As you follow Jesus for a long time, you come to realize how great God is. And when you hear stories of people who have experienced His grace and power, a longing naturally arises within you. That is why, whenever there is a revival meeting or a gathering where people are said to experience the gifts of the Holy Spirit, believers often flock there in large numbers. I was once very interested in such things myself. As a pastor, I longed more than anyone for God’s grace and power to be manifested in my life and ministry, and I still do. However, as I have continued to grow in my understanding of the Bible, gained more experience, and heard and seen many things, I have also developed greater discernment and clarity.
When we look at all the miracles Jesus performed, there are two common elements: faith and compassion. Faith was found in those who desired the miracle, while compassion was found Jesus who performed it. Yet even our faith, when examined closely, is a heartfelt trust in the Lord’s compassion. Therefore, the Lord’s compassion comes before our faith. Because He was full of compassion, He was moved by the faith of many who were sick and granted them miracles. In this way, all of God’s miracles are closely connected to His love. What I have come to realize deeply in recent years is that the more we devote ourselves to becoming like God in His loving character, the more His miracles follow.
All of God’s commandments can be summed up in this: “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Galatians 5:14; Romans 13:8–10). If you were to distill all of God’s Word down to its very essence, it would be this command: love your neighbour as yourself. To live a holy life means to be set apart from the world and to live according to God’s Word, which expresses His character. Ultimately, that means loving others as God loves us. The only new commandment Jesus explicitly gave was: “Love one another as I have loved you.” This commandment was new because the standard had changed—it was now measured by the way Jesus Himself loved us.
Therefore, living a holy life and loving people deeply are one and the same thing. God’s power and His strong presence are manifested when we live holy lives. In other words, the more I become a person who loves others, the more God’s power is revealed in my life.
The life of faith is a life of loving people. It is not merely about being kind or having a gentle personality. Rather, it means choosing to love even when your heart is deeply wounded, when you feel wronged, angry, or filled with hatred toward someone. When Abram became so wealthy that the land could no longer support both him and his nephew Lot, conflict arose between them. Abram said, “Let there be no strife between you and me, nor between your herdsmen and mine, because we are relatives.” In other words, theirs was a relationship that should never be marked by conflict—a relationship in which fighting ought not to happen.
That is why I proclaim this every day: “God’s power comes when we love.” “I choose to love—to love even more.” “My family and fellow believers are people whom I must simply love.” “There is only one true enemy: Satan.” (Ephesians 6:12)
