Timeless Teachings of Kenneth E. Hagin

When God gave us the New Testament law of love, He said we are to love our neighbor—our fellow man—as we love ourselves (Rom. 13:8–10). The Bible also says, "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10).

We don't need to look around and judge others to see if they're walking in love. We just need to be sure we are doing right and walking in love ourselves! If we judge others, it will just cause strife and discord in the Body of Christ.

Notice what Galatians 5:15 says about strife and discord: "If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."

Biting and devouring one another is not walking in love. That's the reason some people are sick a lot and even die prematurely. There is a consequence for sowing strife and discord and for judging others.

GALATIANS 6:7
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Normally when we read this verse, we think about sinners. But actually, when Paul wrote this, he was talking to the believers at Galatia and to Christians everywhere.
He was saying that we need to wake up and understand that even though God is loving, He will not be mocked. Whatever a man sows, that is what he will reap! His sins will find him out (Num. 32:23).

Galatians 6:7 also has another application. When we act in love, we're going to reap a good reward! What are we going to reap for walking in love? Health, healing, long life, and prosperity!

You see, if we keep feeding the love nature that's in us with the Word and keep practicing it, we'll see the benefits.

Are You Shortening Your Days or Lengthening Them?

What we've got to realize is that under the New Covenant, whether we fulfill the number of our days is to a large extent up to us. Why? Because healing was provided for our bodies in the atonement (Matt. 8:17; Isa. 53:4; 1 Peter 2:24).

If that's true, then why isn't everyone healed? Let's look at some verses in First Corinthians chapter 11.

1 CORINTHIANS 11:27–30
27 Wherefore WHOSOEVER SHALL EAT THIS BREAD, AND DRINK THIS CUP OF THE LORD, UNWORTHILY, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But LET A MAN EXAMINE HIMSELF, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh UNWORTHILY, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, NOT DISCERNING THE LORD'S BODY.
30 FOR THIS CAUSE many are WEAK and SICKLY among you, and MANY SLEEP.

The word "unworthily" in verse 27 refers to the manner and attitude in which the Corinthians were partaking of the Lord's Supper.

If you'll read the previous verses and study the context, you'll see that these folks were coming together, having a meal, and also taking the Lord's Supper. But some of them even drank wine and got drunk. And they brought judgment on themselves. Even though it wasn't God's will for them, they became weak and sickly and died prematurely.

How does this apply to us today? The Lord's spiritual Body, the Body of Christ, is still on the earth and includes all born-again believers (Col. 1:18). By not discerning the Body—our brothers and sisters in Christ—and walking in love toward them, we open ourselves up to weakness, sickness, and even premature death, just as the Corinthians did.
I didn't say that—the Bible said that! Our lack of love will shorten our own days, because every step out of love is a step into sin. And sin opens the door to the devil in our lives.

Judge Yourself

Let me show you how important it is to walk in love toward those in the Body of Christ. From 1947 through 1958, there was a healing revival here in America. There were a number of healing evangelists in that day, but I remember one in particular. No one had a greater healing ministry at that time than he did.

I saw some of the greatest miracles in this evangelist's ministry that I've ever seen. But the Lord told me, "You go tell him that he's not going to live much longer unless he judges himself." The man was only 35 years old at the time. The Lord said to me, "The number-one thing he's to judge himself on is walking in love toward his fellow minister."
What does it mean to judge ourselves? It means that when we see that we've sinned, we say, "Lord, what I did was wrong. Please forgive me."

Was it scriptural for this minister to judge himself? Of course it was. The Lord was trying to warn him, because if he would have judged himself, the Lord wouldn't have had to judge him. That's what the Bible says.

1 CORINTHIANS 11:31–32
31 If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
This man died three years later at an early age because he didn't walk in love toward his brethren. This didn't have to happen to him. It certainly wasn't God's best. But the man wouldn't repent, so God had to judge him.

It's a solemn thought to fall under the penalty of God's judgment, isn't it? But that's why we need to judge ourselves and make sure we walk in love.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to judge myself. When I see I've missed it, I'm not even going to wait until I get to church! I'm going to judge myself right then and there and straighten up anything that needs to be straightened up. I want to prolong my days, not cut them short. I want to enjoy God's healing and health and all of His best blessings in life.
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[Editor's Note: This article was adapted from Kenneth E. Hagin's book Love: The Way to Victory.]

FAITH IN ACTION
Giaramteed Victory

Learning how to walk in God's love will cure any situation. I don't care what the situation is; God's love will cure it if you'll just walk in it.

Of course, the God-kind of love won't work if you don't work it. By that I mean, you have to exercise and develop the God-kind of love that's already in your heart before you will start reaping the rewards that the love of God brings.

If you haven't been walking in love, get back in the love walk as fast as you can. God's love always prevails! God's love always wins! (See First Corinthians chapter 13 to learn more about the God-kind of love.)