Power Of Relationship

Key Scripture:  “My beloved ones, don’t ever limit your joy or fail to rejoice in the wonderful experience of knowing our Lord Jesus!”  Philippians 3:1, TPT

Power Point:

    There's a huge difference between an obedient relationship and an abiding relationship. When we are focused totally on obedience to someone without having a relationship with them, we become slaves to performance.  In the Old Testament, the Children of Israel were perfect examples of that.  In Egypt they were slaves to Pharaoh. They were at his beck and call every moment of every day.  They had no freedom to make any decisions concerning their lives.

When God set them free, they continued the mindset of obedience without relationship. They simply switched the focus of their obedience..

     In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul is the perfect example for us of a "bondslave". When he began to realize who Jesus really was, and that the most important thing in the world to God was a relationship with him, he willingly entered into a vital growing, and glowing relationship with Him.

     Obedience is important. Relationship is more important.  There is no place in the Christian life for slavery but there is a wide open space for bondslaves who have fallen in love with God and who want nothing more than to be in a deepening relationship with Him. Paul says it beautifully in Ephesians 3.  He exhorts us to be rooted and grounded in love. 

The word for "love" in this passage is "Agape Love".  In other places that love is described as Perfect Love-God's love for us. Here is the definition from the New Spirit Filled Bible:

"Agape love denotes an undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable good will that always seeks the highest good of the other person, no matter what he does.  It is the self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return, and does not consider the worth of its object."

In other words, no one can talk God out of loving you. No one can talk God out of being good to you. You cannot convince God that He shouldn't love you, no matter how hard you try.

This love is the reason we can have faith.  This perfect love is the engine for any power in our lives.

       All that He is is for you.  All that He has is for you.  He's not concerned with how much you do for Him, He's more delighted when what you do is a response to the loving relationship that you have with Him.  Obedience becomes a joy because you love Him. Jesus didn't say, "if you obey Him, He will do whatever you ask.  He said, "If you ABIDE in HIm."    

     How would your day be different if you spent each moment dwelling on that Perfect Love that God has for you?  You wouldn't fear anything would you?  You wouldn't plan on a hopeless future.  You wouldn't worry about tomorrow because God has promised to love you through all your tomorrows. His generous, kind, and perfectly loving heart holds your every dream, your every need, and He does not intend to stop until you have the deep desires of your heart.

    Can you trust that Perfect Love?  No one can understand it, but we can grow in trusting it can't we?  That's why we can be fearless.  The Bride of Christ does not have a prenuptial agreement with God.  He's never going to try to get out of relationship with you.  There are no conditions on His love.  His heart loves you with every fiber of its being. His mind is always thinking of ways to show you that. He is seeking to dig deeper wells in your heart for His love.

This is from Graham Cooke:

    "When we focus on relationship, both Presence and purpose are highlighted and we are empowered by the outcome. We see the end from the beginning and our hearts become fixed."

     Beloved, fix your heart on the undefeatable benevolence and the unconquerable good will that God has planned for you.

Power Declaration:

Today I will fix my heart and mind on the perfectly loving heart and mind of God demonstrated to me in Christ.  I will pour myself into a deeply abiding relationship in the love that He has poured out to me.  Today I will expect to see the undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable good will of God that is always working His goodness into my life.

Copyright © 2015, Suzanne Roberts, Unpublished Work