The Mrs. Rev Podcast: United We Stand
This episode is being released in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, we are being asked to live our lives in a way that is very different from what we are used to. It can feel frustrating and isolating, but no matter what the situation is, we are going to get through it together! However, the only way that will happen is if we stay united against our one enemy: the devil.
The devil would love nothing more than to cause chaos and disunity and to take away your peace and stability. But it is your job to keep your heart pure.
Unity and peace go hand and hand.
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 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. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” Ephesians 4:1-7
When you choose to cause division, you are choosing to go back to the mindset and behaviors you had before you knew the Lord. The Bible tells us that when you act in line with your old nature, you will see envy, strife, and division. That is not what God wants us to be doing as believers! We are called to walk in love.
“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
Does this mean that we agree on everything? No! You could argue about anything including what you eat, how you clean, or how you’re doing church. When you get tempted to engage in an argument, especially online, ask yourself, “What fruit is this going to produce? Will it produce chaos and strife or peace?”
Your soul does not lead you. You can choose peace. If the enemy can’t get you to walk in fear or give up on the dreams God has given you, he will try to take your peace by causing disunity. Remember, you are not given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. A spirit of unity robs you of a spirit of love and a sound mind.
Q: Do a soul check. Do you feel like you are living in peace, or do you feel uneasy? If you feel uneasy, have you been engaging in arguments online? Have you been complaining? Ask God if you need to modify some of your relationships or go on a social media fast to regain your peace.
Sometimes, the most spiritual thing that you can do is stay in unity and stay in peace.
Church attendees, you can promote unity by supporting the vision God gives your senior pastors. By attending their church, you have decided to support the vision God gives them for your church. If you are a member of the church, you have submitted yourself under the leadership of the pastor. He has to give an account to God for how he leads. You can’t try to lead or insert your opinion. You might not agree, but you should submit. God values the order that he set up in Ephesians 4. When you understand that, you submit yourself to that authority.
Pastors, you can sow unity by refusing to sow discord with other pastors. Don’t be a part of the enemy’s agenda to cause division and distract us from our purpose!
By choosing unity, you are saying yes to peace, yes to joy, yes to power, yes to walking forward in the call God has given you in this hour. When you do, your heart and mind will be protected.
Pray this: God, thank you for your Holy Spirit. Thank you for speaking and leading each of us in this unprecedented situation. We trust your leadership. Help me to submit to my pastors and to get behind the vision that you have given them for our church during this time. Use me to sow unity and peace in the body of Christ. If I have fallen short in this area, forgive me and help me to move in unity from this moment on. God, I pray for my pastors and leaders as well. Continue to protect their physical health and their minds so that they can lead with strength and peace. I love you, and I know that I will see your goodness even more as the days progress! In Jesus’s name, amen.