Love Squads

Focus: John 13:34-35 - KJV

34. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

John 15:12-17

To be Christ’s disciples or what people call Christians today, is to operate in love. The essence of soldiering, which is what the disciples do, is to defend one’s self, colleagues and territory, from the onslaught of the enemy. Hence, a soldier’s command is to ensure when they are in battle, they lose none in their squads. Even when there is a casualty in battle, his squad mates ensure he is ferried to safety for urgent care. It is the same kind of discipline that Christ wants for His disciples and not what obtains in the body today, where squad mates bear baronets and knives to dig into the armor-less back of their brethren, rather than defend them in love. It is when the army operates as a unit in love, that their victory is often asserted and not when in disarray. A team in disarray gives opportunity to the enemy to crush them, like sheep without shepherd.

A time was when Paul refused to continue ministry with John Mark. Thank God for Barnabas who retained love for the young lad. Think about how Mark would have felt when he was rejected by Paul. The enemy wanted to put the army in disarray. Paul eventually asked for him after realizing he was useful to the ministry. Unlike Mark that was first rejected, Demas forsook Paul outrightly. No one forsakes a person he loves particularly in the face of battles, in ministry. The pain made Paul to complain loudly to his disciples and all of us today. If everyone else had not been available, how would Paul have thrived in his solitary state of confinement, for the ministry?

God is saying to us that the believers’ bond is a soldiering one that leaves no gap. The love for the brethren should be total that we be willing to lay down our lives one for the other. It is that with love and freedom from guile, the enemy is not able to penetrate the ranks of our army and we are reassured of our victory in Christ, being already more than conquerors. It is only when we do so love that we are truly Christ-like and so many will live eternally by the reason of that love. A refusal to love is a denial of God. Let all misgivings be laid at the foot of the cross for love to thrive. The source of malice, unforgiveness and strife is the devil and they are aimed at destroying the fortification of the saints. Let us be watchful and more loving.

Please pray:

Father, I appreciate you for the heart of flesh that you gave me such that offences do not have room to thrive there. Please keep me in your love forever even as you endear me to the love of the brethren, in Jesus’ name. No matter how difficult the circumstance may appear, let me never fall out of love with any of the members of the household of faith, or anyone at all, in Jesus’ name. From this day, grant us the strength to always overcome the enemy through love, in Jesus’ name.

Please share with others. God bless you.