Motivated by God's Love
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Motivated by God’s Love

September 25, 2025

Fight Against the Religious Spirit

Reading Time: 8 Minutes

God’s character and actions are drenched in a love that cannot be compared to on this earth. His “Agape” love is different from earthly love that is tainted by the effects of sin. Our attempts to do good are worthless without the Agape love of God working through us by the Spirit. As Christians, we live by the Spirit. He alone can give us God’s Agape love that makes a difference in eternity.

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 cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a NIV

“Religious” Christianity

Plain and simply, a religious Christian is a person that does not live by the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that keeps us connected to the love of God. He puts our focus back on God’s holy love when we are tempted to simply “go through the motions.”

Religious Christianity happens when a Christian doesn’t understand how to follow the Spirit. It happens when they have been taught that living by the Spirit is not for today. When a Christian knows the ways of the Spirit but doesn’t follow Him, they can develop a religious heart.

If we ignore the Spirit, our works are not motivated by God’s loving presence but by a different spirit. Our heart will eventually grow cold and unfruitful. It’s possible to keep on “doing good works for God” through the church– but God sees the heart. The Holy Spirit grieves. Some Christians “get busy for God,” fearing Jesus will be disappointed if they don’t do something. That may feel right, invigorating and satisfying to start with, but it eventually leads to more fear and more spiritual darkness!

Christians might join ministry groups out of pressure from others, or out of an emotional need. While it is spiritually healthy to spend time with other Christians, our fellowship is beneficial because we yield to the Spirit. Ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit is ignoring love Himself. God’s Agape love drives out fear (1 John 4:18) and makes it possible for us to love others in a healthy way. He wants the very best for us!

Born-Again to Live in Agape Love

All that you do must be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 NASB

Our Lord desires and requires relationship. He is not a taskmaster. In fact, He is the opposite. God is Father, Friend, Comforter, Teacher, Protector, Savior, Redeemer… LOVE! Our Creator loved us even before we were conceived. And no matter the good or bad social experiences we’ve had, His desire for a loving relationship is perfect!

Even when God disciplines us, it’s because He loves us and doesn’t want us to fall into the enemy’s hands. He wants us close to Him. When God challenges us to grow up spiritually it’s because He loves us. He knows that difficult days are ahead and wants us to be strong in our faith when the time comes. God doesn’t shame us into following Him. But He does get our attention when we’re headed for danger. It’s our choice whether or not we follow Him away from spiritual danger back into His love. And that is how He wants us to lead others– always motivated by His love.

Everything God wants for us is motivated by His love (Jeremiah 29:11-13). We are born-again to live like our Father by the Spirit. And if we live by the Spirit, everything we do will be motivated by God’s love. We go to church because we are motivated by God’s love as we follow the Spirit. Holy Spirit shows us the part we have to play in the Kingdom. Then we are motivated by God’s love for others to fulfill our King’s plan.

Checking Your Motivation

Ask yourself some questions. And while you’re at it, ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be honest with yourself. Here are some examples:

  • Why do I go to work? Do I go because I love God, my family or my co-workers? Am I motivated by fear, greed or the need for affirmation? How can the Holy Spirit love through me at work? Work motivated by God’s love shifts the atmosphere heavenward because the Holy Spirit is at work in and through you.
  • Why am I cleaning the house? Am I motivated by love, or fear that someone will think badly of me if I don’t? Am I thankful to God that I have a place to live? Is my attitude inviting God’s angels into the house to do His will or is it inviting the wrong kind of spirit? It’s all about God’s love.
  • Why do I try to make good grades in school? Am I motivated by love? Do I want to learn something so God can use me to help other people some day? Do I care about the other students and teachers?
  • Why do I pray? Do I feel obligated to do it to please God? Or do I hide away with God because I love Him and anticipate an encounter with Him? Do I pray for someone because I told them I would, or do I pray because I love them? Faith works when we are motivated by God’s love (Galatians 5:6).

Oftentimes I will ask the Holy Spirit if I should do a particular thing. Occasionally, He doesn’t answer me. Then, I remember to ask Him if I should do it because I love the person/people. That’s when He answers! He wants me to check the motivation of my heart. It’s not about doing good works. God wants to love through us. That’s when His Spirit can move and touch others in a way that lasts for eternity.

A Heart of Flesh

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. Ezekiel 36:25-27 NLT

God’s regulations have always been about His love. This scripture is a beautiful prophesy looking forward to the death and resurrection of Jesus. Our sins are washed away. We get a new, tender heart, responsive to God. But not only that. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside us to empower us to love God and others by following His heart! Jesus said this about the last days:

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:9-14 NKJV

The world’s definition of love is not God’s love, and you must know the difference in order to endure to the end. God’s Agape love is sinless. While we were still sinners, Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). He gave us His Spirit so we could stay in His Agape love and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:13-17).

False prophets will imply that it’s okay to sin, but sin is demonically inspired. Sin is an act of rejecting God’s Spirit of love. If we “protect our right to sin a little bit every day” our love will grow cold. But the Spirit gives us power to resist temptation. (1 Corinthians 10:13). God will forgive us if we sin and repent, but we must not plan to sin. We must grow in purity, motivated by God’s Spirit of love.

In the end times, the love of many will grow cold (Revelation 3:15-16). But if we learn to follow the Holy Spirit, we can make sure everything we do is motivated by God’s love. We will endure, and we will live in His love for eternity!

No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 NET