(By Gloria Copeland)
Some people think love is so basic, it’s something only spiritual beginners must study. They consider the gifts of the Spirit—like tongues and interpretation, the gifts of healings and miracles—as more relevant to the mature believer. But as wonderful as the gifts of the Spirit are, the Bible teaches that it’s the fruit of the spirit—“love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23)—that indicate a person is walking in the spirit and not the flesh.
If you want to know whether you’re a spiritual person or not, look to see if you are walking in love. You simply can’t walk in the spirit or be a spiritual person without being ruled by love. No wonder the Bible tells us to “Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]” (1 Corinthians 14:1, The Amplified Bible).
Living a life ruled by the love of God is what opens us up to walk in the spirit and live in the highest measure of the blessing and power of God!. The reason I single out love is because it is the foundation upon which all the other fruit rest. The others flow out of love.
Love is the bottom line. Nothing counts without it. In short, you and I can’t go anywhere spiritually until we get our love walk straight!