Dwelling Together in the Unity of the Spirit

The Bible is very clear about living in unity. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! …for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore” (Ps. 133:1&3b). “Unity” means “being together or at one with someone or something. It is the opposite of being divided. Unity is togetherness or oneness.” We need unity in our homes, our nation, and in the Church (the Body of Christ). We read in Mt. 12:25, “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” We pray oneness in our households, our nation, and the church. Too many families are divided and falling apart. There is so much pain connected in this. We need to pray for our nation. It is clear to see the righteous and unrighteous. Brothers and sisters, our nation is divided. What is most important is that the people of God remain in unity; then, our prayers will avail much.

There is a story in Genesis 11:1-9 where unity is depicted as evil. The unity in these passages were people unified for the purpose of opposing God. The reason that I want to draw attention to this is because unity can work in a positive way or for evil. There was a group of people that was of one language and of one speech (v.1). They began to declare one to another that they should build a city and a tower whose top would reach into the heavens. They went on to say that they should make themselves a name so that they would not be scattered abroad into the earth (v.4). God was very clear in Genesis 1:28 that man was to “replenish the earth”. The people in this passage were in rebellion against God’s command.

Notice what God says in Genesis 11:6&7, “Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” You will recall that singular verbs are to be used with singular subjects and plural verbs are to be used with plural subjects. Notice, above that the passage reads “the people is one”. People is plural but it uses a singular verb. Why? …Because the people were in unity; they were operating in oneness which would require a singular verb. Also, notice that God said that because they were speaking the same thing, nothing would be restrained from them.

The Lord scattered them by confounding their speech. No longer was their speech one, but it was divided. They stopped working on the building that was intended for evil. We know that the name of this city was called Babel because of the confusion brought about by the division of the languages. We need to pray that division would come to those who are attempting to come against Biblical principles in our land and in our world. A unity of people motivated by darkness have gathered ranks against the things of our Lord. May they become Babel so that their efforts for evil desist, in Jesus’ name.

I want you to see that we can have power in unifying around the Lord and His Word. We see in our Bibles what is righteous in His sight. Let us agree on His Promises in the Word and speak those things in unity. Wow!!! The Lord again says that “nothing will be restrained from them”. Nothing will be restrained from us when we stand together in unity declaring “thus saith the Lord”. A friend of mine said that we need tee-shirts that says, “We is one”! I like that.

We read in Ephesians 4:3, “Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful].” Philippians 2:3&4 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Also, in Matthew 6:14&15 Jesus said, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” There are things that we as the people of God can do to make unity, as we see in these Scriptures. Ultimately, it is only God that can unify. “Father, in Jesus’ name, grant to your people the answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17:22, ‘…that they may be one even as we are one’. Amen!”