UNITY - Together We Stand - Part 1
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The Word Unity in The Bible
The Word Unity in The Bible
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.
Eph 4 is the UNITY Chapter
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
While the word unity is only in Scripture 3 times, the concept of unity is throughout the Scripture:
In the Lord’s Prayer (not our prayer taught by the Lord, but His actual prayer that he prayed to the Father for us before he went to the cross, Jesus Christ prays for unity among those who follow God:
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
1) Unity among the People of God is Necessary for the Church to fulfill its Calling and Mission
1) Unity among the People of God is Necessary for the Church to fulfill its Calling and Mission
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
Satan knows that the only way to stop the people of God is to break their unity - to divide them.
22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.
23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Note: Kingdoms, Cities and even Families fail because of division.
Note: Kingdoms, Cities and even Families fail because of division.
2) The Enemy Knows that Division Causes the Kingdom of God to Fail in its Mission
2) The Enemy Knows that Division Causes the Kingdom of God to Fail in its Mission
The Enemy uses Division in the Body of Christ, because a unified body cannot be defeated.
Matthew 16:18 b (NKJV)
18 ... on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
The Word of God takes division seriously:
17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,
3) In order for us to defeat division and stand in UNITY, we must understand the root of division.
3) In order for us to defeat division and stand in UNITY, we must understand the root of division.
Scripture is clear about the source of division.
19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
In others words, like you saw in the opening video, division is about I, I, I.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that there are three I’s in division.
4) Self-focus always brings division.
4) Self-focus always brings division.
1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
As a born again, new creature in Christ, you are a trichotomous being comprised of Body, Soul and Spirit.
As a born again, new creature in Christ, you are a trichotomous being comprised of Body, Soul and Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV)
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Body is where the carnal (fleshly) nature lives. It is the root of selfish desire.
The Body is where the carnal (fleshly) nature lives. It is the root of selfish desire.
The Soul comprises the mind, the will, and the emotions and directs the actions.
The Soul comprises the mind, the will, and the emotions and directs the actions.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
The Spirit is the part of us that communes with God and reflects His nature.
The Spirit is the part of us that communes with God and reflects His nature.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
According to Job, the Spirit is the seat of our conscience.
8 But there is a spirit in man: And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
According to the Word of God, our Spirit is dead because of sin, but comes to life when we are born again. That is the new birth.
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
And so begins the war between Body and Spirit with the Soul in the middle deciding which way we go through the mind (I THINK), the will (I WANT), and the emotions (I FEEL).
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
You do not do the things you wish because the Spirit was buried in sins and trespasses prior to being born again. The soul has been preconditioned to want, think, and feel what the body (the flesh) desires.
You do not do the things you wish because the Spirit was buried in sins and trespasses prior to being born again. The soul has been preconditioned to want, think, and feel what the body (the flesh) desires.
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word victory means an act of defeating an enemy or opponent in a battle, game, or other competition.
How can we defeat the flesh?
We must redirect our soul to desire the things of the Spirit.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
We must renew our mind (I THINK) and deny the flesh (I WANT, I FEEL) with the Word of God in order to separate the Soul from following the desires of the flesh.
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Word of God is the only thing that will separate the Soul from following the desires of the flesh.
The Word of God is the only thing that will separate the Soul from following the desires of the flesh.
Back to Galatians.
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Unity begins with U ‘n I, and U comes first!
Unity begins with U ‘n I, and U comes first!
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Refocusing the Soul to the things of the Spirit, begins with being others focused.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Being others focused brings UNITY!
Being others focused brings UNITY!
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.