends, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.

Olukoya, D.K. (1997). Brokeness. Yaba: Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Press

Paulson, J.D. 7 Classics on the Song of Solomon EPUB.

78th General Synod of the Bible Presbyterian Church Resolution Olympia WA July 31-
August 5, 2014 In Memory of Rev. John Knox 1514–1572
http://www.bpc.org/wp-content/uploads/Resolutions/Knox.pdf

Yonggi Cho, D. (2001). The nature of God. Lake Mary, Florida: Charisma House

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