In these times when lying and deceiving to gain political advantage are so prevalent, we must become even more devoted to the truth. As we’re told in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, God will destroy “… the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (emphasis mine).”
People seek truth for many reasons, but there is only one reason the followers of Christ are to use: because we love the truth. It is not enough to know the truth, but we must have a “love of the truth.” People will compromise the truth if they are seeking it for anything less than love of the truth. We will not compromise something we love, and we’ll have the courage to stand for it regardless of the pressure or opposition.
People believed and followed Jesus because they saw His works. These works did not just reveal His power, but they revealed His nature. He healed people because He had compassion on those who were sick or afflicted. They saw His love for people in the miracles, and that caused them to trust Him.
When we see the city He is building, it magnifies our faith in Him because it reveals His love for us and the world. He is building this city so that He can dwell on earth among men. Not only is this another sign of how much He loves us and the earth, but it is a city that greatly eclipses even the greatest works and achievements of men. It will so elevate all that man is and does in the age to come that we will see a magnificence and glory that surpasses even our greatest hopes and dreams.
So, we can compel men to leave the errors and the sin that so enslave them by leading them to Him, His love, His ability, and all that He’s doing to express it. The truth spoken in love has a power beyond any other, and there is no love greater than God’s. Knowledge of the truth expressed with a love for the truth has far more power than just knowledge. God is love, and true spiritual authority is founded on love. So, when we love the truth we speak—and those we’re speaking to—it has this power.
As the Lord said in Isaiah 66, He is looking for the humble and contrite to build His house. Being humble and contrite is essential to being part of God’s ultimate purpose, but it must be combined with a love for the truth. Our King is the Truth. Without a profound love for Him and His truth, we can be humble but still fail if we do not have love.
The word “history” came by combining “his” and “story.” The “his” is Christ. History is the account of God’s dealings with mankind and men’s dealings with one another. So, how do we distinguish these when so many of God’s dealings with men are done through men? It is by knowing Him so well that we know when He is speaking through them.
History is one of the ultimate sources of truth about the Lord, and about ourselves. In history we can distinguish between people’s words, and their actions. We can also distinguish His words and actions. The ultimate love of the truth is to love Him who is the Truth—Jesus. When we’re looking for Him we will see Him, in history and everywhere else He is to be seen. So, if we love the truth, we will be compelled to study history. The Bible is basically a history book. If we love the truth, we will not just read our Bibles; we’ll study them with a passion that we never lose because “Love never quits” (which is an accurate translation of 1 Corinthians 13:8, usually translated as “Love never fails”).
The Lord called to the “overcomers” in each church He addressed in Revelation. If He is speaking to our congregation, movement, or denomination, we can be sure that He’s speaking to and calling out the overcomers. These are the champions who will fight for the truth that will set His people free.
Those who overcome are those who never quit. They will get hurt in the church as much as anyone, but they will never quit on the church. She is His bride, and if we truly love Him, we will never give up on His church until she is the glorious bride that He deserves.
© 2025 Rick Joyner. All Rights Reserved.
