Saturday Motivation: A Call to Unite!

19th September 2020!

Saturday Motivation With Yahwendy! A Call to Unite!

Text: John 17 v 9-11:

I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world and I come to You Holy Father, Keep through Your Name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We Are.

What`s Unity?

Unity is the state of being undivided or unbroken. It is completeness or wholeness.
Unity is being together or at one with someone or something.
Unity is being in harmony or one in spirit.
Unity is what makes the difference between mediocrity and greatness
There is power in unity. We can accomplish a little on our own but together, we can create a movement that can effect change and create a future of hope.
United we stand, divided we fall.
A country that is divided against itself will plateau, implode, decline, and lose its place and voice in the calendar of great nations.
Unity is very important in our day to day living. Without it, even the strongest and greatest of nations will crumble.
Unity is needed for survival. It protects us from evil and this is why we must help one another and avoid internal rivalry as well as every form of negativity. When we stand together in love, we obtain positive results but when we stand alone, we may be able to accomplish little.
We must make every effort to stay united, selfless and cultivate a genuine desire to see others succeed.
Unity requires commitment and love; we must therefore cultivate healthy relationships. Unity can be a very bad thing when people agree about things that are untrue without having their facts right.
As humans, we are all equal in value. None is greater or better than others. None is more important than others. We are all relevant and are all useful. That does not mean that there won`t be leaders and followers, because without leaders, we would be living in a world where chaos and anarchy will be the order of the day.

What is Unity According to the Bible?

Biblical unity is likened to the unity of the Godhead. (John 17 v 6-26); based on the prayer life of Jesus.

Jesus prayed not only for his disciples but also for those who believe in the future. His prayer was dominated by the theme of unity similar to the one that binds the Trinity.
The model for unity is based on the great commission of Jesus so that the world would dwell together in complete unity through their belief in God.

The mark of unity is the love of Jesus and the measure of unity is to be completely united. He wants the entire world to be completely and visibly united.

The opposite of unity is disunity. Disunity is the result of the works of the flesh in the life of a believer. An example is envy.

Disunity starts when we begin to compare ourselves with others, comparing our achievements with those around us and putting in extra- hours as a result of the spirit of competition that has overwhelmed us just to prove that we are better than others.

Unity is being together or at one with someone or something. It`s the opposite of being divided. The body of Christ or the whole of humanity must work together as a team because we are stronger when we work together in unity.

Teamwork is the key to living life in harmony, so that we can fulfill God`s will.

As believers, we all are the called of God. We all have been called to be disciples of Jesus and to serve in the body of Christ. The secret call of the preacher does not make him or her more called than any other person. We are all called to minister.

Our unity in Christ is one that should thrive in spite of our diversity. If we all work together in harmony by casting aside our differences, we can achieve a unified purpose. The more we work together as one, the more we will experience the unity of purpose that we crave.

The spirit of envy, strife and division reduces believers to the natural or carnal state that they were in before they became born again.

These spirits stunts the growth of the people of God.

The architect of this spirit is no other than the accuser of the brethren.

Satan knows that a house divided against itself cannot stand. He also knows that if we all come together in the unity of our faith, we will arrive at the full stature of Christ.

As believers, we must not yield to these spirits. We must not give in to the spirit of division. We must stand in unity with others, believe the best of others and pursue unity with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

How can we achieve a united front as believers?

1. By instilling a firm belief in togetherness and by avoiding finger pointing and blaming
2. By collaborating with people who have the same objectives and values as us in order to achieve a common purpose
3. By constantly setting and resetting our goals and objectives
4. By working on our misunderstandings and conflicts
5. By mentoring others and not being jealous of their progress even when they begin to shine more than us.
6. By creating a shared purpose instead of showcasing individual talent
7. By being willing to serve others because we cannot lead except we serve.

The Urgency for Unity

There is an urgent need for us all to rise up and unite at this crucial time. We need unity to make our world a better place. We need to be united to overcome the pandemic. We must stop pointing accusing fingers and stop playing blame games.
If we are going to make our great country USA and other countries of the world greater countries than they already are, we need to unite and choose the right leaders that will steer us towards the right course so that we do not sink.
We need unity in our homes and marriages. A marriage where the spouses are always at loggerheads is an avenue for the devil to sow his wild oats.
We must be vigilant as the year is rounding up and take the necessary precautions to ensure that we are still in the faith. We must stop all the competition. And throw away the “I am better than others or I am the best amongst all the rest mentality into the garbage chute”.
We must remember that we can do more together than we can do individually. God has brought us all together in Christ for a purpose. We must break down the walls that are dividing us by ethnicity and race and begin to treat others with grace and equality just as we would like to be treated.

We are stronger in our diversity and so must do away with racism, inequality and man inhumanity to man.

I have never been to heaven before but I am sure that heaven is a place of diversity made up of redeemed saints from every tribe, tongue and nationality.

We all must learn to be humble, gentle and patient with one another. And we should accommodate one another`s faults because of the love of Christ. We must make every effort to keep ourselves united by living in peace with all men.

If we do not agree on the nature of God and what He stands for, we cannot have complete unity neither can we enjoy peace here on earth.

Our mission now should be to work together as a team by doing our part in securing a cure to end the pandemic and other menace in our society that are threatening world peace. We should therefore not get distracted by disputes and divisions over irrelevant and little things when there are bigger things that we can achieve together.
We must seek unity of purpose and model our walk and work after the life and ministry of Jesus so that we can all dwell together in peace and harmony notwithstanding our multi-diversity.

Benefits of co-existing together in Unity

When we walk in unity and model our walk and work after the life and ministry of Jesus, we will be able to do the following irrespective of our nationality, country or diversity.

1. We will enjoy world peace
2. We will be greater
3. We will become stronger
4. Inequality and racism will be a thing of the past
5. We will be able to change our world and community for the better.

Let`s look at some examples of unity in the Bible;
1. Mark 6 v 7-13: The 12 disciples; Jesus had a team of disciples who went everywhere with him. In this passage Jesus sent his disciples out to begin doing their own ministry in teams of two. He gave them specific instructions not to take anything with them but to rely on people who invited them into their homes.

2. Nehemiah 4 v 15-23: When Nehemiah led the team to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, enemies of the Israelites kept trying to attack them while they worked but team work helped them get the job done. They divided themselves into groups; half worked on rebuilding the wall while half stood guard to ensure that enemies did not invade them.
3. Ephesians 4 v 15-16: The famous passage from Ephesians is worthy of mention. Paul reminds believers that they are all part of the same team –and that each person has a part to play. This is a great lesson about the need for unity.

Let`s look at some Bible verses on Unity;
1. Ecclesiastes 4 v 9: Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor.

2. Proverbs; 27 v 17: Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
3. 1 Peter 4 v 10; as every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
4. Ephesians 4 v 11: And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers.
5. 3 John 1 v 8: We therefore ought to receive such that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.
6. Psalm 133 v 1: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity
7. Amos 3 v3: Can two walk together except they agree?
8. Romans 15 v 6: That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9. 2 Corinthians 13 v 11: Finally brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
10. Ephesians 4 v 2-3: Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
11. John 17 v 23: I am in them as you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.
12. Romans 12 v 4-5: Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ`s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
13. Romans 12 v 16-18: Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all. Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see that you are honorable. Do all you can to live in peace with everyone.
14. Galatians 3 v 26-28: For you all are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
15. 1 Peter 3 v 8: Finally all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted and keep a humble attitude.
16. Colossians 3 v 14: And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony
17. Ephesians 4 v 4: There is one body and one spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call.
18. Matthew 2 v 25: Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.
19. Matthew 18 v 19-20: Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
20. Ephesians 2 v 14: For He Himself is our peace who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility.
21. Romans 12 v 10: Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Prayer

May the Lord give us the grace to begin to value our diversity and uniqueness and avoid unnecessary competition whilst promoting unity, in Jesus Mighty Name! Amen!

Shalom!