“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1 Cor. 1:10 NIV)

A well-known and often used battle strategy is to divide up groups so they cannot use combined strength and resources. When divided, they become weak, vulnerable, and easily conquered. Jesus spoke about this in the gospel of Mark. He said, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”  (Mark 3:24-25)

Satan uses this “divide them” strategy often to weaken both the church and the family

·      To weaken the church

God’s Kingdom – “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” (Jesus) – notice how divided God’s church has become. Instead of working together as a powerful group, the church is divided into smaller weak groups and factions called denominations (and other names meaning the same thing). It’s not unusual to find many churches in each city or community, some even next to each other, but operating independently of each other, not together! Separated by a point of doctrine, their traditions, or difference of opinion on a myriad of other things. They are held together more by their traditions and doctrines than by the Word of God, thus making the word of God noneffective for them.

“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” (Mark 7:13 KJV)

·      To weaken marriages & families

The home, or house, the family structure. “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Jesus) – marriages and the family structure has changed dramatically over the years. We used to be a country made up of small farms and close knit church-attending families, but we have changed!

Get into agreement so that God can work in your life

“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor. 1:10-13 NASB)

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. ‘For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.'” (Matt. 18:19-20)

“Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:3)

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15 NIV)

Boldly and confidently!

We can come confidently to God in prayer when we are asking for things according to His will. How do you know if you are asking for things that are according to His will? You read His Word, find out what it says, and then you get in agreement with what it says! It’s as simple as that.

God gives generously!

If you are ever in doubt, talk to God about it (that’s what prayer is). And, you can ask Him to give you wisdom about any situation. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all.” (James 1:5)

“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2 ESV)

Everybody dies, that’s just the way it is!

It’s easy to forget that each one of us is only temporarily here on earth. The Bible says that “it is appointed unto man to die and then judgement.” (Heb. 9:27). The older I get, the more people I have known who have now passed away, including my parents, many aunts and uncles, one of my brothers, and many friends.

It’s very comforting to know that Jesus has promised that he has “prepared a place” for those who have passed on. That there is something wonderful waiting for those who have placed their trust in Him.

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’” (James 4:6 NIV)

Definition of God’s Grace

Grace (from the Greek New Testament word charis) is God’s unmerited favor. It is kindness from God that we don’t deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor. It is a gift from God.

And, if that isn’t enough, He gives us even “more grace.” According to the above verse, he shows favor to the humble, that is to those who are meek, respectful, and submissive.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8)

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1-2)

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” (Prov. 30:5 NIV)

To take refuge is defined as a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. It means shelter, protection, safety, and security

“But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” (Psalm 3:3)

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.” (Psalm 118:8)

“The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.” (Psalm 34:22)

“Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” (Psalm 121:4-8 NIV)

God is present always

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,’ Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day Darkness and light are alike to You.” ( Psalm 139:7-12)

“‘Am I a God who is near,’ declares the LORD, ‘And not a God far off? Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?’ declares the LORD ‘Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?’ declares the LORD.” ( Jer. 23:23-24)

‘The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3)

“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” (2 Chr. 16:9)

“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18)

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

“He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28 NIV)

In this promise, Jesus was responding to a woman who said, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” He corrected her statement by saying clearly how to be blessed. Two things you must do: 1) Hear the Word of God, and 2) obey it.

Why you must “Hear the Word of God”

It is because that is how you obtain faith! “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 19:17)

Why you must “Obey the Word of God”

It is because God loves you when you do and God will “come to you” and “make His home with you.” “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’” (John 14:23)

Obeying will also keep you from being deceived. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22)

“God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.” (Psalm 66:19 NIV)

You can have complete confidence that God listens to you and hears your prayers! In fact, He even understands your needs even before you ask and often answers even while you’re speaking!

“It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65: 24)

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13 NIV)

We don’t have to be in the dark about whether we are saved or not!

God wants us to have complete assurance! We have the Word of God to give us assurance of eternal life through Jesus.

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:11-13)

“Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22)

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” (2 Tim. 1:12)