THE FIRST RESPONSE

FOUNDATION STATEMENT:  As believers  our first response in every situation has to be love.

I. If you want to apply the principles of God’s Word and see those principles work in your life then you must submit to divine order. (James 4:7)

A. Divine order is simply the order set by God that must be followed to get results

1. You can’t do things out of order and expect to get the results that God is desiring for you to get

B. In God’s system there is order, and if you want to work God’s system and get results then you have to submit to that order

1. In the Kingdom of God or in God’s system you can’t just do things any old way you want to do them

C. Examples of Divine order (Genesis 8:22)

1. Divine order says that you have to believe and then speak and then physical things will change,(Mark 11:23)

2. Following divine order says I have to draw nigh to God and then he’ll draw nigh to me (James 4:8)

3. Following divine order would be to submit first, then resist and now you’re in a position to see the devil flee (James 4:7)

D. Divine order says our first response in any situation should be this commandment of love

II. As a believer your first response in any situation where the enemy is applying pressure on you or attacking you is the commandment of love

A. The commandment of love is first (Matthew 22:37)

1. Before we launch a counterattack on the enemy, we need to be sure that we have the proper platform in  is place from which we can launch that attack and the platform is love

2. The first step in the armor of God was to be strong in love (Ephesians 6:10, 1 John 4:16 – God is love)

a. Each and every piece of that armor works by love, so my first response to any attack is be strong in love

i. My first response is not to grab my sword and my shield, but by first response is be strong in love

b. Colossians 3:14 – Love is the binding factor which will hold this armor together and make it usable

c. Ephesians 3:17 – Rooted and grounded in love – roots are the beginning

B. James 4:7-8 – Don’t violate divine order.  By responding in love first it will make everything that I do after that work. 

1. You can’t submit to God without submitting to the commandment that he gave which is love

2. Resist – 1 Peter 5:9 – You resist steadfast in faith

a. Faith is an uncompromising stand in the love of God on the Word of God

3. When love is in place and faith is released then he’ll flee

C. 1 Peter 5:6-9

1. Humble – Put yourself under the authority of God.  You do that by keeping the commandment of love.

2. There’s divine order in casting care that says to cast the care on God you first of all have to get rid of the fear

a. Cares, worries, and anxieties are manifestations of fear

i. Perfected love gets rid of the fear and without the feat you can’t take the care (1 John 4:18)

b. Some believers have tried to get rid of the care, without getting rid of the fear by submitting to the command of love

i. When you submit to love, fear is flushed out and the cares go with it

3. Sober – self-controlled, clear-minded

a. Be discipline to stay in the love of God and don’t take the care of that thing

b. Keep your mind clear by keeping it on that commandment instead of on the problem

4. Be Vigilant – Be on guard and keep watch

a. Be on guard and keep watch to not take the care

5. Satan is roaming around looking for somebody who will allow him to devour them

a. Satan can only devour a person who is outside of love with fear operating in their life

i. He’s seeking someone who has held onto the care

b. Fear is the access card that grants Satan access into your life (Isaiah 54:14, Job 3:25, Matthew 14:24)

i. The moment you take the care Satan has access into your life

ii. God always began with fear not

1) Perfected love throws fear out of the doors (1 John 4:18)

a) If you throw fear out the door you throw Satan out the door

iii. When your response is love Satan sees access denied

c. Every time I take my stance in love and respond in love this is what hell see me as victorious and them as defeated (Philippians 1:28)

i. In nothing be terrified – In everything keep the commandment of love

ii. Your commitment to the command of love is your sure token of victory

iii. My response is always love – When the enemy looks at me he’ll always see me in iv. love

v. The foundation to his attack must start with getting you to violate that commandment

6. Then when you’ve submitted and you’re in the love of God you can resist steadfast in faith

a. In the love of God holding onto the promise of God stand against him in an immovable manner

b. The stance of love is the strongest form of resistance that there is because when you’re in agreement with love you are vehemently opposed to Satan and every part of the curse

c. Real faith begins in love where there is no care, no worry, and no fear

D. Philippians 4:6-7

1. Careful – worry, have anxiety, to take thought, to be concerned

a. All of that is rooted in fear and the only way to get rid of fear is to grow in the commandment of love

2. By prayer – You believe you receive when you pray (Mark 11:24)

a. Then you thank him that it’s done – that’s faith

E. 1 John 3:22-23

1. They keep his commandments – Matthew 22:37-40

2. Then they did what was pleasing in his sight – Hebrews 11:6

3. They received whatsoever they asked of him

F. Luke 8:50

1. Fear not – Keep the commandment of love

2. Believe only – Stand in faith

3. She shall be made whole – You’ll get the result

III. Love’s function is to empower faith so that faith can then function to connect to the anointing, and the anointing will remove the burden, destroy the yoke, and produce victory in your life