1. UNITY – THE INGREDIENT FOR SUCCESSFUL ACHIEVEMENT
Unity is a very important ingredient required for progress, movement, accomplishment and making great strides in all areas of life. No team can succeed without unity. No progress can be made without unity. For instance, all parts of your car work together to produce movement. Fault with any part can cause immobility. Same with the body – internal and external organs.
Different types of unity seen in the Bible – positive and negative unity.
Negative Unity:
a. Tower of Babel – bad unity
Genesis 11:1-9 - KJV
Here we see God recognising the power of this unity by men. And a God (United as Trinity) confounded them and destroyed the bad unity. God still does same today with any unity against His Purpose, His Will and His Word.
In their unity, though negative, we learn some salient lessons:
1. United vision
2. United goal
3. United efforts
4. United communications
5. United ambition
6. United adherence
7. United command
8. United resistance
9. United mindset
Q: Are you united with someone else to defy God, His Servants and His Word? Please desist.
Are you in the habit of trying to win people over to your side and way of reasoning against the church of God and the ministers? Such unity will not stand because God still defends His Appointed and His Anointed.
b. Jehoshaphat’s unity with Ahab, the wicked king
2 Chronicles 19:1-4 - KJV
Bad unity is costly and can even cost you your life. Beware who you are united with and what or who are united against.
Positive Unity
a. Nehemiah and the builders
Nehemiah 2:17-18 - KJV
This is the kind of Unity God wants us to have as we go into the New Year. We will buy and build a House for our God in the coming year.
b. Joab and Abishai
2 Samuel 10:9-14 - KJV
God helped them because they were united in doing His Will and His Bidding.
2. UNITY OF CHRIST’S BODY
1 Corinthians 12:12,13
God wants us to be united in His Church and you should be part of that Unity.
Jesus prayed for the unity of His Church, not denominations. He did not pray for the unity of the Pharisees and the Disciples as they could never have been united. So, be careful with your association today and not fall for the argument that you as a member of Christ’s Church should be united with an enemy of Christ.
John 17:9 - KJV; John 17:20-23 - KJV
When we are united in His Church, there are benefits we receive - BENEFITS
Brotherly love and kindness shared
Edification and Encouragement to serve the Lord together received from one another
Needs are met by caring for one another
Emancipation and real freedom to serve the Lord in the Beauty of His Holiness
Fellowship with one another and refreshing from the Lord
Inspiration drawn from other people who are making giant strides for the Lord
Triumph and victory shared by everyone – we win together
Supernatural, Spirit-filled encounters in the midst of God’s People and service to God.
Psalms 133:1-3 - KJV
"To remain divided is sinful! Did not our Lord pray, that they may be one, even as we are one"? (John 17:22). A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune. What they are saying is, "Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs must come together in one visible organization, regardless... Unite, unite!" Such teaching is false, reckless and dangerous. Truth alone must determine our alignments. Truth comes before unity. Unity without truth is hazardous. Our Lord's prayer in John 17 must be read in its full context. Look at verse 17: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." Only those sanctified through the Word can be one in Christ. To teach otherwise is to betray the Gospel.
Charles H. Spurgeon, The Essence of Separation, quoted in The Berean Call, July, 1992, p. 4.
-Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together.
Vesta Kelly.
3. UNITY IN THE FAMILY AGAINST EVIL AND FALSEHOOD
Ephesians 5:10-33 - KJV
As a family, be united for God and against Satan in all forms.
Stand united against anyone or force that would stand against your family.
Stand together in love, prayers and commitment and service to God.
