How Can The Lord Help You Gain Peoples' Cooperation?

What are some of the Biblical guidelines in gaining others cooperation?

Quote: Cooperation is best gotten when people know how much you love them and seek their best interests. People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.

1. Ask the Lord to give you a special passion, love and concern for others and their needs. Paul writes, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Rom. 12:9,10)

2. Favorably regard people you are trying to relate to and avoid arguments. Paul writes, "Accept him who faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. (Rom. 14:1)

3. Remember how freely Christ accepts you and freely accept others in the same spirit. Paul writes, "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." (Rom. 15:7)

4. Affirm people’s positive character qualities. Paul writes, "I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another." (Rom. 15 :14)

5. Ask the Lord in private and public prayers to give you a spirit of unity as you work together for Christ’s purpose. Paul writes, "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 15 :5,6)

6. Try to ignore and stay away from people who habitually stir up trouble in the ranks. Paul writes, "I urge you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites." (Rom. 16:17,18)

7. Apply Paul, the apostle’s, formula for successful cooperation. Paul writes, "Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Phil. 2:2)

8. Recognize that Christians are on the same team and the real enemy is the devil along with sinful human nature. Paul writes, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 6: 12)

9. Ask the Lord to increase your love in quality and quantity for others. Paul writes, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight." (Phil. 1:9)

l0..Learn how to speak with decorum, tact and graciousness to every person. Paul writes, "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is Christ. (Eph. 4:15,16)

11. Show how much you have need for and appreciate one another. Paul writes, "From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Eph. 4 :15 ,16)

12.Emphasize synergistic relationships. Paul writes, "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don’t need you!"... So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (I Cor. 12:25,26)

How Can the Lord Help You Gain Peoples’ Cooperation?

What are some of the Biblical guidelines in gaining others cooperation?

1. Ask the Lord to give you a special love and concern for others and their needs. Paul writes, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Rom. 12:9,10)

2. Favorably regard people you are trying to relate to and avoid arguments. Paul writes, "Accept him who faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. (Rom. 14:1)

3. Remember how freely Christ accepts you and freely accept others in the same spirit. Paul writes, "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." (Rom. 15:7)

4. Affirm people’s positive character qualities. Paul writes, "I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another." (Rom. 15 :14)

5. Ask the Lord in private and public prayers to give you a spirit of unity as you work together for Christ’s purpose. Paul writes, "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 15 :5,6)

6. Try to ignore and stay away from people who habitually stir up trouble in the ranks. Paul writes, "I urge you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites." (Rom. 16:17,18)