Instead of the church using God’s Word to speak abundant life and blessings to those that hear it, we use it to speak down to others. We use the Bible to debate and destroy rather than to persuade and edify. Don’t get me wrong. We need to have an explanation through God’s Word why we believe why we do and not compromise with sin, but it should never be used to wreak havoc and destroy other people’s lives. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Scripture was given by inspiration from God’s precious Holy Spirit and is profitable. It was never meant to be used to produce a divided church of over 30,000 distinct denominations, but rather to bring unity and show forth a lifestyle of holiness that strives for perfection before God. The denominational label will not get you to heaven. There is not such thing as a Pentecostal Heaven, Baptist Heaven, etc. There are no 30,000 rooms to heaven that is made up of the various 30,000 denominations. If you go to heaven that label will fall off, and if you go to hell it will burn off. The only way to heaven is by and through Jesus Christ! It is not about the sign of the church name on the marquee. It is not about being a Methodist, Pentecostal, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, etc., but it is about being a Christian. It is about the Kingdom of God that is based upon the Word of God. The Word is to be used to preach the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, not to compromise with sin. There is a distinguishing factor between unity and compromise. Compromise is when you choose to give up something, whether it be a right or wrong view point, in order to join up with someone else. Unity is when you come together with someone else without any division. You may have to lay aside some traditional beliefs or things that you hold dear to your heart, but you refuse to compromise the truth of God’s Word. True unity is founded upon the truth of the holy scriptures!

I know that the denominations of the Protestant faith will never be united in one faith as long as the rapture has not taken place, but for you yourself individually, strive for unity and perfection. Unity is the sweetest anointing that could ever exist in the church (Psalm 133). The enemy seeks to plant seeds and cause division, but do not be one of those that fall victim to such a trap of the enemy, to not be entrapped by gossip, lies or deceit. Stand on the truth that is solely based on God’s Word because a divided church cannot stand.

The church today has displayed its division in two different ways:  by being possessed with a spirit of slumber and by being dismembered from the head, who is Jesus Christ. Romans 11:8 says, “(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.” Ephesians 5:14 says, “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” Have you ever had those moments where your arms or legs “fall asleep?” Maybe you wake up after a very deep and long sleep, and you had your head resting on your arm, and as soon as you start stirring, you have practically no feeling in your arm. You may even grab your arm with your other hand and start moving it just to increase blood flow again so you can have feeling back in it. By doing this, your body starts feeling better again and goes back to normal, as though nothing ever happened!

I believe spiritually that the body of Christ has fallen asleep. Their flow of strength and movement has weakened as a result of the head, or leadership, falling asleep against another part of the body. The flow of God’s purpose and anointing has been cut off, and the result is no movement. That part of the body cannot function in their calling as a result of such turmoil and distraction from the head to the body, or from one part of the body to another. The result of division in the church is a spirit of slumber, in which God’s will means nothing to an individual or group of people! It is a spirit that results in someone not seeing God’s presence or hearing God’s voice. It is a spiritually dark age where God seems a million miles away! Until the church wakes up out of its slumber and spiritually resurrects, our surrounding culture will only continue to grow in sin and weaken in faith. Only when we awaken will God bring a new light to us of the truth, one in which we can live by and proclaim!

Several people have awakened and are doing their part in the church, but many have fallen asleep. The reason is because they think it is all about preaching or singing, and they are not doing their part due to is seeming that it is insignificant or unrecognizable. They have fallen asleep because they believe God has nothing for them to do and that every little thing they do is unimportant. We must realize that no matter what part we do as believers, it is still service to God, and it may never get a handclap or an “Amen” in church, but God recognizes and honors it, and that is all that matters!

Even though several parts of the body are not functioning due to sleep, there is still hope! We, as other parts of the body, who are revived and strengthened to do a work for the kingdom of the LORD, can wake up those other parts of the body by moving it. We shake it up by stirring up the gifts and callings God has for their lives, preaching the truth and shining the light of God. There must be a shaking if we want the whole church to be revived because revival begins within the church, and then it leaks into the surrounding community and environment. We can no longer be bound by a spirit of slumber, but we must wake up with a spirit of revival and overcome this division and confusion in the body of Christ!

Secondly, the body of Christ is divided because it has dismembered itself from the head, who is Jesus Christ. In other words, it has become paralyzed. Naturally, paralysis occurs from a spinal cord injury or a broken neck. It is when the messages from the brain are hindered in getting those messages to the muscles. There is sudden loss of nerve supply to the entire body, including the heart and blood vessels. Jesus Christ is the head of the body. 1 Corinthians 11:3 says, “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” Ephesians 5:23 says, “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” Jesus Christ is to be the head of the church, but because the body has dismembered itself from the head through disobedience and sin, the church has become paralytic. People are preaching another Jesus, another gospel and another spirit, and the result is causing the church to be lame. If we want the whole body of Christ to be healed, then we must reconnected with the head of the church!

We must be united in God’s purpose because unity brings God’s presence and favor. It brings the kingdom of God, which brings healing, joy, peace, and love in the Holy Ghost. When Jesus was speaking concerning giving the keys to the kingdom to His disciples, He let them know that it would be evident if two or three agreed together in His name. It is the power of agreement that draws His presence and works miracles. It is why He normally sent them out two by two to accomplish His perfect will. Agreement in faith with the same mindset results in the visitation of God’s presence. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” To sum up these verses, unity brings a reward, holds others accountable, encourages and strengthens, comforts, and creates a greater force. When you are tempted to engage in malicious gossip or seek to be the one seen and receive the credit, then it is time to humble yourself before God and make things right, and not only with God, but also with others. We must be unified if we want to see revival like never before! It is about diversity in unity.