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Handley WORLD SERVICES™
Foundation
a National Heritage Foundation
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realmiraclessm Handley WORLD SERVICES™
Foundation
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UNITY
In the previous lesson we learned there are several principles involved in promoting and maintaining unity.
We discussed the first three principles in that lesson. Now we will discuss the remaining five principles. The Power Principle
God's miracles, the operations of the gifts of the Spirit, and church growth are all attended by power that works through love. God is a God of power who loves us! One of the principles involved with promoting and maintaining unity is "The Power Principle". If disciples are taught properly, this principle is self-propagating and allows for advances in God's kingdom by quantum leaps. Lots of Christians, even church leaders, know about this principle but fail to utilize it to their greatest advantage.
Many leaders will use this principle to an extent ... but not as greatly as they could ... because of pride! They will not go beyond the barriers where unity demands humility, forgiveness, or acceptance of brethren outside the fold; that is, outside of their fellowship or doctrine. The mathematical ratios in both Leviticus 26:8 and Deuteronomy 32:30 show that with unity you can do much more: in these cases, five (5) times as much! For example, in Deuteronomy 32:30, one person can chase 1,000. We would expect by mathematical addition that two would chase two times as much, or 2,000. However, two can chase 10,000 with God's anointing, which is five times as much! The rations are not what is important ... the the fact is: UNITY produces a multiplication of results! For Jesus' sake, and His kingdom's sake, we need to humble ourselves, be willing to forgive, and accept all who are purchased with the blood of Christ. If Jesus bought them with his blood, then we should be willing to fellowship to promote and maintain unity! The Oneness Principle There is an amazing spiritual truth we find in Genesis 11:1-9. Before the nations of the earth were scattered on the face of the earth, the earth was of one language and one speech. The people had decided to make a city and a tower, whose top would reach unto heaven; they wanted to make a name for themselves so they would not be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth. "And the Lord said, 'Behold, the people is one, and they all have one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." [verse 6] "Let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." [verse 7] Archaeological records show us that these were wicked and idolatrous people. Yet we see in verse 6 that God said, "nothing will be restrained from them". Notice they had ONE goal and ONE speech. They were unified in purpose and language. If this principle of "oneness" works in unbelievers ... for ungodly, wicked people ... how much more will it work for believers ... for God's people ... who have ONE goal and ONE speech: a common vision and a common language! Especially spirit-filled Christians who have a common objective and who can pray and decree a thing (or a set of objectives) in not only their common earthly language(s),but also their heavenly language: tongues! In Job 22:28 we read, "You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you ..." In the original Hebrew language the word "decree" is a primitive root form of the word "gazar", which means "to cut out exclusively, or to decide". In its primitve form it is used also as a "quarrying" tem ... as in cutting out stone from a rock quarry. It means more than to "say" or "speak". It conveys the meaning of "cutting something out in your mind's eye"; that is, "to envision [to make a vision], to decide upon it, and confess it" ... and then it will be established unto you! If you and your Christian brothers and sisters have a common vision or goal, and decide upon it, confessing it in a common language, speaking it ... "nothing will be restrained from you which you have imagined (or, envisioned) to do!! [Read again Genesis 11:1-6.] The Glory Principle In His high priestly prayer for his Father to glorify him [John Chapter 17], Jesus asked the Father that all believers may be one in the Father and the Son so that the world may believe and be convinced that God sent Jesus (to earth). In other words, the world will KNOW and BELIEVE that God sent Jesus to earth when they SEE Christians in unity! Disunity is disruptive to the purpose of God. That is, it interrupts the flow of the Spirit and causes disorder. There are several examples of unity and disunity in the Holy Bible and the results thereof.
Knowing that disunity hinders the work of God and that unity promotes the work of God we should have a "mindset" to always make a quality decision to promote and maintain unity among believers ... so the world may believe and be convinced that God sent Jesus to earth! We need to do it for the GLORY of Jesus Christ who did His best for us!! The Cell Division Principle The Principle of Cell Division usually results in church growth. Disagreements among Christian brethren do not mean they are not spiritual (or, that the brethren are out of God's will); disagreements may mean God is leading them in different directions, or that God has other plans than they have previously considered. Disagreements may be a sign of transition; and sometimes of great change which will result in quantum leaps: great advances in the Kingdom of God. Disagreements may produce paradigm shifts: patterns, or models, of a new work God is "fathering" in the earth. In Acts 15:36-41 Paul and Barnabas had an angered dispute; so much so that they departed or split; just as some churches have done. This does not mean they were out of God's will. God used Paul and Barnabas each in the separate directions to which He directed them in order to establish and strengthen the church. The Holy Bible tells us, "Be ye angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath." [Ephesians 4:26] The Amplifed Bible says. "When angry do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no such room or foothold for the devil (give no opportunity to him)." [Verses 26 & 27] The Responsibility Principle You, as a minister of Christ, have a responsibility to do what is right, and never to take part, or be part, of wrong-doing. If you are in a relationship where someone over you in a position of authority is doing wrong, or you feel they are doing something wrong, (or, in error), then you have the responsibility to do what is right. First, go talk to them. Most of the time, the situation will be worked out. Lots of times, it is just a matter of communication, or misunderstanding. However, if the person who is over you in the Lord does not agree with you and continues to do what you feel is wrong, then you need to "back-out" or discontinue the relationship. Here's why! If the person over you in the Lord is doing wrong, you don't want to be part of their wrong doing; however, if they are right, you don't want to be opposing, or fighting God's will. Peacefully exit the situation. Be responsible! You are accountable for your actions before God. In 2 Timothy 1:7 we read, "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline (or, sound mind)." You are morally and spiritually obliged before God to deal with the situation in a mature and responsible way! You will have God's peace knowing you have acted responsibly in wisdom and rightness ... not in emotional anxiety or fear ... and for the sake of UNITY you will have made a quality decision!
Follow these principles and you will have plenty of blessings on earth ... and be a channel of blessings to many others. Also, Heaven will reveal to you the extreme fruitfulness of your wise obedience to the Lord Jesus. - Apostle Handley
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