Miracles Happen When You Know You're Loved!
by Peter Youngren
Have you looked for more faith? More Miracles? Take another look at God's Love and you will discover that faith flourishes in an environment of love.
Everything works by love. John called himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved". There's no reason to think that Jesus loved John more than the others, but John was more confident. He saw himself loved. Later he explained that when we know that we are loved by God, we love others [1 John 4:19].
In the list of qualities that comprise the "fruit" of the spirit, love is mentioned first. With which love do we love others? Is it human love that has been made holy? No! It is God's love put in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5).
When Stephen was stoned, he cried, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge". Jesus had spoken similar words on the cross, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Why? Was Stephen trying to impress the onlookers, or was it a heroic act that showed the triumph of the human spirit. Was he trying to be like Jesus? Did he wear a "What would Jesus do" (WWJD) bracelet to remind him to imitate Jesus? No! Stephen and Jesus both spoke the same because both had the same love of God in their hearts.
The Faith Struggle
Many feel that they lack faith, or that their faith is inadequate. After all, if they had more faith, wouldn't they receive more from God? Could it be that we have put the cart before the horse? Paul told us that "faith works by love" (Gal 5:6). Instead of looking for faith, look for a greater understanding of God's love.
Some are frustrated, "My faith doesn't work. I don't know what else to do; I've tried everything -- I memorized scriptures, and I confess Bible verses". Others say, "I try to visualize my miracle, I put up posters with scriptures, and my t-shirt reads, 'By His stripes I am healed'". Yes, many have applied every spiritual 'technique', and come up empty. Here is the answer; when you know how much God loves you, your faith will work.
To believe in healing is one thing, but to have the faith of Jesus that moves mountains is another.
Having belief in faith doesn't move our mountain. Faith is not a state of being that is produced by an appropriate mix of trust, confidence and boldness plus a few more things. Instead, when we rest in how much our Heavenly Father loves us, faith becomes as natural as breathing.
I've seen thousands healed, but I've also seen thousands drag their tired, sick, racked-with-pain bodies back home unhealed. While I don't profess to have all answers, I have noticed an important consideration. It seems those who trust in their own faith or alternately are focused on a struggle for faith are least likely to receive. The great miracles I have observed have happened when people become conscious of God's love.
Sometimes we equate faith with willpower. I've seen handicapped people who could not walk be perfectly healed, but I've also seen those who, by their willpower, were able to momentarily push themselves out of their wheelchair. Sometimes it was the willpower of the people around them that held them up and dragged them across the floor, only to put them back in the chair. You see, to believe in healing is one thing, but to have the faith of Jesus that moves mountains is another. The real faith comes from a simple and peaceful receiving of the love of God.
All too often we look in the wrong direction. Imagine when Jesus told his disciples to go to the other side of the lake. Just looking at the other side would not have been sufficient. They needed to find a boat to take them there. Many imagine healing, miracles, blessings and breakthroughs, off in the distance, 'on the other side'. What we really need is a boat that will take us across life's stormy water to the place of God's provision. That boat is God's love.
Misinformation about God
Jesus was passionate about wanting people to know that God is love. Strangely, the one major obstacle was religion. Not much has changed in 2,000 years. The people who opposed Jesus were the ones, who thought they knew God, and yet they perpetuated a false image of God. Jesus' mission was clear - to make God known in the face of religious misinformation.
Recently Taina and I listened to a well-known minister; "I'm going to say something that is not politically correct," he started and then paused. You could hear a few hushed gasps as the audience waited for the 'political incorrectness'. "God is as much wrath as He is love. There is more of God's wrath in the Bible than His love." A few clapped and others nodded approvingly, "preach it, preach it". The preacher expressed a common misconception that is blatantly untrue. Worse, it is damaging and hinders our spiritual progress.
There is a distinction between God's nature and his attributes. God is light. God is life. GOD IS LOVE. These are His nature, the essence of who God is. Then there are God's attributes: mercy, justice, faithfulness, and yes, anger is one of them.
All God's attributes flow from love. "God is rich in mercy because of His great love" (Eph 2:4). Similarly, God is just because of His love. Justice is always rooted in love. Read again where justice is mentioned and you will discover that God's definition of justice is to make everything right, as it was meant to be. This is in stark contrast to human justice, which is mainly about punishment.
How does anger fit in? Yes God is angry when He sees what sin does to people, how we hurt ourselves and others, how we end up feeling ashamed and guilty. But remember that God's anger 'lasts for a moment'. It is never self-serving, but an outflow of His love, which is everlasting. You judge, should we focus more on that which lasts for a moment, or that which is eternal? Love is much more than an attribute of God; love is God's nature.
The danger is that we design God in our image. We think of the highest form of love we've ever known, maybe the love of a parent, a spouse or a friend, and then we think that God is like that, only more so. While a parent, a spouse or a friend has love, God is love. Human love can always be improved, while God's love is complete.
Loved like Jesus
Our sins, failures, successes or shortcomings can never change this one absolute fact: The Father loves us as much as He loved Jesus.
Religion had camouflaged God. Maybe we see ourselves loved by God, but we wonder how much God really loves us in view of our failures and sins. Jesus assured us that we are loved with the same quality of love that the Father loved Jesus (John 17:23). Paul explains that "nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus". Our sins, failures, successes or shortcomings can never change this one absolute fact: The Father loves us as much as He loved Jesus.
Love changed everything for the prodigal son. Before he discovered the depth of his father's love he was still trying to make things right his own way. He admitted that he was an unworthy sinner, and that he wanted to pay back what he owed. Only when deluged by his father's hugs and kisses, and with his father's assurance that "this is my son who was lost and is found", did he realize that this was not about a payback - it was all about a relationship of love. The father didn't rejoice because the son had paid back what he owed [that never happened], but because the relationship was restored. Justice was done. All was as it should be.
In thirty years of healing ministry I have discovered that looking for faith does not produce more faith. Yet in the discovery of God's love for me, I have faith. His faith, faith given and "authored" by His Love. Miracles happen when you know you're loved.