
GOD’S NATURE – GOD’S POWER PT1
AUGUST 2025
7 min read
As we continue to grow in our understanding of the Spirit-filled life, it’s important to recognize the connection between God’s love, His power, and the operation of our faith. Scripture is rich with witnesses on how His divine nature—now active within us through the new birth—enables us to live out His purpose. Galatians 5:6 (NKJV) says,
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working (Gr. operating) through love.”
As Christians, this tells us that everything we are called to believe must pass through the new nature we inherited when the Holy Spirit birthed His nature within our spirits. Now consider Ephesians 3:17–20, paraphrased from the Greek:
17 That Christ may dwell through faith in the hearts of you, in love having been rooted, and having the foundation of love established in you,
18 In order that you may have strength to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 And to know the love of Christ, which is His excelling knowledge—in what He knows about us—In order that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do super abundantly of which we ask, or we think according to the power operating in us.
We, as believers, must understand that the love of God operating within us is the very power our faith puts into action. This is exactly what verse 20 is emphasizing: when His love is active in us, the results will be super abundant, manifesting in protection, care, favor, and benefits. These are direct outcomes of submitting ourselves to God’s will and His authority— expressed in and through the church —benefiting all the saints. Let’s now turn to 1 Corinthians 12:29: “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?”
Verse 30 continues: “Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?”
This is a significant passage that rises above the eight gifts given to the church. Now note verse 31 paraphrased from the Greek: “But desire eagerly the greater gifts. And yet I show you a way according to excellence.”
Directly following the end of chapter 12, 13:1 he begins to talk about how we sound when we are without love as our motive. Verses 2 and 3 show us that even sacrificial acts become self-glorifying and profitless without love.
And then we get into verses 4–7 where we begin to discover why love will never fail us. These verses clearly identify the attributes of God’s nature—what love does. In my next newsletter, I will go into detail on each of these attributes. For now, it is essential to understand this: it is the love of God operating within us that allows His power to flow through us. The Holy Spirit’s functions are also clearly outlined in Scripture.
For example, 1 John 2:27 says:
“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you.”
Note here the implication: some simply do not qualify to teach you. John continues: “But as the same anointing teaches you…” He’s not referencing the office of a teacher here but rather the witness of Christ through the anointing flowing from the Holy Spirit. Now pay close attention to the rest of the verse:
“…the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, (Gr. does not bear false witness), and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him (Gr. emphasizes remaining in Him).”
I point out these emphases in Ephesians and 1 Corinthians 13:1–3 because of what follows in 1 Corinthians 13:8–10. Verse 8 declares: “Love never fails.”
This ties directly to the Holy Spirit’s role: assisting each believer by doing His share in developing the love of God within their heart. Verse 10 highlights the culmination of this inner work:
“But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.”
In verse 8, he mentions three areas: Prophecies (which represent partial insight) will fail. Tongues (which represent hidden mysteries) will cease. Knowledge (which implies partial knowing) will vanish. Why? Because that which is complete will have come. The prophesies are not partial anymore, they are fully understood. The tongues are not mysterious anymore, they accomplished their purpose. The knowledge is now a complete truth grounded in Him.
As mentioned earlier, verses 4–6 reveal the attributes of God’s nature. These attributes will cause the love of God to be fully developed in you—and this love becomes the perfect channel of divine authority. He has given His church the authority to express His power, through His nature, and this is for the benefit of both unbelievers and the saints.
When the love of God is fully formed within you, the gifts of the Spirit find their rightful purpose in demonstration. We can walk not only in power, but in the achieving ability to fulfill His ultimate goal: developing us into His love. God’s love on display—through us—is His highest purpose for all of mankind.
In our next letter, I will lay out in detail the attributes of God’s love—His nature at work in us. Once you see how these attributes function, you’ll understand why Paul was able to say with such confidence in verse 8:
“Love never fails.”