Being in One Accord - Nehemiah 1-3 and Acts 2:1-21
There is a unique power that is produced by a group of people who are unified in purpose and action. This power can be used for evil purposes like it was at the Tower of Babel. Often, the forces of Satan and this world are unified to fulfill his plans, and it gives them a certain power. However, God's power is infinitely more powerful than Satan's power, and the power of a group of believers who are in one accord will always defeat the power of Satan. This is what we read about in these two passages. I pray we will allow the Lord to speak to us about the power of being in one accord.
God raised up Nehemiah as the leader to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah had a burden on his heart. God gave him favor with the king of Persia, who supplied all of the building materials. Still, the job of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem could not have been accomplished by Nehemiah himself. He went to Jerusalem, and he called on the people to rally together in one accord to cooperate in building the walls. When they came together to do God's will, the power and energy were amazing. The work progressed quickly and well with the blessing of God. It is a great example of what can happen today in a unified group of believers. God's purposes can be accomplished in miraculous ways, if everyone will pitch in to do his or her part.
In Acts 2 there is a very similar instance of being in one accord. The disciples were in one accord praying for God's will to be done. God answered their prayers, and He sent the Holy Spirit on all of them. Peter was the spokesman, but the whole group was unified in their purpose and action. They all spoke in other languages to deliver the gospel to the different ethnic groups who had come to Jerusalem for the Pentecost. The results would not have been as great, if there had just been a sermon from one man. It took all of them being in one accord to accomplish God's will on that day. That is why we must put a premium on unity in God's family. Satan's forces will be unified. They will put all of their power together to defeat us. If we try to defeat them with a half-hearted effort, they will defeat us. If we are in one accord in the Lord, there is no way they can stop us. We all need to pray in one accord and to act in one accord. We need to pray that all believers will realize this principle and live by it. Life is too short to live in division and weakness. We need to live in unity and power.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Nehemiah 4-6 and Acts 2:22-47.
God raised up Nehemiah as the leader to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah had a burden on his heart. God gave him favor with the king of Persia, who supplied all of the building materials. Still, the job of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem could not have been accomplished by Nehemiah himself. He went to Jerusalem, and he called on the people to rally together in one accord to cooperate in building the walls. When they came together to do God's will, the power and energy were amazing. The work progressed quickly and well with the blessing of God. It is a great example of what can happen today in a unified group of believers. God's purposes can be accomplished in miraculous ways, if everyone will pitch in to do his or her part.
In Acts 2 there is a very similar instance of being in one accord. The disciples were in one accord praying for God's will to be done. God answered their prayers, and He sent the Holy Spirit on all of them. Peter was the spokesman, but the whole group was unified in their purpose and action. They all spoke in other languages to deliver the gospel to the different ethnic groups who had come to Jerusalem for the Pentecost. The results would not have been as great, if there had just been a sermon from one man. It took all of them being in one accord to accomplish God's will on that day. That is why we must put a premium on unity in God's family. Satan's forces will be unified. They will put all of their power together to defeat us. If we try to defeat them with a half-hearted effort, they will defeat us. If we are in one accord in the Lord, there is no way they can stop us. We all need to pray in one accord and to act in one accord. We need to pray that all believers will realize this principle and live by it. Life is too short to live in division and weakness. We need to live in unity and power.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Nehemiah 4-6 and Acts 2:22-47.