Cause and Solution to Conflict
Matthew 6:13
Introduction:
(KJV) “...For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
(Message Bible) “You’re in charge!”
“You can do anything you want!”
“You’re ablaze in beauty!”
1. When we pray this prayer, we are, at least verbalizing, that all things belong to God.
2. Two facts that we should Remember.
a. There is a God.
b. You/I are not God.
3. We have conflict when we begin to vie for “the kingdom, the power, and the glory.”
a. Conflict with God when we do not want to give Him the kingdom, the power, and the
glory.
b. Conflict with each other as we desire the kingdom, the power, and the glory.
c. Conflict in our homes as family members compete for the kingdom, the power, and the
glory.
4. Notice how the Message Bible states this part of the Lord’s prayer. “You are in charge!
You can do anything you want!, and You’re ablaze with beauty!”
a. Note Mat 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
and the Message Bible says it like this: “Do what’s best--as above, so below.”
b. Here in these verses is found the key to conflict, and the key to the solution.
1. To have conflict, then desire your/my own way.
2. To put an end to conflict, then give the kingdom, power, and glory to God.
I. Let us look at the beginning of Conflict
A. Lucifer’s Conflict with God
Note: What was the cause?
Note: He wanted the kingdom, power, and glory that was God’s, and that is still the cause of
conflict today.
1. Scripture References
a. Ezekiel 28:12-19
12) Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13) Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15) Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16) By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17) Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18) Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19) All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
b. Isaiah 14:12-13
12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
2. Let us put these two Scriptures together and see if we can understand what happened
with Lucifer.
a. Let us notice how he was before he sinned
1. Full of Wisdom
2. Perfect in Beauty
3. In the Garden of God (in the presence of God)
4. Every precious stone was his covering
5. He was the anointed cherub that covered
6. He was upon the holy mountain of God
7. He walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire
8. He was perfect in his ways from the day he was created
b. Let us see what happened to Lucifer.
Note: Remember, we said conflict comes as we compete over the kingdom, power, and glory,
and we see how Lucifer wanted the kingdom, power and glory.
1. Iniquity was found in Lucifer
2. Lucifer sinned
3. His iniquity and sin was because of the multitude of His merchandise (activities)
a. Pride became his downfall
1. Pride came about because of his beauty (wants glory)
2. His wisdom was corrupted because of his brightness (wants glory)
b. Pride caused him to think he could overthrow God, so he attempted to take
the kingdom, power, and glory and said:
1. I will ascend into heaven,
2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:
3. I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the
north:
4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
5. I will be like the most High.
3. Let us now note what happens to those who continue to try to take the kingdom,
power and glory from God.
a. God will cast them to the ground,
b. God will lay them before kings, that they may behold them.
c. God will bring a fire from their midst that shall devour them because they have
defiled His sanctuaries by the multitude of their iniquities.
d. God will bring them to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold
them.
e. God will cause them to be an astonishment among the people
f. God will bring them down to judgment, and others will ask: “Is this the one that
made us to tremble and did disturb our world.
Note: This is not just for Lucifer, but for all those who try to take the kingdom, power, and
glory.
Note: Let us look at the Biblical example. Adam & Eve. Ananias & Sapphiria. Cain.
Nebuchednezzar. Belshazzar. Haman.
Note: If we are in conflict, then we have not given God the kingdom, power, and glory.
Note: We are in conflict if we are having a problem
a. of being angry,
b. of being critical of others especially those in authority,
c. with who is recognized,
d. with what programs are recognized,
e. with jealousy,
f. with monies being going out to ministry, etc
Note: God is merciful, and full of grace, but after a time, He will bring us down if we do not repent and let Him have the Kingdom, Power, and Glory.
B. Others who had conflict
1. Adam & Eve had conflict with God (Genesis 3)
Note: Let us note the basis of their conflict. They wanted what was God’s
a. God gave Adam and Eve the earth and everything on it
1. Psa 115:16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
2. Genesis 1:26-29
26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29) And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
a. Dominion from Hebrew radah meaning to tread down, to subjugate, to
prevail against, to reign or rule over. To take.
b. God game man glory, (in God’s image) power, (control over everything),
and kingdom (the earth)
b. Conflict occurs when Adam & Eve want what is God’s
1. Gen 2:15-17 explains what is God’s and what is man’s.
15) And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (man’s) 16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (man’s) 17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (God’s)
2. Genesis 3 explains man’s fall and judgment
a. We see in verses 5 and 6 the temptation to be as gods
5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
b. Judgment follows in verses 16-19 and with verse 23 where they are
removed from the Garden of God. No more can they have fellowship
with Him because they wanted His kingdom, power, and glory.
2. Cain & Abel (Chapter 4 of Genesis)
a. Note verse 6 and 7.
6) And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7) If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
b. Cain you can have authority and glory if you will do well, but if you do not do well
then Able shall rule over you. Conflict over being accepted by God.
Note: This is still a conflict today. Who is going to be in charge? Who will get the recognition?
Who will notice what I am doing?
Note: If we will give the kingdom, power, and glory to God, then we will not be concerned about
these things for they are all God’s anyway.
3. Nebuchadnezzar in Dan 4, and note v 28-30
28) All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 29) At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 30) The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
4. Belshazzar in Daniel 5, and note verses 18-30
18) O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 19) And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. 20) But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 21) And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. 22) And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23) But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: 24) Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. 25) And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26) This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27) TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28) PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. 29) Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30) In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.
Note: I could name many others who have had conflict with God, and not only with God, but conflict occurs when there is disagreement over the kingdom, power, and glory. Wars, divorce, union strikes, civil disorder, robberies, murders, abuse, rape, abortion, generation gaps in families, church disorder, church conflict, church splits, etc.
Note: What is the problem? We have not given the kingdom, power, and glory to whom it
belongs which is God.
Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
II. Solution to conflict
Note: We have to recognize that it is God’s kingdom, power, and glory and not ours.
A. The Scripture states that the Glory belongs to God
1. 1 Chr 29:11
11) Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12) Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
2. Rev 4:11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
3. Rev 19:1
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
B. God requires that we give Him our all, which is the kingdom, power, and glory.
1. Exodus 20:3, 4, 7, 8
3) Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 7) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
2. Matt 22:37-39
37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38) This is the first and great commandment. 39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
3. Matt 22:21
“...Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”
4. Matt 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
C. Examples
1. Eli to Samuel
1 Sam 3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.
2. Mary to the Angel
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
3. Jesus to the Father
Luke 22:42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
Note: We should pray:
“God Enable me to do what is pleasing to thee; give me that grace that is necessary to the right knowledge of thy will, and an acceptable obedience to it.”
1. If we will stop and ask ourselves the question, “Is God pleased with this“ before we do,
or say anything then the things we do and say would be different.
a. There would be fewer hurt feelings
b. There would be fewer church divisions.
c. There would be greater anointing in our services.
Conclusion
1. Conflict is when we want our way.
2. Conflict can be a one way street.
a. One person gives the kingdom, power, and glory to God, and he/she is not in conflict.
even though
b. Another person is vying for the kingdom, power, and glory and is in conflict with the
individual and with God.
3. Those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior are in Conflict, because they have not given
Him the kingdom, power, and glory.
4. Those who get angry, jealous, or upset with others in the church have not given Him the
kingdom, power, and glory.
5. Let us give it all to Jesus.
Note: The Scripture text, and the Lord’s prayer as Matthew Henry put it:
“Father in heaven, thy kingdom come, for thine is the kingdom; thy will be done, for thine is the power; hallowed be thy name, for thine is the glory.”
6. Comments from Pulpit Commentary
a. “Thy kingdom come.”
We pray that our hearts may become the kingdom of God; that self may be dethroned; that the Lord may reign within us; that all our thoughts, wishes, motives, may, by the blessed influence of his Holy Spirit, be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
b. Thy will be done
We pray that God’s will be done within us. We pray that that gracious will of God, may have its full range, its perfect work; that our wills, rebellious and wayward as they are, may be subdued and chastened into conformity with the holy will of God.
c. The standard is in earth as it is in heaven.
1. In heaven, the holy angels ever do the blessed will of God; they do it perfectly, they do
it cheerfully, without self-denial, without painful effort. There is no place in heaven
for a will opposed to the Divine will.
2. Our wills are distorted by inherited corruption, by our own consent to sin, but our
Father is in heaven; our citizenship is in heaven; our treasure, our heart should
be in heaven, also. Therefore we must try to live the heavenly life on earth.
