UNITY - Together We Stand - Part 4
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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) As a born again, new creature in Christ, you are a trichotomous being comprised of Body, Soul and Spirit.
1) As a born again, new creature in Christ, you are a trichotomous being comprised of Body, Soul and Spirit.
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.
2) The Body is where the carnal (fleshly) nature lives. It is the root of selfish desire.
2) The Body is where the carnal (fleshly) nature lives. It is the root of selfish desire.
3) The Soul comprises the mind, the will, and the emotions and directs the actions.
3) The Soul comprises the mind, the will, and the emotions and directs the actions.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
4) The Spirit is the part of us that communes with God and reflects His nature.
4) The Spirit is the part of us that communes with God and reflects His nature.
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.
I Think
I Think
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
7 for it’s like someone calculating inwardly. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. As one who reckons, he says to you, eat and drink, yet his heart is not with you [but is grudging the cost].
This scripture accentuates the internal battle of the thought life.
Joyce Meyer: “A war is raging and your mind is the battlefield. If you’ve ever dealt with things like worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger, condemnation…you've experienced firsthand the attacks in your mind. But the good news is, you don’t have to let those thoughts defeat you.”
1 Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
2 But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
7 Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.
1) What originates in the flesh (the carnal nature) must be overcome in the Spirit.
1) What originates in the flesh (the carnal nature) must be overcome in the Spirit.
3 For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,
Rick Warren:
“The battle for sin always starts in the mind.” - Rick Warren
The apostle Paul says here that our job in this battle is to “destroy strongholds.” You know what a stronghold is? It is a mental block. Paul is talking about pretentions, arguments set up against the knowledge of God. This is a mental battle. And he says, “Destroy these strongholds.” A stronghold can be one of two things:
It can be a worldview, such as materialism, hedonism, Darwinism, secularism, relativism, communism, atheism. All of the different -isms are mental strongholds that people set up against the knowledge of God.
A stronghold can also be a personal attitude. Worry can be a stronghold. Seeking the approval of other people can be a stronghold. Anything that you make an idol in your life can be a stronghold — fear, guilt, resentment, insecurity. All of these things can be strongholds in your mind. And the Bible says that we are to tear them down.
2) Don’t argue with the enemy!
2) Don’t argue with the enemy!
5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),
6 Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete.
7 Look at [this obvious fact] which is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him reflect and remind himself that even as he is Christ’s, so too are we.
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
3) Counter the arguments of the enemy and your flesh with the Word!
3) Counter the arguments of the enemy and your flesh with the Word!
4) Arrest your thoughts.
4) Arrest your thoughts.
5) Resist anxious thoughts.
5) Resist anxious thoughts.
1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.
15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
6) Change your stinking thinking!
6) Change your stinking thinking!
7) Allow the guard of Jehovah-Shalom to shield your thoughts and emotions.
7) Allow the guard of Jehovah-Shalom to shield your thoughts and emotions.