Love is the Set Up!

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NASB) says, “Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” 
 
 
The Apostle Paul emphasizes that the greatest gift anyone in the body of Christ should desire is prophecy. Of course, all spiritual gifts are necessary for the church, even now more than ever. but declaring the Word of God on earth as in heaven is the key to bringing the culture of heaven into earth. It is much more than wishful declaration, but it is a gift empowered by the Holy Spirit that allows us to discern and recognize not only the needs of those surrounding us, but also what God is speaking right then and there! 
 
However, before sons and daughters should prophecy, fulfilling Joel’s prophecy, we should be pursuing love. Love ultimately is the set up to prophecy. So many have the mindset of Jonah, where we are more concerned with being right than being righteous. We would rather speak warnings from the throne room with no hope or desire of people repenting of their sins and changing their direction because we would rather see them fall so people can look at us and say, “Man, they are right. They must truly be prophets!” Prophecy is not about us being lifted up or admonished, but the name of Jesus, but how can His name be lifted high if we do not speak and see through the lens of God’s grace, mercy and love? 
 
Of course, even if we do see through the lens of love, this doesn’t mean that every single word we receive from the LORD is one of a flower bed filled with roses. There are words of warning, but when those messages are seasoned with the love of God, they point us to repentance and preparation. If destruction is coming, then we have to be prepared to be a light to a darkened generation. If we can avoid the destruction through repentance, then we must lead the charge because God’s Word will always give birth to hope once the travailing is finished! 
 
Therefore, God is calling us to not only be filled with and baptized in the Spirit, but to pursue and be filled with love. We should pray often, “God, fill me with love.” Make it a habit to pray it often, or even daily. If we want to be world changers, we truly must have the love of God!