Overcoming Tribulation Through the Force of Love

LOVE is the answer to our survival as believers and is a defensive weapon in the midst of tribulation and the attack of the enemy.
Love is powerful, it is a powerful force.

God is love and He is a powerful and everlasting force.

We are living in a society that is driven to divide people and to stir up strife, contentions and hatred of each other.
Our response has to be that of love. Love will overcome the division and strife of society.

Current SA Attacks

We are under economic and financial attacks. We are facing international economic sanctions and people are losing their jobs. Unemployment is increasing.
We are under social attack, - when times are tough, friends are few.
We are under ethnic attack - there is incitement to violence along ethnic lines.

The Christian Response

"When the enemy comes in like a flood,
The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him." - Is 59:19

"Standard" = noose
h5127. נוּס nûs; a primitive root; to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver): — x abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, x hide, lift up a standard

The Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of Love

“The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” - Rom 5:5

Jesus commanded us to love our fellow believers and to love our enemies - we are to love everyone with His love.
People will not listen to our message as evangelists if it is not delivered in love.

What Does This Love Look Like?

The kind of love as a force to overcome tribulation and attack.

"Behave Like a Christian
Let love be without hypocrisy.
Abhor what is evil.
Cling to what is good.
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, ("Dutch friendliness")
in honor giving preference to one another; ("Dutch driving")
not lagging in diligence,
fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
rejoicing in hope,
patient in tribulation,
continuing steadfastly in prayer;
distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Be of the same mind toward one another.
Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.
Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." - Rom 12:9-21

Why is Love so Important?

Society will become a better place when all Christians behave like Christians and not like the world.

Love for one another identifies us as believers

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:24-3

Love is demonstrated in self-sacrifice

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. - John 15:12,13

Love Your Neighbor
(cf. Mark 12:31; James 2

"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law." Rom 13:8

How an Attitude of Love Affects Actions Toward Overcoming

"Love meekly and patiently bears ill treatment from others. Love is kind, gentle, benign (kind, warm hearted, good natured, friendly, affectionate, agreeable, amiable, good humored), pervading and penetrating the whole nature, mellowing all which would have been harsh and austere; is not envious. Love does not brag, nor does it show itself off, is not ostentatious (pretentious, flamboyant), does not have an inflated ego, does not act unbecomingly, does not seek after the things which are its own, is not irritated, provoked, exasperated, aroused to anger, does not take into account the evil [which it suffers], does not rejoice at the iniquity but rejoices with the truth, endures all things, believes all things, hopes all things, bears up under all things, not losing heart nor courage. Love never fails." Wuest - 1 Cor 13:4-8

Love never fails
g4098. πίπτω piptō; to fall (literally or figuratively): — fail, fall (down),
to descend from a higher place to a lower to fall (either from or upon) to be thrust down
metaph. to fall under judgment, came under condemnation; to descend from an erect to a prostrate position to fall down

Love is a Fruit of the Holy Spirit:
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! - Gal 5:22-23 NLT

Do Not Be Overcome but Overcome

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. - Rom 12:21 NLT

Put on Love

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. Col 3:12-14