1 Corinthians 14:1–3 (ESV): Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
Pursue love. These two words seem simple enough, however with chapter thirteen in mind, our thoughts are blowing up over these two words.
In chapter twelve, Paul lays out that the gifts are real and they are part of the Holy Spirit’s design for a mature person and church. He then in chapter 13, lays out the foundation, motivation and end result of the gifts…love.
He tells us what love is. He tells us how love moves from person to person and why it moves. He tells us that there is a day coming when the mechanics of the church will fizzle out but love won’t. He tells us that for today, we cannot see the whole picture, but there is a day coming when we will understand. Even in that future day, love will be there, as strong as it is today, as vital as it is today.
He even tells us at the end of the chapter that faith is real. And we know that without faith it is impossible to please God, and yet love is greater than faith. He also mentions hope, we know that Christ Jesus is our living hope, with this in mind…love is greater than our hope in Jesus.
There is a day when faith will be realized, we will see what we had faith in and hoped for and faith and hope will be transformed into real and tangible. We will finally be with God forever, and we will no longer rely upon faith and hope to guide us toward our eternal home with God.
Love will be in full stream then. As faith and hope are laid down, love rises in its buoyancy. We will see the person who is love.
The essence of the person we will call love is now a phrase we use, “God is love.” We speak this in faith and hope. One day we shall see, today we know by faith.
One day we will see Him in His fullness and declare with understanding that God is love! That is why with confidence the writer declares, “Now abides faith hope and love, the greatest of these is love.” This is essential in any understanding of the prophetic. If there is any benefit to the building of the church, then Paul’s assertion has to be believed to the core of your heart.
Pursue love.
Some pursue the gift of prophecy for whatever reason – maybe they feel like they are supposed to. Others maybe because it sounds powerful or maybe they want to look important to others. Paul begins this section of scripture by telling everyone to pursue love.
Love will do many things, but the key for the prophetic to advance in and through you is to look on another and want them to be built up in Christ. To see them confident, satisfied and contributing to the move of God on earth. Your encouragement, consolation and upbuilding of another is to that end.
If you simply focus on the gift, love will play no part. If you are afraid or glorying in what you can do, the key component of the gift (love) won’t do its work. It will have been stifled and left out. Its becomes like a wedding where there isn’t love, only activity that people are hoping that love exists. Disappointment and confusion are the result.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit is key. Because in that you are freed from fear and are able to love. Filled with the Holy Spirit you go past the awkward, you go past what others think about you. You go past the worry of saying something that might offend. You are carried on Holy Spirit wings to the entrance of another’s heart.
Fear and love are opposites. Do you realize this? You might think that fear and boldness are opposites. Nope.
1 John 4:18 (ESV): There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Go ahead – cast out your fear! Do it!
Right, you can’t. This is an act of God. When the Holy Spirit fills you to overflowing, what over flows is love. In the past it was your fear that overflowed, now it is love. This is the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
John is describing the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Who can replace fear with love on their own? No one that I know of. Only God can do this in you. What a wonderful thing, to be perfected in love. How about being perfected in love right now? Really!
If you want the gifts that the Father and Jesus gave you through the Holy Spirit to go from 2D reading about love, to 3D living it out kind of love, then you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
By faith pray this…
Father in heaven thank You for the great gift of Jesus that You gave me. I would like to receive that which You said I need. I ask that You would perfect love in me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that fear is drowned in me. I receive perfect love into my body, soul and spirit, the baptism with the Holy Spirit that only Jesus provides. Oh God, let the prophetic eyes of my spirit rise up and begin to build the church, Your church. The church is the answer to this world’s problems. The church is the body of Christ. Jesus You are the answer for the world then and now. Only now, Jesus, You are seated with the Father and the Holy Spirit is now working through me. I have become the answer for the world, for I am filled with the knowledge and love of Jesus so that led by the Holy Spirit, I will change the world one person at a time. Thank You for this great privilege.
Blessings,
Pastor D
