Psalms 133:1-3 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. ESV
This enriched place of unity is where God, himself, commands blessing of life forever more.
Marriage is a clear picture of Christ and the church. When mom and dad are unified and loving each other well something enriching happens in the hearts of the children in the home. They can’t explain it. It just feels good. The oppositeis true as well, however. When parents are unloving and disconnected it impacts the atmosphere of the home.
Atmosphere really matters! When children live in an atmosphere of criticism they learn to condemn. When they live in an atmosphere of ridicule they learn to feel shy. But when children are in the atmosphere of encouragement they learn confidence. In the atmosphere of praise they learn appreciation and in the atmosphere of acceptance they learn to feel love.
Our reactions reveal is. It is all too easy to give a puffer fish response when any little thing sets us off. Suddenly we get puffed up and start stonewalling those we love not even realizing our emotional response is the result of spiritual immaturity God wants to deal with to take us deeper in Christ.
We can feel so justified in our anger toward our spouse. Love is not merely a reciprocal affection. We withhold affection because it has been withheld from us, we call it justice, but it’s actually revenge.
Are you dead enough to live the life God desires for you to live? Can’t offend a dead man. Triggers produce reactions that reveal how dead we aren’t! Reactions reveal you!
Protecting this atmosphere of unity is more important than we may realize. In a marriage relationship the Bible says if we are embittered toward each other, it actually hinders our prayers – 1 Peter 3:7
“I’m sorry” and “I love you” are expressions of humility and maturity. Never mess up a perfectly good apology with an excuse! Choose a deeper response of maturity rather than being victim to shallow reactions. The atmosphere of your home affects the spiritual condition of everyone involved and it is the same with the church family. This is why Paul is so direct about this important topic in the entire book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 1:23 the church is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers]. AMP
Ephesians 3:17-19 “…being rooted and grounded in love…with all the saints…19… that you maybe filled with all the fullness of God. ESV
Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit... NLT
Ephesians 4:11-13 (church leaders are called to) equip God’s people for works of service,so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. NIV
Within you right now isthe power to do things you never dreamed possible if you will make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:10 …Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the LordJesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. TPT
A grain of sand inthe eye irritates and if left untreated can cause infection and blindness. In an oyster this same grain of sand causes irritation and even a wound but it produces a secretion that ultimately forms a pearl. The irritant doesn’t cause the result but reveals the inner properties.
Give God what irritates or even wounds you and see what He will do!
MORE ON UNITY AND COMMUNITY:
What kind of supernatural unity and communion existed between Jesus and the Father? This is the same unity and communion that is supposed to exist among us as believers. This is exactly what Jesus was praying for in John 17.
John 17:9-23 I am praying for them….11 that they may beone, even as we are one…20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me Ihave given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know thatyou sent me and loved them even as you loved me. ESV
Jesus was making this intimate prayerful request to the Father that we would have this supernatural sense of unity and communion together and that would be the thing that captivates the world. The world will know us byour love for one another (John 13:35). Jesus invites us to the Table of the Lord for which he paid an incredible price. Unity doesn’t come cheap. It's very expensive and only a mature and sacrificial disposition can ever experience what Jesus prayed for us to possess.
Unity is expensive. Jesus paid the ultimate price for the spirit of unity to exist within us and among us. So many people so quickly abandon what Jesus paid such a great price for. We should pay the price as well. Just because we don’t agree on everything doesn’t mean we can’t have unity. We can have distinction without having to have division. God called us together as a family, so let’s be intentional about functioning as family demonstrating this powerful reality Jesus prayed for us to have.
There is a lot of advancement God has a purpose in this revolutionary season of the church that will result from the willingness to participate in a deeper reality of community. Come to the table together.
Psalms 133:1-3 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. NIV
When Jesus walked on the earth his body was covered by a seamless garment. From Aaron on down the lineage a high priest would wear a seamless garment. Bible is filled with prophetic pictures in our spiritual realities. The body of Christis supposed to be covered by a seamless covering. Biblically speaking the garment of the high priest could have no tear or fabricated seam of any kind. It was authentically one!
This spiritual covering of unity has a dimension of power that the enemy continually fights.
It’s like a spiritual forcefield in place when we function in maturity, unity and love.
This is that atmosphere where the Lord has commanded blessing and life forever more releasing supernatural grace and favor from God over everything that’s taking place.
Every Christian should enjoy and protect this atmosphere of grace, love and unity. This unity is the result of spiritual maturity.
Ephesians 4:11-13 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people forworks of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. NIV
We will be known for our love and unity. The world will be fascinated by this characteristic of deity that exists within God’s people!
Col 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. NIV
In 1 Corinthians, Paul called love the "more excellent way" (1Corinthians 12:31). Here, he echoes this teaching, stating that love is the supreme characteristic of our King. Paul has mentioned love on three earlier occasions in this letter (Colossians 1:4, 8; 2:2) and he will mention it again in Colossians 3:19.
1 John 3:21-23 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. NIV
Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. NIV
Eph 1:15-16 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. NIV
To these same people who he took note of their love he continued to pray for this love to continue.
Eph 3:16-21 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you,being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filledto the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, accordingto his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. NIV
Phil 1:9-11 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. NIV
Col 1:4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people. NIV
1 Thess 3:6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us thatyou always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. NIV
1 Thess 3:12-13 May the Lord make your love increase and overflowfor each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in thepresence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. NIV
2 Thess 1:3-4 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. NIV
James 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. NIV
1 Pet 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. NIV
