Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/3342

3342 Power of love.... power of the divine word.... offering the divine word with or without love.... desire....

November 23, 1944: Book 43

Only someone who directly receives strength, be it on earth or in the spiritual kingdom, can give strength, for the giving of strength is only a consequence of receiving, but this in turn is the effect of a life of love. A work of love can therefore also donate strength because God Himself expresses Himself in loving activity, thus a transfer of strength also takes place. This is to be understood in such a way that only good deeds have a beneficial effect, even if this is not immediately recognized, but that a person who is intrinsically unloving and whose actions are not based on love can never ever be a blessing. He can indeed seemingly have great strength at his disposal but this is only increased vitality which flows to him from God's adversary because he is in bondage to him, but it is not divine strength which enlivens, spiritually promotes and leads upwards. Only God supplies this strength to people, and this strength can therefore only be gained through loving activity, through a direct connection with God. Likewise, spiritual strength can only be transmitted by people who are capable and willing to love, because only such people are recipients of strength. And it follows that the strength of the divine word only becomes effective when it is offered to people in love, otherwise it remains a dead word. It is different, however, when a loving person desires the word of God from the bottom of his heart and turns to God for the supply of truth and strength from God. Then the transmitter of the word can be a silent instrument of God, then God Himself conveys His word through it to the desiring person and it will be received by him as a source of strength. For then it is God Himself Who distributes His gift, as He can also convey it to the human being through the scriptures which, however, only come alive when a loving, truth-desiring person asks God for it. The receiver and the giver must be in love if the power of the word is to become effective....

A gift which is offered without love is only a form which is not enlivened by the spirit, it is something dead which understandably cannot awaken to life and also does not generate counter-love. Because the human being cannot receive strength through his lack of love he is also incapable of giving it away, and thus the state of powerlessness is everywhere where love is not cultivated. But lack of strength is also darkness.... Light is missing where there is no transmission of strength through love activity. And light is knowledge.... Therefore the state of lovelessness must at the same time be a state of ignorance, a lack of knowledge which corresponds to truth. And therefore unkindness has also expelled the truth, and it, in turn, can only be regained through loving activity.... But truth is the pure word of God which is conveyed to the person who is active in love, and he will also be permeated by strength and be able to distribute light and strength again. And if love for his neighbour impels the person to spread the word of God, he will also be able to present it vividly, and then it will also awaken his fellow human being to life, for this is the strength of the divine word, that it will not leave an impression if it offers love. And that is why God's servant himself must stand in love if he wants to be successful in the vineyard of the lord. He must recognize the spiritual hardship on earth and want to help people, then he will receive the strength to shape His words such that they are understandable and acceptable to people. Then the inherent strength of the divine word will flow into the listener, it will increase his willingness to receive, his understanding and again his activity of love.... he follows the divine word and makes considerable spiritual progress.... And this is achieved by love alone.... But without love every work is unsuccessful for its spiritual ascent development. And that is why so much work on earth is in vain. For even those who feel called do not recognize the necessity of loving activity and the powerlessness of the word which is offered without love. And this is why God Himself calls His servants on earth to whom He repeatedly demonstrates the strength of love, which results in inconceivable blessings and therefore may never be switched off if the human being tries to achieve spiritual success, for only love redeems, and only love leads to God....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers