Loving God With All Our Heart: A Vision To Go Deep in God
I. WHAT IS GOD LOOKING FOR?
35 A lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment?"
37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your
mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment. (Mt. 22:35-38)
A. God has everything. Yet, He is searching for something. What could God who has everything possibly want? One
of the most important questions you can ask is, “What is God looking for?” When we discover what He is looking, we
discover what we are looking for and understand life.
23 Worship…in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (Jn. 4:23)
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose
heart is loyal to Him. (2 Chr. 16:9)
B. Jesus tells us what God is looking for – LOVE. He is looking for love responses from our heart. He is after our
heart (not our talent or money, etc.). He desires voluntary wholehearted love from us. It is fueled by the spirit of
abandonment to God. He wants to take over our lives. God created us for a specific purpose and designed us with
longings to fulfill that purpose.
C. He requires that we love Him with all our heart and strength because He loves us that way.
D. We can know the “why” behind the “what”. His glory is always the first reason for His actions in creation and redemption.
However, YOU are a significant reason. You are part of the “why” behind the “what”. He pours His love on us and receives
it back from us. He does it all for love.
E. Our highest calling is to move God’s heart with our love. Our highest purpose is to love God. This comes ahead
of seeking to make an impact or to be successful from man’s point of view. Many want to build a big ministry for God.
First, He wants our love. It is the currency of heaven.
F. My spiritual identity is that, “I’m loved (by God) and I am a lover (of God) therefore I am successful”. This is what
we look like to God. We are not defined by our accomplishments.
G. The church of Ephesus was a great revival center in the early Church (Acts 19-20). Yet, they did not sustain the
freshness in their love for Jesus. They became workers for God more than lovers of God. Lovers will always out work
the workers. When we work without intimacy we work as a slave. A heart of a bride is refreshed as she labors. Service
without the foundation of devotion leads to burn out, disappointment, and wounding. Thus, the service is not sustained
over decades.
1 To the…church of Ephesus write, 2 "I know your works…3 you have persevered and have…labored for My name's
sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember
therefore from where you have fallen; repent…or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand...
(Rev. 2:1-5)
II. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS RESTORING THE FIRST COMMANDMENT TO FIRST PLACE
A. The Holy Spirit is restoring the first commandment to first place in the Church worldwide.
38 This is the first and great commandment. (Mt. 22:38)
B. First Commandment: loving God is the first priority to God. Jesus did not call it the first option (it is a commandment).
Jesus makes it clear that cultivating wholehearted love for God is the highest and greatest lifestyle. Loving God is a
glorious end in itself, however, it never ends with loving God but always overflows with loving ourselves and others
(believers and unbelievers). NOTE: God’s 4-fold love: love from God, to God that overflows to ourselves then others.
C. Great Commandment: loving God is the greatest impact of anything that we do. It is the only way to enter our
greatest destiny because it has the greatest reward. Loving God always has a great impact on God’s heart, our heart
and others. It is a dynamic means to an end.
D. We need revelation of the supremacy of the first commandment. It is the standard of evaluation at the Judgment
Seat of Christ. In a desire to stay up with popular ministry trends, some regularly change directions in their ministry.
We must not get our ministry focus from the latest trend, but from God’s Word. We are not left guessing as to what God
delights in. Did we learn to love?
E. Our primary goal or primary assignment in God’s will is to grow in love. God measures life differently than man
because He has all the money, wisdom, fame, influence and time. Our greatest reward is to know and feel His love, to
love Him and then to overflow in love for others.
III. GOD LOVES US IN THE SAME WAY THAT GOD LOVES GOD
A. The foundational truth that equips us to love God is to know and feel His affection for us. God loves us in the way that
God loves God. The Father feels the same intensity of love for us as He feels for Jesus. The Father has delighted in
Jesus from all eternity. Do you know the way you move God’s heart? We are His greatest prize and the apple of His eye
(Ps. 17:7-8). When we know the King loves us, we are unmoved even when others overlook or mistreat us.
9 As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. (Jn. 15:9)
23 That the world may know that You have…loved them as You have loved Me… (Jn. 17:23)
B. Jesus spoke these statements at the Last Supper (Jn. 14-17) to prepare the apostles to recover from the
condemnation of betraying Him later that very night. We need to stop negotiating with Him and receive His testimony
about us. He knew what He was getting into as He chose us.
31 All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night… (Mt. 26:31)
C. The measure of the Father’s love (affection) for His Son Jesus is the measure of His love for all His sons and
daughters. This is the ultimate revelation of our worth. This truth gives us the right to stand before God with confidence
as one of “His favorites”. Our confession is, “Jesus, You love me like the Father loves You”. This makes our life great
and meaningful.
IV. DEFINING WHOLEHEARTED LOVE FOR JESUS
30 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This
is the first commandment. (Mk. 12:30)
A. Love with all our heart: with all our affection (emotions). We “set” our affections on anything we chose. We change
our mind and God changes our heart (emotions). Our emotions will follow whatever we set ourselves to pursue. We can
set our heart to be filled with zeal for God. Lord, take the reigns of my heart to direct it into the ocean of Your love. Ask
yourself, “Why not me?”
B. Love with all our soul: our personality is expressed most dynamically by our speech. Determine to express your
personality by speaking and acting in a way that enhances not diminishes love.
C. Love with all our mind: we fill our minds with long and loving meditation on God’s Word and resist putting anything
in our minds that diminishes love for Jesus and quenches the Holy Spirit.
D. Love with all our strength: with our resources (time, money, talents, reputation, and influence)
V. HOW TO LOVE GOD
A. All of God’s commands bring with them the promise of His supernatural enabling to obey them. We must actively
cultivate extravagant devotion to Jesus. This takes time and effort. Love does not automatically grow. It diminishes unless
we intentionally cultivate a responsive heart.
B. Determination: we must make a determined decision to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Our love
is expressed through our obedience. No one can give God all your love. Denying our lustful desires is the theatre God
chose for us to express our love to Him. Each of us has a different struggle, thus, a different assignment from which
we offer our gift of love to God.
14 Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him… (Ps. 91:14)
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me… (Jn. 14:21)
1. People seeking extravagant love to Jesus ask, “What is the most that God will empower me to give to Him?” We
are not content with the minimum requirement of salvation. We must choose the good part as Mary did. No one can
choose it for us.
42 Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Lk. 10:42)
2. David declared that he would love God. The intention of our heart is important to God.
1 I will love You, O LORD, my strength. (Ps. 18:1)
3. John leaned on Jesus’ heart or set his heart to love and be as near to Him as possible. John was saying, “I am
one who leans on Jesus' heart because I love Him”.
20 The disciple…who also had leaned on His breast at the supper… (Jn. 21:20b)
C. Revelation: of God’s love equips our heart to love Jesus. We love God with all our heart only as we see that He loves
us with all His heart. He empowers us by revealing His love.
19 We love Him because (we understand that) He first loved us. (1 Jn. 4:19)
1. We gain revelation of God’s love by mediating on it from God’s word. We position ourselves to receive from His
heart by feeding on His Word. We will sit long hours before God in His Word because we are hungry to understand the
affections of His heart.
12 The word of God is living and powerful… (Heb. 4:12)
2. We can behold or be attentive to how the Father feels about us by mediation on the Word.
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us… (1 Jn. 3:1)
3. Jesus gives His secrets to those who desire them enough to sit for hours before Him. We receive additional
strength from the Word by prophetic dreams and visions (Acts 2:17).
14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him… (Ps. 25:14)
D. Impartation: it takes God to love God. The Father will give us supernatural impartation to love Jesus. Father, pour
out Your very love for Jesus into my heart by the Holy Spirit.
5 The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit... (Rom. 5:5)
9 I pray that your love may abound still more and more… (Phil. 1:9)
18 That you…may be able to comprehend…what is the width and length and depth and height…19 to know (experience)
the love (affection) of Christ… (Eph. 3:18-19)
E. Confession: “Jesus, I am Your beloved, Your favorite one. I am a disciple You love. Your delight is in me. You feel
about me as the Father feels about You. I belong to You and You are mine”. We confess, “I’m loved (by God) and I am
a lover (of God) therefore I am successful”.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" (Jn. 21:7)
19 He delivered me (David) because He delighted in me. (Ps. 18:19)
F. Fellowship: we receive much of God’s love in serving and sharing and in receiving it from others. God’s love is
only seen in fullness when the whole Body functions together. Part of our inheritance and healing is in the hands of
others who reveal and release God’s love to us.
7 If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another… (1 Jn. 1:7)
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed (Jas 5:16)
18 May be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width, length, depth and height 19 to know the love of Christ…that
you may be filled with all the fullness… (Eph. 3:18-19)
VI. THE END-TIME CHURCH: WALKING IN THE ANOINTING TO LOVE GOD
A. The power of the End-Time Church is found in walking in the anointing to love God. This includes the supernatural
ability to feel God’s love and then to feel love back to God.
B. In Mt. 22:37, Jesus quoted Moses’ End-Time prophecy from Deut. 30:1-10.
5 Then the LORD…will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it…6 The LORD…
will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with
all your soul… (Deut. 30:5-6)
C. The End-Time saints will marvel at Jesus and be “victorious in love” over the Antichrist. The reward of a lover
is found in having the power to love. The End-Time Church will soar in love.
2 I saw…those who have the victory over the beast (Antichrist)…standing on the sea of glass... 3 They sing…saying:
"Great and marvelous are Your works..." (Rev. 15:2-3)
D. The Church as His Bride will be prepared in this age before the Second Coming.
7 For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. (Rev. 19:7)
VII. SETTING OUR HEART TO LOVE JESUS
A. We must have a sustained vision to go deep in God. It takes focus and effort to go deep in God. Our soul prospers
as we grow in the anointing to love. To walk in this requires that we must be focused on pursuing it more than gaining
things and influence.
2 I pray that you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 Jn. 2)
B. Satan’s first priority against the Church is to lead us astray from cultivating the ability to be responsive to God
with wholehearted love and extravagant devotion. If Satan leads us astray from the purity of devotion to Jesus then our
service and love for others will eventually fail.
3 I am afraid, lest as the serpent (Satan) deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the
simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (2 Cor 11:3, NAS)
C. Sustaining a fresh walk with God through decades is the definition of living radically before God. We are not
radical because we do something unusual for a few weeks or months. Analogy: We put our cold heart before the bonfire
of God’s presence by seeking Him in the Word and prayer. These activities do not earn God’s favor. The power is in
the “bonfire of His presence”.
D. David sustained his passion for God for decades that he referred to as “all” the days of his life.
4 One thing… I seek…all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord… (Ps. 27:4)
E. Daniel sustained his prayer life with passion for decades (from about age 16 to 82 years old).
10 Daniel…knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom
since early days. (605-539 BC or 66 years) (Dan. 6:10)
F. What does it look like to love God with all our heart and mind? God is Love that burns as an all consuming fire of
jealousy. He wants to totally take over our life. He wants to consume us from the inside out by dominating our affections,
thoughts and words. This is love that is not passive but passionate. Love is loyalty to God’s Word. It stands up for truth.
Do not allow any substitute for the real thing. We must not allow our experience to be reduced to just language about
being extravagantly devoted. We do not define love like the hippie movement did in the 1960’s.
G. What is going on behind our face? Each of us has a ‘universe in our inner thoughts’. This is where life really takes
place. What are we day dreaming about? What do you wake up thinking about? The internal is more powerful than the
external.
H. The End-Time Church will be anointed with a heart of spiritual violence (Mt. 11:12). With passion for God and
spiritual violence we declare war on the inside. It is to burn from the inside out not just to dance in worship. What is going
on in our heart not just with our feet?
I. People in love are untouchable. True freedom is found in the yoke of Christ.
J. People cannot really see the love that is growing in your heart. Eternal rewards will show forth the love you have now.
The fire you have now on the inside will be worn openly in eternity.
K. We set our heart to live as extravagant lovers of God without getting trapped into bitterness because of those who
mistreat us. We do not want to get caught up into making wealth and fame our primary goal in the Kingdom. We are in a
race to win a prize of being a lover of Jesus.
L. The more we seek to live for love the more broken we will be with true humility. Jesus defines the life of love in the
Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7).
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit…4 Blessed are those who mourn… 5 Blessed are the meek…6 Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Mt. 5:3-6)
M. You can be one of the greatest people in history simply by living in deep love for God which overflows in love for
people. You will not be the most famous but can be one of the greatest.
19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the
kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:19)
N. The Lord values our journey to grow in love. The reach of our heart to love Him moves Him. If you do not quit
then you win. We do not find our identity in our failure but in the fact that He loves us, in the gift of righteousness
(2 Cor. 5:12) and in the cry of our spirit to love God.