This blog is based on a message by Pastor Todd Cosenza.
Walking in spiritual power is less about theatrical moments and more about living a supernatural lifestyle wherever you are. The first step toward that life is simple and nonnegotiable: love. Not just human affection, but the love of Jesus poured into us. When love is the engine, everything that follows—power, discernment, righteousness—runs in the right direction.
Why love comes first
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol. If I have a faith that can move mountains… but do not have love, I am nothing.
These words from 1 Corinthians 13:1–2 make a strong point: spiritual gifting, faith, or dramatic manifestations mean nothing without love. Power without love becomes destructive and is a perversion of what God intended. Jesus paired power with compassion—his miracles were always expressions of love. That same pattern is meant to shape our lives.
What God’s love looks like (Philippians 1:8-11)
There are several ways God’s love differs from human love:
- It abounds more and more. Human affection can shrink or run out; God’s love increases, even in pain and brokenness (Philippians 1:9). Sin and pain build walls between us and God. Sometimes God reaches over the wall gently; sometimes he breaks through the wall (it abounds)—and that process can be messy. God loves a good mess when it means freedom and healing.
- It is informed by knowledge and depth of insight. God’s love is not just an emotion; it understands the heart, the past, and the root reasons behind behavior (Philippians 1:9).
- It purifies and chooses the best. God’s love will burn away what is merely good so you can receive what is best (Philippians 1:10).
Scripture to hold on to
“God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus… And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” — Philippians 1:8–10
Paul is pointing to a supernatural affection—the affection of Christ. He isn’t calling for more human effort to feel; he’s praying for people to be filled with the love that comes from heaven so they can make wise, holy choices.
How God’s love helps us discern
When you’re hurt, decisions get clouded by emotions. Love acts like a filter that clarifies what is best—not simply what is good or what your feelings demand. This kind of love helps you:
- See beyond immediate pain to long-term good
- Choose mercy and redemption over revenge
- Decide when to set healthy boundaries and when to forgive
One real-life example: a wife betrayed by a long-term affair described herself as devastated and traumatized, yet she felt God’s love and chose to stay with her husband to honor vows made decades earlier. Only a love that sustains and clarifies in pain can produce that kind of decision.
Love as the engine
Think of love as the engine of the train. Spiritual gifts, power, wisdom, and ministry are the cars being pulled. If the engine is missing or faulty—if love is absent—nothing moves the way it should. When imperfect people allow God’s love to fill them, that love becomes the conduit for everything God wants to do: healing, freedom, righteousness, and praise to God.
Practical steps to receive and walk in God’s love
- Ask to be filled with God’s love. Not merely to feel more, but to be saturated with the affection of Christ—so your decisions are shaped by him.
- Pray for discernment rooted in love. When emotions cloud judgment, ask God to help love filter what you feel so you can see what is best.
- Be willing to let God purify your life. Expect seasons where he removes good things so you can receive what is best.
- Forgive from a place of understanding. Let God’s knowledge and insight enable forgiveness and restoration rather than retaliation.
- Allow the Spirit to lead, not your feelings. Feelings are not bad, but they are poor leaders. Let love and faith lead decisions.
Where this leads
When love is first, the result is being “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” That fruit lasts. It frees people, brings healing, and glorifies God. If you want to operate in greater spiritual power, begin here: let God’s love be the priority in your life.
Application questions
- Where in my life am I letting feelings make decisions instead of asking God’s love to guide me?
- What walls or wounds need God’s love to reach or break through?
- Is there something good I am unwilling to give up that might be keeping me from God’s best?
- Who around me needs the overflow of God’s love, and how can I be a conduit of that love this week?
