HOW TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE

“…we will remain strong and always sincere in our love as we express the truth.”

Ephesians 4:15

There’s a raging fire burning deep in the woods. I spot an empty bucket and fill it with water, pouring the contents on the flame over and over again. Wind comes and fuels the fire, causing it to spread as far as my eyes can see. Nothing will quench it.

I see a firefighter standing in the midst of the forest fire, though he is fast asleep. I widen my aperture and realize hundreds… no, tens of thousands of people are sleeping while the fire rages around them. I have options. I can continue to try to extinguish these expanding flames, but that doesn’t seem to be getting me anywhere. Then I think, What if I awakened the sleepers? What if I speak truth into the firefighters, helping them to see who they really are and what they have in their buckets? Our numbers become strengthened. Together, we have a chance of stopping the fires of injustice, oppression, and addiction as we continue speaking the truth to others in love, creating a great awakening.

I’ve had this dream many times before. Speaking truth in love is the medicine that will cure most of the world’s ailments. The language of love opens blind eyes and deaf ears. It is the most powerful, universal language in the world. It’s the language Jesus spoke while communing with the marginalized of society and the criminals of His day.

But how can I speak this language when all I hear is hatred and fear around me? Some of the best secrets I’ve found to answering this question are in the book of Daniel.

 

5 Secrets of Success for Any Culture

Daniel is famous for his wisdom, prophetic insight, and the incredible influence he had in the highest places in government. But just imagine his backstory for a minute. From a young age, he was taken from his family and planted into the enemy’s camp. Daniel and his three friends had names with significant, Godly meaning (“God is my judge,” “who is like God,” etc). They were given new names—Belteshazzar (Daniel), Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and suddenly they are named after the Babylonian gods Bel, Aku, and Nebo.

Nebuchadnezzar was trying to prove that his gods were greater than the God that Daniel and his friends served. He tried to give them new identities; in Biblical times, names often dictated a person’s character, traits, and significance. He tried to force them to adhere to Babylonian culture, throwing them into training with witch doctors and pushing them to eat their unclean food.

But when you know who you are, you are rooted and grounded in love, and you become the force that changes culture. The culture around you has no power to change your identity.

Daniel was a covert influencer who changed the environment from the inside out. Throughout his life, we can see how the language he spoke and the actions he took shaped society:

Daniel prayed and listened to God when faced with any crisis.

Daniel prayed after receiving bad news. When King Nebuchadnezzar issued an order to execute all of his royal advisers, Daniel and his friends prayed and received wisdom. When King Darius signed an order that nobody could request anything from any god other than him, Daniel prayed, “just as he had always done.” He wasn’t ashamed, either. He prayed in front of open windows where people could see him, in a culture that rejected God.
Daniel’s prayers were so significant that God sent an angel to tell him, “God has heard your prayers ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in order to gain understanding.” (Dan 10:12) As a result, the angel came to give him strategy and vision for the future.

Daniel chose his words carefully.

After King Nebuchadnezzar issued a country-wide execution, Daniel “chose his words carefully” and requested more time from Arioch, the lead executioner. He received wisdom after praying, and explained to the king that God could not only interpret his dream, but describe the dream to him. As he described the dream and its interpretation, his words deeply impacted the king because they were true and accurate. It impressed the king so much that Daniel and his friends were promoted to one of the highest places in government.

Daniel was not willing to compromise.

Before Daniel was recognized by any person of power, Ashpenaz—Nebuchadnezzar’s chief official—taught him Babylonian culture and issued the king’s order to eat his food and drink his wine. Daniel approached Ashpenaz to request help, and God made him sympathetic. However, Ashpenaz’s fear of the king prevented him from helping Daniel.

Daniel would not compromise, so he approached the guard whom Ashpenaz had placed in charge of him and his three friends. He was given favor again, and God gave him the strategy to ask for 10 days to eat clean food. In that time, he and his friends appeared stronger than any one of the king’s men, so he was allowed to follow God’s orders over the king’s for the next three years.

Daniel spoke honor, even when he was terribly dishonored.

Each time Daniel spoke to the four kings he served under, he addressed them by their respected title, “Your Majesty.” Love was so perfected in his heart that when he had bad news to deliver, he said, “Your Majesty, I wish that the dream and its explanation applied to your enemies and not to you!” (Dan 4:19). I can only imagine how these loving words softened the king’s hard heart.

Daniel’s consistent display of honor and love caused the kings he served under to respect and even befriend him. Daniel was especially close with King Darius, so it must have come as quite a blow when the king—out of duty—commanded Daniel to be thrown in with the lions for violating his own law. But instead of harboring resentment, he responded to the king the next morning with honor when he inquired of his well being: “I’m fine, thanks for asking! May you live forever, king! God rescued me since I’m innocent!” I can imagine Daniel playing fetch with the lions that night or curling up in their long manes, sleeping well in the midst of his enemies. Again, Daniel was promoted after this whole ordeal.

Daniel spoke the truth without fear.

Daniel lived with a confidence to tell the truth in love without fear of the consequences. He didn’t water down the news the Lord led him to give. The kings Daniel served under would kill people for delivering bad news! But they treated Daniel with favor, promoting him even when he interpreted dreams or writings that prophesied the destruction of the kingdoms he served.

Imagine what Daniel’s situation would look like today. Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar is similar to the emir of ISIS. He was quick to anger and issued barbaric punishments over anyone who disagreed with him. Daniel was like the child soldiers of ISIS today, kidnapped and recruited, brainwashed, and forced to do their bidding.

God didn’t tell Daniel to honor a king like this because he did anything to deserve honor. The language of heaven is love. God knew that if Daniel spoke love to the harshest, most evil leader, it could change him.

Could this happen today if Daniel spoke to the leaders of ISIS? Or dictators? Or the people around you that drive you crazy? Would we speak what we see on the outside (His policies are awful! He’d be great if he had some character…)? Or would we speak about them in love? Speaking the truth in love could be the catalyst that causes them to wake up. Then they can help you fight the fires in this world.

Will you be one of the firefighters?

Have you ever found yourself struggling after you’ve had your breakthrough? Have you ever felt under attack after you’ve had a victory? Most of you I’m sure just answered yes to those two questions. Today, I want to share with you something that I’ve faced countless times. I call it the battle you fight after the battle you’ve won.

We as believers love the mountaintop experiences. We love them so much that I’m sure if we could, we would build a bridge from mountaintop to mountaintop. However many of us forget that after a mountaintop there is a valley. As we walk down from the mountaintop, we are fatigued, exhausted, tired and that is the moment the enemy likes to attack. Today, I’m going to give you some practical steps to stay in His presence and pleasure as you take on the battle you fight after you’ve already won.

 

IS IT GOD OR THE DEVIL

After an amazing victory, a time of testing from God or a time of temptation often comes from the enemy. God allows us to be tempted, but provides us the ability to resist temptation and a way out of the situation. Paul wrote about how God will never let someone be tempted beyond what he or she can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). We see this a number of times throughout leaders in the scriptures. For example, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the dove rested upon him and the voice of the Father was heard speaking affirmation over Jesus. For the first time in history you have the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all in unity. This is a beautiful revelation, but in the very next moment, the same Spirit that rested on Jesus led him into the wilderness.

David, Joseph and Elijah went through similar journeys. Let’s look at the life of Elijah for a moment. Elijah in my opinion is a superhero. In 1 Kings, we get a look at Elijah’s battle after he’s been on a mountaintop. At this point in the scripture, Elijah displays the power of God like never before. He hears from the Lord on how to end a drought and famine. He raises a boy from the dead. He tears down false Gods and calls down fire from Heaven. However, a single whisper from Jezebel makes him run, flee, and hide in a cave doubting his identity and contemplating suicide. The enemy found the right opportunity to attack and it crippled his ability to be in alignment with God.

 

THE 4 WAYS THE ENEMY ATTACKS

If we lose our alignment with God, it is very easy for the enemy to take us down. The enemy finds us when we are at the most vulnerable and begins to erode away at our identity. Here are the four ways:

1. Fatigue – If you feel that the enemy has attacked you after you’ve just won a major victory in your life, it’s because you are at your weakest. After a major battle there is such a thing called fatigue where our body and mind can’t continue at the pace we need it to unless we get rest. The enemy knows this and thus tries to wear us out.
2. Fear – When you are tired, you have your defenses down and the prince of lies starts to plant seeds of fear in you. I often say that fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. You begin to see how big Goliath really is when you partner with fear.
3. Failure – This is when you begin to believe the lie and are overcome with failure, regret, or sorrow that shouldn’t be overshadowing you after a victory.
4. Forsaken – This is the last way the enemy attacks you. Your expectations have weighed heavy on you. You don’t know how to love yourself well and so you burn your oil, adrenaline, and then your flesh. At this point every single circumstance is overwhelming.

 

HOW TO PREPARE

The best way to prepare for this battle is to rest and receive. Love yourself the way Papa God loves you. Do something that recharges your emotional tank. For some that may look like golfing or riding your Harley Davidson. For others that may strictly mean sleep. Whatever it looks like to you, do not avoid rest. It is important to receive from God as well. Remind yourself who He says you are. Find memory stones that remind you daily. Receive by resting and watch your anointing level go up! What can you give if you have yet to receive anything from Him?

 

TAKEAWAY

I hope this reflection is helpful for you in this season. I feel there is power in these points as I have experienced these challenges countless times. Even this year, I have been in this battle for rest like never before and I am daily focusing on rest as my weapon of warfare.

I invite you to share how you are handling the battle you might be facing right now or share the victory you are currently celebrating – please share in the comments!

Keep watching the nations around you, and you will be astonished at what you see. I am going to do something that you will not believe when you hear about it. – Habakkuk 1:5

What does it look like to disciple nations? And what does a nation look like that’s been discipled properly? Perhaps systemic poverty would be gone. Perhaps people would live peaceful lives and live in abundance, and families would thrive in that culture.

It’s not a dream. It’s not a utopian society. It’s completely possible in a Kingdom culture, and it’s what God desires for the nations.

Often the greed of dictators or other corrupt leaders is predicated upon the lie that there isn’t enough for everyone. If I give you enough, then I won’t be able to live in abundance, and I won’t be happy. It’s one of the great lies of our day. We see it all over the world in politics, among warring tribes… even in the church sometimes.

But what does Kingdom culture look like? It comes from family. We teach others as a family and lead others into encounters with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whatever your job may be, you live your life and impact your area of influence by bringing Heaven to earth.

 

Cuba is Changing

One of the greatest examples I’ve seen of discipleship changing culture happened in Cuba. 19 years ago, a group of people in the persecuted church found an old VHS cassette tape of my teachings and reached out. When I first met them, I could feel the darkness of their society. They felt heavy and oppressed, living like orphans in secret under the heavy hand of communism.

Sometimes we feel like we’re living in darkness, and then we go to a truly dark place. It makes us thankful for where we live…

We taught the Cuban church for years on the Kingdom; taught them to adopt a Heavenly vision; see others through the eyes of Christ; and recognize who they are in Jesus. Their entire worldview shifted. It was amazing! Suddenly they’re saying, “Wow, there’s all this darkness; let’s bring in some light!” Suddenly they’re talking about what they’re for rather than what they’re against. Instead of blaming the government because we don’t have this and that, let’s do something about it.

And they did. They cleaned up the streets and built a health clinic. Now people are being drawn to the area and asking, why is there such a good health clinic here? It’s bringing transformation.

Out of their abundance, they even let the communist government borrow their chairs for one of their events. Our worldview used to be us vs. them, but now it’s about loving every area of society. They’re starting to influence the nation rather than being influenced by it. They’re capturing the heart of their good Father. And there’s some of the most extravagant worship in Cuba now. It’s truly amazing.

 

So How Can You Disciple Nations?

It’s easy to see evil in the world today. From the atrocities of the past in Cuba, Rwanda, and Cambodia, to the current atrocities in Syria, Sudan, and Libya, believers are asking God to do something about it. But He has called US to do something. He said that all authority has been given to you. If that’s true, then how much authority has been given to the devil? He only has what we give him. And if we keep it, then he doesn’t have the authority to destroy nations.

Here’s the key: you only have authority over what you love. If you’re intimate with God and love other people as you love yourself—and as God loves them—then you’re unstoppable. We need a convergence of love, power, and wisdom. This propels us to take action; to do something rather than spending our time protesting and complaining.

We need reformation, because it transforms culture; and you need Kingdom culture to change anything on earth.
Hans Nielsen Hauge is one of Norway’s heroes who created Kingdom culture when it was the poorest country in Europe—such that people would eat tree bark to survive! While many were just surviving under the gospel of salvation, one man had an encounter with the Holy Spirit while plowing his fields. His worldview changed. He started to love his country and the people in it, which brought his authority.

Hans Nielsen Hauge started the concept behind the 7 spheres of influence. Now that his worldview changed, Father God opened his eyes to see solutions in every sphere of society where he only saw problems before. People can’t read and write? No problem, he thought. I can just ski across mountains to start reading plans in remote villages. And sure enough, he did just that, and even started a plan to ensure everyone could receive a Bible.

No marketplace? No problem! The Lord showed him how to start businesses in communities to boost the economy. Hans Nielsen Hauge believed that every Norwegian is valuable, which means you treat them with high value, and it changes them. He even wrote books that influenced the way people were thinking; books about morals, the judicial system, and responding in love. The country was influenced by his actions after he died. A constitution was written, a business school was constructed, and people lived with a new worldview that they mattered and could live in abundance.

 

Change your Worldview

Everything you’re thinking about comes from an idea, whether good, bad, or neutral. Every idea has a worldview attached to it, which causes you to view things through certain glasses. Worldviews also have spirits attached to them. The killing fields in Cambodia started with a worldview attached to communism. What if we kill all the educated people? Everyone who disagrees with us? So there’s no competition. This led to a horrific genocide.

But there’s nothing God can’t redeem. When people step in to disciple nations, with a love for Cambodia and its people… the environment changes.

God loves both the victims and the victimizers. The people responsible for the world’s greatest atrocities are victims themselves, bound by the devil and brainwashed by his lies. They, too, need to know the truth. If we don’t disciple them, the devil will do it.

I’ve been blessed to witness what happens when victimizers receive forgiveness from their Father and step into their identity. During my last visit to Cambodia, the victims and victimizers came together in worship, miracles broke out, and people were healed!

 

Step up and get out!

God wants nations to experience how loved they are by Him. Every nation exists for a reason, and has a redemptive gift—one that’s supposed to reflect Heaven on earth.

We want nations to look how God intended from the beginning. So what needs to take place to change the future?

What does Kingdom culture look like in arts and media? When we’re dealing with addictions and poverty? It impacts and changes every issue we face today. When you love and disciple others, they start to love their country, and it starts a chain reaction. Do you hate your leaders? Or your country? Practice love so you will have the authority to influence the influencers. Practice love, power, and wisdom and change the nations.

I was in Chile the day Billy Graham died. Shortly after receiving the news, I felt the glory of God fill my room and I started to weep. It lasted well into the next morning, when the glory filled the breakfast area of our hotel—so much that I had a vision of his homecoming.

I could hear the Father welcoming His son Billy Graham home, saying “Well done, faithful servant!” I could see a multitude of people from different nations approaching him, welcoming him home. Thanking him for the way he lived his life. For finishing well. You could see the impact it had in heaven.

One of my key life verses came to me that day. In John 17:4, Jesus says that He showed His Father’s glory on earth and finished everything His Father called Him to do.

It made me think… am I living a full life every day? Am I living in such a way that when I’m finished, I can say that I accomplished everything I was put here on earth to do? The high price he paid for me is so valuable. I want to live a lifestyle of glory and release glory, showing people who my Father is by the way I live my sonship here on earth.

I also realized that there’s a lot of things God has not called us to do. There’s lots of noise and distractions in every season we’re in, pulling us away from our true purpose. But there’s a narrow path, and it isn’t always the easy way. When we’re on that path, we’re living full, and it’s worth it! Because we only have one life to live. When I stand before Him, I want to be able to say I utilized everything He gave me, left a legacy, and am fully ready to move ahead.

All of this started to burn in my spirit that day.

Using our Gifts to Finish Well

I’ve been thinking lately about the lives of a famous author and an equally famous playwright: C.S. Lewis and Oscar Wilde. Both men had very successful careers and left a legacy through their writings. But each man spoke drastically different words at the end of their lives.

Oscar Wilde is often quoted more than C.S. Lewis. In fact, he’s the most quoted playwright in the world after Shakespeare. Yet at the end of his life, he wrote about all the regrets he had; the things he wished he had done. He was not ready to see his Maker. He lived at the center of his own life, which he filled with temporary things that wouldn’t follow him into eternity.

On the other hand, C.S. Lewis told his brother at the end of his life that he was about to go home because he had finished everything God told him to do. He was living with eternity in mind. Both men had incredible gifts. But one chose truth and wisdom while the other chose happiness and pleasure. One experienced peace while the other had fear and regrets.

I thought about these men and it helped me realize the need in my own life to reorganize my priorities. I didn’t want to realize on my deathbed that there was this great potential God placed inside me that would also be buried with me.

How to Overcome Obstacles to Finishing Well

Sometimes my wife and I will walk through graveyards together and use our imaginations about what kind of lives these people lived. The last time we did this in Boston, I had tears in my eyes. I realized wow, there’s a book that was never written; a song that was never sung; a business that never started; a school system that was never created… So much potential is buried with those people.

There are many reasons this happens. Sometimes we don’t go after the desires of our hearts due to shame, or fear of failure, disappointment, discouragement, things that have happened to us in the past, or a number of other obstacles. The people who accomplish great things encounter the same things—fear, disappointment, and so on—but the difference is how they respond to it. In the midst of their struggles, some people receive an upgrade where they see that failure is not final.

Most of my close friends have failed often and even failed big. I can’t be around people who only score homeruns. I don’t have anything in common with them. I need to see someone’s process if I’m going to connect with them. I want to see people who went out there and attempted a dream, gave it their all, and got back up after getting knocked down one, two, or even fifty times.

The process is not automatic. It takes movement. When you ask yourself, What do I want to be known for? You can see things in your life that won’t help you get there. Habits, friends, anxieties or concerns, jobs… We were all born with potential, but sometimes we need to change things in our life to get to where God has called you to be.

So, let’s live full so one day we can die empty. I want to see a whole generation live a lifestyle of glory and finish well. What are you called to do? Ask yourself a few questions today:

1. What are some of the things that distract you from it?
2. What are some of your passions? The fuel that makes you burn brightly without burning out?
3. What are some giants you need to overcome to get to that finish line?
4. What are those temporary treasures in your life that feel good in the moment but cause you to have regrets later?

I have faith in you. That when you get to Heaven, you will see multitudes coming up to you, thanking you for giving your life to an eternal perspective.

It’s time for dreamers to dream! You recognize that voice, whether it’s loud or faint, telling you that you have something to give that could change the world. God wants each of us to dream with Him. Why? Because He is a dreamer. The idea of family and communion led to Him creating each of us – He literally wrapped our bodies around His dream. It’s in our nature to dream. It’s in our very being to partner with the ideas of heaven and walk out our individuality to change the world.

 

The Three Dream Killers

I was preaching at a church once and I began to ask this question out loud to the adults, “What is your dream?” To my surprise, no one said a word. I brought the children up to the front and asked about 10 of them what their dreams were. One by one they shouted out “I want to be an Astronaut,” “I want to be a professional soccer player,” “I want to be in the Hall of Fame.” These massive dreams just poured out of their hearts and they shouted them as if they had already accomplished their dream!

The reality of the situation was that the adults had dead dreams in their lives. I began to find out that the adults had fallen victim to these three things: disappointment, discouragement, and distraction. Today, I want to talk about what keeps us from dreaming with God and encourage you to begin dreaming!

 

Disappointment

Many of us have dreamed dreams before, and like all of us (including myself) we have been disappointed. That’s why many of us settle for survival. We dare not to dream bigger than what’s achievable because of safety. I’ve seen so many people let down and disappointed by their dreams. So what do they do? They lower their dreams or stop dreaming completely. They are just surviving. God doesn’t want you to lower your expectations. He doesn’t want you to live in disappointment. He wants you to keep dreaming! I heard it said once, “Disappointment is like cold water to a burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it.” If you choose to overcome disappointment, God will continue to give you dreams for your life that will come to pass.

 

Discouragement

Discouragement is another issue that I see many of us fall into. As dreamers we put so much time, energy, and hope into an idea and if someone questions it, brings doubt into our hearts or mind, our dream begins to fade away. Proverbs 13:12 says “hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” We need to counteract our discouragement. To counteract this discouragement we need to be surrounding ourselves with the right people. Dream with the people who believe in you and want you to succeed. Dream from a place of identity, intimacy, and family. If you do this, you will understand that we all win. Heaven, family, and you yourself will be benefiting from a partnership of like-minded people.

 

Distraction

The last thing that keeps us from dreaming with God is distraction. This is the most difficult one to balance because of the ebbs and flows of life. Responsibilities, jobs, careers, and people come and go distracting us from the dream God has given us. You must receive the dream and then become the dream. Do not become distracted and do not forget the idea from heaven that could change your environment, circumstances, and the world around you. Please hear me – there is nothing wrong with getting a job, wanting to be successful, and climbing the ladder. I just want you to recognize that when you get to the top of the ladder, you can be confident that you are leaning against the right wall and not the wrong one! God says, “if you delight in me, I will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). We need to understand that we are valuable to God. We each have potential and He is just waiting for His sons and daughters to tap into their unique fullness.

 

Takeaway

I hope this helps you pinpoint some things that have been hindering your dreams. There is power in dreaming and I love to dream yet I have experienced these challenges many times.

 

I invite you to share the dreams you are dreaming now or the dreams you have been dreaming about – please share in the comments!