THE FORCE OF DIVINE LOVE: PERSEVERING IN THE LOVE THAT CONQUERS ALL By: Major Frank Materu
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Key Scripture
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:13
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Introduction
At the very heart of God’s nature lies love—not human affection that fluctuates with emotion or circumstance, but divine love that is pure, sacrificial, enduring, and transformative. This love is not merely a feeling; it is a force. It binds God’s people together, confronts pride, exposes darkness, and liberates souls held captive by hatred and deception. In an age marked by division, self-worship, and hostility toward truth, God calls His people to persevere in love—the love that originates in Him and flows through His Spirit.
The prophetic message before us is both a summons and a warning. It summons believers to remain steadfast in divine love even when that love is painful, misunderstood, or resisted. It warns against the corrosive power of pride and hatred that dominate a sin-sick world. God reveals that many choose hatred because they have hardened their hearts and distanced themselves from their Maker. They reject conviction, despise humility, and exalt self, thereby imprisoning themselves in spiritual destitution.
This lesson explores love as the greatest weapon against pride and hatred, the distinguishing mark of God’s people, and the only force capable of breaking the walls of spiritual captivity. It calls believers to allow the Holy Spirit to search their hearts, cleanse them by the blood of Jesus, and empower them to love even those who have never known love. As ambassadors of divine love, believers are commissioned to demonstrate a higher way of living—one that reflects God’s heart and draws others into reconciliation with Him.
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The Nature of Divine Love Above Human Love
“God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
— 1 John 4:16
Divine love is fundamentally different from human love. Human love is often conditional, reactive, and limited by personal comfort. Divine love, however, is steadfast, self-giving, and anchored in God’s character. It does not withdraw when wounded, nor does it retaliate when rejected. God calls His people to live continually in this higher love—the love that binds them together and reflects His own heart.
Persevering in divine love requires endurance. God openly declares that there is gain in enduring the pain of love. This pain arises not because love is weak, but because it confronts sin, exposes pride, and resists hatred. When believers refuse to abandon love under pressure, they testify to the reality of God’s presence within them. Love becomes both a shield and a witness, proving that God’s power is perfected not through dominance, but through sacrificial faithfulness.
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Hatred, Pride, and the Worship of Self
“For men shall be lovers of their own selves… without natural affection… despisers of those that are good.”
— 2 Timothy 3:2–3
The world described in this message is one deeply entrenched in pride and self-worship. Many have chosen hatred because their hearts have grown hard toward God. By distancing themselves from their Creator, they enthrone themselves as the highest authority. This self-centered worship gives birth to lives filled with all manner of evil, masked by social acceptance and moral relativism.
Pride is revealed as a cruel prison house—oppressive, deceptive, and destructive. Those who live within it often see themselves as good people, yet their rejection of God exposes the emptiness of that self-assessment. Pride breeds contempt for humility and hostility toward divine love. It resists conviction, mocks repentance, and despises those who walk in obedience to God.
God makes it clear that He finds no pleasure in those who are taught to hate Him. Hatred toward God is not neutrality; it is alignment with deception. It is the fruit of a heart that has rejected truth and embraced vanity.
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The Enemy’s Scheme Against Love
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”
— John 10:10
Those who choose the pathway of loving God inevitably disturb the enemies of their souls. Demonic forces are deeply threatened by believers who walk in divine love because love dismantles their schemes. The enemy’s strategy is consistent: provoke believers to abandon love and adopt hatred. Hatred weakens spiritual authority, fractures unity, and aligns the heart with deception.
In these times, masses of people oppose truth because truth convicts them. Rather than turning toward reconciliation with God, they choose sinful lifestyles that affirm their pride. Repeated rejection of the Holy Spirit’s conviction hardens the heart, producing contempt for humility and hostility toward love.
The devil, described as a murderer from the beginning, cannot shape lives in God’s love. His influence always leads toward destruction, no matter how appealing or moral it may appear on the surface. When people reject God, they place themselves under the covering of deception, even while appearing respectable or kind by human standards.
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The Spiritual Reality of Choice and Consequence
“He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
— John 3:36
God speaks soberly about the destiny of those who reject Him. Spiritual destitution is not accidental; it is the result of choices influenced by demonic deception. Those who are dead in trespasses and sins may appear good outwardly, but inwardly they remain separated from the source of life because they refuse God.
This truth is not spoken to inspire condemnation, but to awaken compassion and urgency. Divine love does not deny reality; it confronts it. Love tells the truth even when the truth is uncomfortable. The recognition of spiritual death underscores the necessity of the gospel and the urgency of extending God’s love to those trapped in deception.
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The Searching Light and Cleansing Power of Love
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.”
— Psalm 139:23
God invites His people to thank Him for the searching work of the Holy Spirit. When believers enter divine light, they become aware of the darkness they once walked in. Love does not allow hidden sin to remain concealed. It exposes, convicts, and cleanses.
The blood of Jesus is necessary both outwardly and inwardly. Divine love demands integrity, not performance. As the Holy Spirit reveals sin, believers are called not to flee, but to submit. Love becomes the conquering force that dismantles self-deception and produces genuine repentance.
Running from conviction strengthens pride; embracing it produces freedom. Love cannot coexist with hidden darkness, and therefore it brings healing through exposure.
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Loving the Loveless and Breaking Captivity
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8
Many in the world have never known true love. They are victims of loveless lives, imprisoned by pride and hatred because they know nothing else. God calls His people to love them—not sentimentally, but redemptively. When believers allow divine love to conquer their own lives, they become vessels through which that love reaches others.
Some will respond with hatred, but others will be softened, melted, and transformed. The force of love destroys the walls of captivity built by pride and resentment. Those once hardened begin to experience freedom as love ministers to their desolate souls.
Believers must remember that they, too, were once blind to God’s love. Their transformation stands as evidence that love still conquers.
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Ambassadors of Love in a Hateful World
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
— Matthew 5:9
The world grows increasingly hostile, and the consequences of hatred become more visible each day. In response, God calls forth His ambassadors of love—men and women unashamed to demonstrate a higher way of living. This higher way is not weakness; it is divine strength expressed through humility, patience, and faithfulness.
Believers are called to gratitude, obedience, and daily surrender to the Holy Spirit. Even when people seem impossible to love, God reminds His people that His love conquers. To keep loving is to remain aligned with God’s heart, and in doing so, believers themselves are continually refreshed by divine love.
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Summary
Divine love is the greatest force available to God’s people. It stands opposed to pride, hatred, and deception, and it alone can break spiritual captivity. In a world that rejects truth and worships self, believers are called to persevere in love, allowing the Holy Spirit to search, cleanse, and empower them. Love exposes sin, heals wounds, transforms lives, and reveals God’s character. Those who live in divine love become ambassadors of hope, pointing others to reconciliation with God.
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Conclusion
God’s call to persevere in love is both a privilege and a responsibility. Love is not passive; it is active, confronting darkness while extending grace. Though many reject it, love remains God’s chosen means of redemption. As believers walk faithfully in love, they reflect the heart of their Creator and participate in His redemptive work in the world. Divine love never fails, and those who abide in it abide in God.
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Call to Action
Choose today to remain steadfast in divine love. Allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart, cleanse you through the blood of Jesus, and empower you to love without compromise. Reject pride and hatred, and commit yourself to being an ambassador of God’s love in a broken world. Let love shape your thoughts, actions, and relationships as a testimony to God’s transforming power.
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Final Word of Encouragement
You are deeply loved by God. The same love that transformed your life continues to sustain and strengthen you. Do not grow weary in loving, even when it is difficult. God sees your faithfulness, and His love working through you will bear fruit in due season. Remain encouraged, for love still conquers.
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Salvation Prayer
Heavenly Father,
I acknowledge that You are love and that I have fallen short of Your glory. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son, that He died for my sins, and that He rose again to give me new life. I repent of my sins and turn away from pride, hatred, and self-worship. Cleanse me with the blood of Jesus and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Teach me to walk in Your love and to live according to Your truth. From this day forward, I choose You as my Lord and Savior.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
