When your in love with God, everything that comes against you wants to separate you from that love. Even to the point of questioning your love for God. Above all, do not let anything come between you and Him. There is no greater love than laying down your life for a friend. Jesus calls you a friend. He laid His life down for you, so you should lay your life down for Him. Laying your life down for Him is denying yourself. It is no longer you who lives, but Christ in you.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Laying your life down for Christ is a difficult thing to do. The only way this is done is by your own free will. You can’t just deny yourself some of the time. You are either all in, or you’re not in. If you decide to deny yourself sometimes, your love for God can easily be shaken. It’s when you are all in and your mind is set to only do the will of God.
Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Paul’s love for Christ was tested and tested. He was warned that he would suffer for Jesus’ Name. Many don’t like this suffering, not realizing that with this suffering is a great reward. How many do you know have raised the dead? Healed the sick? Got bit by a poisonous snake with no after effects? Got their name on the devils list? This is a love that can never be shaken. God has a great love for us. He proved this by crucifying His Son. We now will have to prove our love for Him. Keep you eye focused on the prize and never be moved. He who endures to the end will be saved. Be blessed my friends.
Acts 9:11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” 13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Acts 19:11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.