THE LAST DAYS BATTLE FOR LOVE

If we were to talk about last days’ battles, there would be many opinions about what that could be: faith to stand, faith to move mountains, gifts of the Holy Spirit abounding in the church once again.

But realistically, I believe this is the battle that will win the day for the Kingdom of God: when you and I allow the supernatural love of God to flow through us.

There’s no way we can do this on our own. Our natural love has limitations. I don’t know about you, but mine certainly does. There comes a point where we simply can’t love anymore, where we turn away from what is naturally unlovable.

Only those who carry the love of God in their hearts will be able to win this battle and continue to love in these last days.

The More Excellent Way

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:31, “Earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”

Paul is not dismissing spiritual gifts. We need words of wisdom, words of knowledge, and gifts of healing. We should pray that God restores these gifts to His church.

But Paul says there is something even greater.

In 1 Corinthians 13, he explains that without love, every gift loses its value. Tongues become noise. Faith becomes meaningless. Sacrifice becomes empty.

Then he defines love: patient, kind, humble, not self-seeking, not provoked, rejoicing in truth. Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures. And then he says something powerful: love never fails. Gifts will one day pass away. Knowledge, as we know it, will end. But love is eternal. Love will never pass away.

Why Love Will Be the Battle of the Last Days

Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 that in the last days many will be offended, betray one another, and hate one another. Because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold.

Doesn’t that describe our world today?

People are easily offended. Betrayal is common. Civility is disappearing. Truth is treated as optional, and hatred is becoming normal.

It’s easy to hate. It’s hard to love.

And our natural love has limits. Only the love of God in us will carry us forward.

Paul’s Pressure and Paul’s Power

Paul endured beatings, imprisonment, danger, betrayal, hardship, and suffering. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and opposed by his own people and even by false believers.

The enemy tried to beat love out of him.

Many of us know this struggle. We try to help people find God, only to be mocked, criticized, rejected, or wounded by words.

Yet Paul also experienced great victory. He faced despair so deep he thought he would die, yet God delivered him. He was caught up into paradise, understood mysteries, and lived a life of sacrifice. Still, he declares: without love, it is nothing.

Love Is the Evidence of Knowing God

1 John 4 tells us that love is from God, and those who love know God. God did not love us because we loved Him first. He loved us and sent His Son as the sacrifice for our sins.

We cannot fully grasp the depth of that love. It is like trying to measure the ocean by looking only at the surface.

And 1 John 4:18 reminds us that perfect love casts out fear.

When Love Became Everything

When I went in for surgery, the doctors told me there was a small chance I might not make it. Suddenly, “small” felt very big. They explained the procedure in detail. My heart would be stopped. Machines would keep me alive. Today, I even carry warranty cards for the parts in my heart.

Yet I was unafraid of death.

The night before, I prayed with my family and said, “Lord, Your will be done.” When I woke up, I spent 11 days in the ICU, surrounded by weakness, pain, tubes, and wires.

In that place, I learned something I needed to understand. I had one thing left that mattered more than any title, sermon, or achievement: the love of God flowing through my heart.

I couldn’t preach or move, but God used love. There were tears, prayers, healing conversations, and even moments of counseling.

I discovered this truth: when everything else is stripped away, love remains powerful.

The Take-Home

Here is the truth to take home:

God so loved you that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Let God love you. Let Him embrace you like the father embraced the prodigal son. The son expected judgment but received mercy, restoration, and love.

That is the cross. Jesus took your failure, your shame, and your struggle and says,

“Come to Me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest.”

Don’t resist His love. Don’t keep Him at a distance. You were never worthy and you never had to be.

When you truly understand God’s love for you, it becomes easier to love others, even those who don’t deserve it, because you realize you didn’t deserve it either.

Winning the Battle for Love

Human love reaches its limit. God’s love does not. This is our moment. This is the church’s finest hour if we return to this simple truth:

God so loved the world.

People don’t always need a sermon first. Sometimes, they simply need to be loved.

Many are spiritually paralyzed, and often the only way they will experience God’s love is through you and me.

An Invitation to Come Home

If you’ve never known the love of God, or you feel ashamed, broken, or stuck, He longs to embrace you. It begins with a simple admission:

“I need God. I can’t do life without Him.”

When I prayed that prayer in 1978, I didn’t feel anything at first. But the next morning, I knew something had changed. I had been embraced by God, and everything began to become new.

A Final Encouragement

Some of you have never known the arms of a loving father. God is not like the disappointments of this world. He will never leave you or forsake you.

Take a moment. Don’t rush past it. Let God embrace you.