Love fulfills all the commands of God, amazing! If we love God with all our heart, mind and soul and if we love our neighbor as ourselves, we are pleasing God. Jesus said “A new commandment I give you, love one another” John 13:34. Obviously this is a matter of obedience. We love out of obedience to God. It is understandable that many might think that love is a feeling or a desire or something that comes and goes. We can say “I fell out of love”, really? From God’s perspective, you did not fall out of love, you did not feel like loving anymore and you justified being unloving. Not loving equals disobedience. Not loving cancels joy.

We cannot love our enemies without God. Humanity without divine power is incapable of true love. Human love is natural, not supernatural, not divine. It is natural to love those who love you, it is natural to love your children, it is natural to love for romantic reasons. Three types of natural love are shown below:

1. Philia – brotherly love for those others who are friends

2. Storge – natural affection between family members

3. Eros – passionate,romantic or sexual desire

Christians are called to a perfect level of love called AGAPE which is supernatural. It requires the power of God to enable us to love perfectly. The high calling of every believer is to love like Jesus Christ. That is a love that surpasses natural love, it is unmerited, undeserved and unconditional. That love is impossible for any human being apart from the Holy Spirit of God.

Can you love the unlovable! Can you bless those who persecute you? Can you love those who hate you? Apparently the answer is yes because love is a decision to obey God not a power in human nature. Jesus said without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). He was referring to our ability to give love as He loves. All natural love is conditional and tied to human conditions or expectations. Divine love is unconditional, a gift, we call it GRACE and MERCY. If you have only natural love, you will give others what they deserve. Supernatural love gives what is not deserved.  “What is Love According to the Bible?” – the video below helps us learn Divine Love and receive the Joy of the Lord! Joy comes through obeying God’s Word. Do you want more joy? God wants that for you! Joy and Love go together.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:11-12