At present, God seems physically unapproachable and awe-inspiring to me, but I understand that in eternity we will perceive Him differently, when we live in His presence and see His face. Just imagine: you will meet your Heavenly Father face to face. That thought alone is inspiring!
Despite all my shortcomings, I matter to God. He constantly thinks about me as though I were the only person in the Universe. To Him, no one is dearer than I am. Christ was not afraid to risk His eternal life, but came into this world to fight the enemy and give us His victory. We are saved solely because of His sacrifice. The prophet Isaiah writes, “He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11, KJV). And we will see this eternal joy in God’s eyes when He looks upon us with love.
Some people have lost their health and become helpless and disabled. Everyone has turned away from them, and they have sunk into the depths of despair. Life holds no joy for them, yet they are afraid to die. The good news is that God needs even these people! He will give them everything in exchange for their faith in Jesus. We all need to understand that someone needs us, and only God can give us this sense of our own worth. The enemy devised the theory of evolution and tries to persuade us that our appearance in this world was an accident and that no one needs us. People live with this inner emptiness. But God teaches that every person is precious to Him and that He has a special plan for each one.
God also wants to convince us that we need one another. We begin to realize this as the Spirit of God works within us and love from God fills our minds. Unfortunately, people today often begin to value someone only after losing them. There is even a Russian saying: “We do not cherish what we have; when we lose it, we weep.” Standing beside a grave, we realize that we have lost a friend or a brother, and we suffer because we spent too little time with him and can no longer speak kind words to him. Therefore, the Lord teaches us to show in every possible way that those close to us—especially those who share our faith and spirit—are needed and infinitely precious to us. And so, every morning I choose love, friendship, and happiness.
Love cannot lose
After observing for many years what the Lord has been doing within me, I noticed an important fact: from the very moment Jesus first gave me His love, I have not lost a single battle. Please do not rush to accuse me of self-confidence or regard my words as boasting, because I am speaking not of my victories, but of God’s! I cannot imagine how anyone could lose when God Himself is conducting the war. From morning until evening, my mind is set on victory. If a battle begins, I know Who will ultimately win it. You will understand me when you experience this amazing walk with God for yourselves!
Jesus has not lost a single battle, and in my life He continually wins victories. This is not my achievement, but His mercy. It is wonderful to be on the same team with Him! Without Him, you have no chance of victory; with Him, you have no chance of defeat! Love gives a person the mind of a victor. You begin to understand that you possess the most powerful weapon in the Universe, against which no one has a defense. Jesus has already overcome this world, and His victory belongs to us. The greatest joy is that He promises generous blessings to the overcomers not only in this life, but also in the life to come.
There were times when I did not know what to do or how to conduct myself, when I fell beneath the weight of my problems. When the Lord revealed my sins to me, it was very difficult, but Christ always gained the victory within me. He always came to my aid, lifted me up, and led me onward. “O taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8, KJV). He Himself leads us into battle and casts us into the furnace of trials so that we may grow stronger and gain the experience of victory. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13, KJV).
The Lord invites everyone who desires to overcome through love to open the door to Him, to buy from Him gold tried in the fire and white raiment, and to anoint their eyes with eyesalve. What we do with this invitation is for you and me to decide!
A song of love to jesus
The Lord took my sins and cast them into the depths of the sea (see Micah 7:19). Because of this, I have not only a present, but also a future. Yet even now, God has given me love, joy, and happiness that I can share with other people. Already today I have the greatest blessing—a close relationship with Jesus. I see His hand in everything, know Him personally, and understand His will.
Christ is immeasurably good. He loves all of you, my friends, and waits for the time when, at the Second Coming, He can take us to Himself, never to be separated again. He is the very best Friend, Who will never leave or betray us, but will always listen and understand. He delights in showing mercy, and if He judges anyone, His judgment is just and righteous.
Christ is the very best Teacher. He never scolds or insults anyone, and He never gives up on anyone. He turns every situation to good and teaches us to think and act rightly. He loves and respects the dignity of His students and always seeks an opportunity to lift them up and encourage them. Jesus gives wisdom and knowledge.
Christ is love, and He desires to see this love in me and in you. He waits for everyone who thirsts so that He may pour out this gift abundantly. He respects my freedom and has limited His power by my choice. He takes my will into account and acts in my life only within the boundaries I have set for Him. He is ready to leave me without protest at any moment if I ask Him to, but He will live with me if I desire it. Jesus knows how to wait. He never gives up and calls every person, desiring to enter that person’s life and transform it.
Christ accepts me as I am when I come to Him, but He does not leave me as I am. He begins to change me, cleanse me, and bless me for every good work. Like a physician, He listens to my heart and is always attentive to my needs. He always seeks an opportunity to give me something necessary and beneficial. He constantly thinks about my happiness and does everything possible to bring it about. Jesus sends His good angels to protect me, lest I stumble and fall. If I do fall, they help me rise again. The angels bear me upon their wings and guard me according to His will.
Jesus is preparing me for eternity, for life among holy beings whose only currency is love. He teaches me to store up this treasure in the heavenly Bank, so that when necessary I may withdraw the amount I need, invest it in the lives of my neighbors, and thereby increase heavenly capital.
The strategy of love
Jesus commanded us to love our enemies (see Matthew 5:44) and to love one another (see John 15:12). Love always goes on the offensive. It enters enemy territory and takes possession of it. Those who are accustomed to remaining behind defensive lines will never become victors. Therefore, Christ calls us: act, go, speak, and heal—but do not sit still or sleep (see Luke 10:3–9)!
How, then, does love go on the offensive? It is an entire art, and mastering it requires the full concentration of our spiritual and moral strength, conformity to God’s standards, and deliberate decisions of the will. The ultimate goal is to win a person’s heart and become that person’s friend for life. Love does not surrender its conquests to the enemy, but treasures them.
Let us consider the strategy. First, you analyze your own life and evaluate your motives and actions. Then you come to understand that you do not possess within yourself the strength necessary for the advance and the victory. So we plead with God, with an intense desire and thirst to receive power from above. The Lord answers and gives us strength so that we may use it for a particular person or group of people.
After choosing a neighbor as the object of this loving advance, you should ask yourself: What do you want to do with this person? The only right answer is: love! You begin to ask for wisdom from above and for love toward this person, while also learning about his or her life and interests. God answers and gives you the resources you need. Then you carefully make contact with your neighbor, striving not to violate that person’s freedom in any way, while at the same time seeking a path to the heart. With God’s help, you try to discern the person’s talents and help develop them. You constantly think about how to help, gladden, and inspire your neighbor. God reveals the person’s nature to you and shows you ways to reach him or her, but He never tires of reminding you that this is a living soul whom He loves and will not allow to be hurt. You understand that this person is given to you for life, and you no longer have the right to change your attitude toward him or her, even if your love is rejected.
Sometimes a brief meeting is enough to find the key to a person’s heart; at other times, it takes months or even years. But love does not give up; it knows how to wait. You open your heart to this person, welcome him or her into your life forever, and wait for a decision. Love acts strictly within the boundaries established for it and rejoices when it is not restricted. It does not judge a person for caution or timidity, but is happy for the slightest opportunity to serve. When you encounter hostility, you feel pain, but this pain does not destroy your love; it strengthens it. God gives you strength and courage, and you move forward! Ahead of you await new victories and new friends. Jesus walks beside you, and the banner of His love waves above you!
The end of the conflict
Love has many enemies, and one of them is the spirit of war. This spirit originated in Heaven, where purity, holiness, and peace had always reigned. Sin, which arose in an incomprehensible way in the heart of the heavenly angel Lucifer, grew into a universal rebellion. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels” (Revelation 12:7, KJV). This war was spiritual in nature; no living being’s blood was shed, and all its participants used spiritual weapons in their struggle against one another. God acted solely through love, which unites mercy and justice, while the enemy used an entire arsenal: lies, slander, malice, treachery, envy, and pride. Satan and his supporters were defeated and expelled from the courts of Heaven, but their lives were spared. Nor were their supernatural abilities taken away.
Through the fall of Adam and Eve, the forces of evil, which the apostle Paul calls “spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV), gained power over humanity and continued on earth their war against the authority of Heaven. The goal of evil spirits is complete dominion over the human mind. Their arsenal contains a multitude of means and methods for accomplishing their plans.
God, for His part, is also engaged in the conflict and opposes the influence of evil. He has gained victory repeatedly in this war. First He triumphed in Heaven, and then in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the Son of God made the final decision to take upon Himself the sins of the world and pay for them with His own life. Christ experienced the agony of separation from God and eternal death in order to give us eternal life. The law declares, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23, KJV), and Christ satisfied this requirement of the law. Jesus died, but on the third day He rose again, ascended to God’s throne, and received all power in Heaven and on earth.
The death of Christ revealed to the entire Universe the true nature of Satan, which he had carefully concealed beneath a mask of lies. But the death of the Son of God also revealed to the entire Universe the true character of God, Who is love.
The victory has been won, but the war is not over. God now desires to restore His character in human beings, and because His very nature is love, His purpose is to place His love within our minds. Those who have chosen the path of faith in God are expected to trust Him, study the principles of Heaven, and live in accordance with them.
God and the spirits of evil watch closely to see which side each person will choose. Neutrality in this war is impossible. When a person remains indifferent, that person passively takes the devil’s side and permits evil spirits to influence the mind and impose their values.
Today we live in a favorable time, while we still have the opportunity to trust God and receive His character and love. We also know from the Bible that the war between good and evil has entered its final stage. Its outcome will be decided in the last battle, called Armageddon. In this conflict, God’s truth will gain the final victory, and God’s name will be glorified throughout the earth.
The culmination of God’s victory over evil will be the glorious coming of Jesus Christ, when the righteous will be raised from the dead and taken to Heaven, while the wicked will be destroyed. Satan will be bound for a thousand years until the judgment of the wicked is completed. Afterward, all the wicked will be raised to receive their punishment. Together with Satan and his angels, they will be cast into the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:14–15).
Today, as a weapon for the final conflict, God gives us His love and opens the human mind to a knowledge of God’s truth and law. It is important to understand God’s strategy in this war so that we may overcome sin through love for God and our neighbors. A person who knows the truth but does not have love will be defeated by the devil and perish. A person’s decision to follow God and love others enrages Satan, but he has no power over those in whom God’s love lives.
We are now living in a peaceful time for making decisions. God protects His children, and everyone can make a choice, but it will not always be so. When the “four winds of the earth” (Revelation 7:1, KJV) are released, a great tribulation caused by disasters and persecution will begin. In such circumstances, it will no longer be possible to choose love and learn to love. Therefore, it is now that God calls us to receive His gift of love, to be guided by it in life, and to gain peace of mind and joy in the Holy Spirit. May the Lord bless us to answer God’s call and share in the victory of God’s love with all the redeemed!