"One accord"? I love the sound of that. Believers living in love and unity with a common purpose and work for the LORD. Do we ever see that in today's churches? Maybe sometimes. It seems to me that as long as a paid pastor is expected to do all the work of the ministry, you won't see that. But when a gathering of believers accepts and receives the gifts of each individual member, you stand a better chance of seeing it.
I looked up "one accord" in my concordance, and guess what? There are an equal amount of Bible passages using that term but applying it to evil work being done by enemies of Truth.
- Those who stoned Stephen in the seventh chapter of the book of Acts, rushed in on him with 'one accord.'
- The Hittites and Canaanites were all in 'one accord' when they formed an army to oppose Joshua in Jos. 9.
- In Luke 14, we're told that the invited guests who had more important things to do than to attend the wedding feast, spoke up and declined the invitation with 'one accord.'
So when people gather together to accomplish something, as long as they are in 'one accord,' they stand a better chance of success -- for good or for bad.
Why is it though that today we're seeing the enemy in our midst dividing the church, messing with them accomplishing anything with 'one accord.'?
Fighting over rapture timing makes it impossible for believers to be in 'one accord,' but rather they are divided and defeated.
Squabbling over the gifts of the Spirit quenches the Spirit and does not produce 'one accord.'
Evil suspicions and roots of bitterness in our circles paralyzes us from any labor of love done in 'one accord.'
The devil knows how to sabotage all our efforts at getting the everlasting Gospel out into the highways and byways. It's like every ministry must work by itself to accomplish anything since they can't be in 'one accord' with other ministries who share the same purpose.
We have to learn to recognize the schemes of the enemy and not fall prey to them. The enemy's camp seems to be on 'one accord' and with 'one mind' are persecuting believers and winning the war against what is good and now evil prevails.
Pray for discernment in the body of Christ. Pray that we would recognize the presence of the enemy and know to resist the impulses he projects onto us. Divisions among us should only occur when it is biblically commanded. When petty differences win the day, we lose.
"Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did." - Acts 8:4-6
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." - Eph 6:10-13
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