Lesson 7 Rooted Deep In Love

     These scriptures in the Book of Ephesians are some of the most powerful in all the New Testament about understanding the wholeness of God's love.
     In Ephesians 3:16-19 (Amplified) we have gone through these before, but I want to reiterate them one more time.  In Verse 16 we read "May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the (Holy Spirit Himself dwelling your innermost being and personality)," Verse 17 continues, "May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!  May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love," Verse 18 says, "that you may have the power and be strong  to apprehend and grasp with all the saints (God's devoted people, the experience of that love) what is the breadth and length and height and depth (of it)." Verse 19 says, "that you may really come to know (practically through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience) that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God (may have the richest measure of the divine presence and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself)."
     Until we understand these scriptures in our hearts, we will never learn to trust in our own ability in Him.  Ephesians 3:16 says that we would be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in your inner man.  The power of God is in the love of God.  Until we (experience) the love of God in our own lives and not just the knowledge of this love, we will never understand the power of that love.  We can read and have knowledge of His love through John 3:16 and other scriptures, but never come to the place of actually knowing by experience this love for ourselves.  We are still fearful because of mistakes we make, we are still unsure our prayer lives and we are still unsure of our authority in Him because we don't understand the fullness and depth of this love.
     When we experience this love for ourselves, it brings a whole new meaning to being born again.  This love that saved us did more than just forgive our sins.  It was so powerful in it's cleansing that now even God Himself could move into this vessel of flesh and actually live in it.  In essence, you became the "ark of the covenant."  The same power, Holiness, Glory and Majesty that dwelt in the ark of the covenant  now lives in you.  This love completely eradicated all the old nature and restored it in His own righteousness.  All of the power of the ark of the covenant now lives in you.  Only by grace, can an unbeliever touch you and not be destroyed by that power in you.
     It's in the experience of this love (knowing this love as God Himself) that allows the power of this love (or God) to move on behalf of other people.  We have forgotten somehow that God doesn't just love the Church, but the entire world.  We who are now actually the love of God manifest, must use the power of this love (like Jesus did) to loose those who are still bound.
     This love is still much more than just good bumps on occasion or a warm feeling once in awhile.  This love is actually the very thing that makes God God.  That's why when we begin to trust in this love we are invincible because Love Never Fails.  Love can't fail because God Is Love.
     The power of this love is far more than knowing He loves me.  It's also knowing how much He loves others.  This love is what Jesus walked in.  Mark 6:34 (Amplified) says "this love (even at a time of personal grief because of the death of John the Baptist) saw the needs of the people and put aside His own needs to teach the people."  We also read in Matthew 14:14 (Amplified) that "When He went ashore and saw a great throng of people, He had compassion (pity and deep sympathy) for them and cured their sick."  This love (compassion) was what moved Jesus at all times.  As He knew (by experience) the love of the Father, He was invincible in the presence of the enemy.
     This love not only is indwelling you, but encompasses you.  This love is found in Ephesians 6 called the armor of God.  It's the presence of God that envelopes us like a coat of armor.  In Psalms 91:8 (Amplified) we read, "only a spectator shall you be (yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High) as you witness the reward of the wicked."
     Jesus is the secret place, "a mystery hidden in God from the foundation of the world." As we abide in Him (who is the manifestation of the love of God) we are inaccessible.  As you read Psalm 91, you are to understand that this is not some story or poem.  It's an actual place that has now been made available to the believer by faith.  All believers are in Christ Jesus and Jesus abides in all believers, but the degree of faith in this indwelling love determines how far God can work through you.  Remember how the Word read in Ephesians 3:17-18 (Amplified) "by experiencing this love (beyone just knowledge) you will have the power and be strong." Verse 16 says "strengthened and be reinforced with mighty power."
     When we really know the fullness of His love, we will be able to walk in a whole new light of who He has made us to be.  This love that set us free is now to work through us to set others free.  The power to do this is in understanding His love in us.