By Love Many young people dream of athletic or musical greatness, attaining recognition and fame for their prowess on the field or stage. They may or may not possess a natural gift of physical or mental talent, but if belief in their dream is fueled by an abundance of love for the game or the instrument, passion will drive the necessary action to accomplish the otherwise impossible. Apart from a love-driven desire for the reward, there will be no arrival at potential. Believing and desiring enable movement to the dream when empowered by the fuel of love. The faith of God, which enables the impossible and speaks things to be that are not, also needs love for it to work. Until there are actions accompanying a belief in His promises, faith will be lifeless to acquire or accomplish anything. God’s love is the fuel that drives those actions under His will and brings to life the faith that pleases Him. In the fantastic example of God’s belief in His plan for our salvation, it is His love that results in Jesus being sent to redeem us. His faith was fueled by love to accomplish the impossible for us in Christ. In the reception of that same infusion of love, we, too, are love-empowered to please the Father, living and walking by faith in producing the impossible. Notes No experience of God’s pleasure without faith. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. What is faith, and how do we experience its power? Faith’s elements: Belief – information Desire/Hope – expected benefit – from love Action Not religion, but love, fuels faith that works. Galatians 5:6 (KJV) 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Galatians 5:6 (TPT) 6 When you’re placed into the Anointed One and joined to him, circumcision and religious obligations can benefit you nothing. All that matters now is living in the faith that is activated and brought to perfection by love. It’s love’s motivation that fuels God’s faith 1 Corinthians 13:2 (NLT) 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. Commitment brings faith to life James 2:15-17 (NLT) 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. How do we obtain the requirement of love? Hearing God’s example Precedes goodness – unearned Love for God becomes obedience to love’s command All in for love’s fulfillment Each emulation of love received enables strength of faith Faith is heard of because love first came Colossians 1:4-5 (NLT) Mark 11:24-25 (NLT) 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. The Gospel is God’s love fueling His faith John 3:16 (NLT) 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God’s love precedes our goodness. Romans 5:7-8 (NLT) 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Love’s power is first shown through obedience. 1 John 2:5 (NLT) 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Faith’s first action is love’s forgiveness Mark 11:23-25 (NLT) 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” For faith to work, its most excellent demonstration must first be emulated. 1 John 4:10-21 (NLT) 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. 🔍 Overview: “Faith Empowered by Love” Many dream of greatness—on the field, the stage, or in life—but it’s not talent alone that unlocks potential. It’s love for the dream that fuels the belief and commitment required to act. Without love, belief remains passive. But with love, belief gains power—and becomes faith. The same is true in our walk with God. Faith does not work alone—it works through love. God’s own faith—expressed in the plan of salvation—was fueled by love: “For God so loved…He gave.” (John 3:16) Without love, faith is dead (James 2). Without action, belief remains incomplete. Love brings both desire and movement to faith, making it alive and pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:6). From the beginning, it was love that made faith known (Colossians 1:4-5). Our faith is not a product of religion or rules—it is a response to the revelation of God’s love. Prayer: Father, I’m so grateful for Your belief in me and the love that activated Your giving of Jesus to be my Savior by faith. As I abide in Your Word, fill me with that same love by Your Spirit and enable me to please You by sharing this same love through acts of faith that reflect Your heart and passion. 📣 Declarations of Love-Driven Faith I walk in a faith that is alive—because it is fueled by love. (Galatians 5:6) God’s love empowers my belief to act and accomplish His will. (James 2:17) My faith pleases God because it is rooted in His love and expressed in obedience. (1 John 2:5, Hebrews 11:6) I believe and move because I love the One who first loved me. (1 John 4:10-19) The Gospel is God’s love in action—now my life is faith in action. (Romans 5:8, John 3:16) Love fuels my desire, ignites my belief, and activates my faith.