The Threat of Internal Division

One of the biggest threats to the maintenance and sustainability of any organization or social unit is Internal Division. Whenever people start fighting amongst themselves, whether it's a government, a corporation, an organization, a church or even a family, the viability of that organization begins to diminish. Jesus said that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3). This is where America lies right now as a nation. Democrats against Republicans, Blacks against Whites, Americans against Muslims; nothing but in-fighting. This is not the Will of God. The God we serve is a God of Unity (Ephesians 4). Not at any cost, mind you (Matthew 10). But we have to make sure, in the various areas of activity and influence that God has providentially placed us, that we're not fostering and facilitating the Threat of Internal Division.

One of the greatest areas of Internal Division is within ourselves. I heard a preacher say once that our biggest enemy is the "Inner-Me". There is a lot of truth to this statement. There is a reason why the Scriptures say that, "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17). We must be mindful of the "civil war" that's taking place within every born-again believer in Christ (Romans 7). That's why the Scripture says that "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Galatians 5). We must be mindful and cognizant of the threat of internal division that exists within each of our souls, in order that the Kingdom of God may stand within our spirits.

All of us are challenged within our respective environments to deal with people that are contrary to us. There's no way around it, it's a part of life. However, how we choose to deal with that contrariness is up to us. The Bible says to "be not overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good" (Romans 12). We live in a society now, even in the church, that encourages to "fight fire with fire". "If you come at me, I'm coming back at you". Once again, this is not the Will of God. This is why Jesus taught to "turn the other cheek" (Matthew 5). Not in the name of some weak passivity, but in the name of the reality that social destruction is the result when we proactively fight against each other. As believers in Christ we have to take a stand and quit trying to "defend" ourselves in the name of "being right". Only God is Right. Everyone else are beneficiaries of His Mercy. So why don't we take the attitude of mercy towards others that God has so graciously bestowed upon us?

Saints, we are about to enter a Season where our Witness for Christ will not be tolerated. When people begin to lash out at us and attack us because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we cannot afford to "lash back". We must truly learn to let the Lord fight our battles (2Chronicles 20). If we do, He is Faithful to heal the land and protect our respective communities from the Threat of Internal Division.