United We Stand Inebriated We Fall

               I know I haven’t written in a long while, but things up here have gotten a bit more hectic. We have begun building for the ensuing Women’s Retreats early next month. I wasn’t even going to write tonight, but I cannot stop meditating on what I had said from the pulpit earlier this week. I was speaking on faith, and power in unity and I made the statement, “United we stand, inebriated we fall.” In all honesty that was a line from a rap song I used to listen to all the time, which I do not recommend listening to by the way, but there is such a truth about that line if you look into it in the Spiritual realm. God is so amazing that He can take a line from a rap song that is far from holy, and use it to spur mediation on Him. Anyway to get to the point here, I had to ask God what exactly does that mean. Many of us know that we are to be united with one another in Christ, and that we are also able to be drunk in the Holy Spirit. I went into that statement with a completely different point of view as I began to ponder it.

                First let me start on the place of unity.  In Ephesians 4 it speaks of how all of us have certain gifts allotted to us by God, and it makes no difference if we are prophets, teachers, preacher, evangelists, or apostles, but we are all of ONE body through Christ. Too often people are so worried about what they accomplish, and how much credit they get for what they have done (Though it is He that did it) they lose sight of the big picture. It is not about them. It is about us uniting with one another in Him to do His works, so that He gets all of the glory. There are too many trying to build their name in the kingdom of God that they lose sight of why they even got in the ministry in the first place. I had to ask myself this very question. Why do I want to minister to the masses? Why do I want to preach from the pulpit? Is it for the glory of my name or the glory of His? A holy fear struck me and I began to cry out to God asking Him to keep me humble, and that if I ever began to build my name for any sake but His to take me away from the pulpit. If we can allow ourselves to get out of our selfish mindsets there is so much that we can accomplish together for the kingdom. If there is somebody you know needing a miracle, stand with them in agreement and prayer for that miracle. Believe with them for the thing that they need. His Word says, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19).” Let us not stand alone by ourselves, but to gather together in agreement for the glory of God. There is so much power in unity. Let us lay aside our opinions, because when you really think about it our main focus is supposed to be on Him. If we stand on the Rock (Christ) and not the sand (Man’s opinion) when the storm comes our house (Spiritual house) will remain intact and will not fall. What a glorious place it is to be united as one with fellow believers. Who care what denomination you are, but if you believe in Christ and that He died for our sins then stand united to fight the good fight with your fellow brethren. All denominations have done has cause a rift in Body of Christ now nothing is being accomplished as it could be, because we are too busy arguing doctrine and who is right. Who cares about doctrine if your main focus is God? Let us toss aside all of our pettiness and take action together to change this world. In the eleventh chapter of Genesis it is the story most of us know about the tower of Babel. These people united together to build a tower to the heavens, and God looked down and said in verse 6, “And the Lord said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” He saw that because of their unity and oneness they were able to do anything they set their mind to. We are so duped by our selfish mindsets and too busy arguing that we have lost focus of the power of unity. If we unite we can do anything through Christ. Instead of tearing somebody down uplift them. Instead of holding a grudge and being bitter forgive that person. All unforgiveness leads to is hate, anger, and unhappiness. When forgiveness comes in it is not only a release for you, but for the other person as well. Beloved to stand united is such a beautiful thing. My heart and Spirit is burning for such a reality.

                Now to the part of being inebriated and falling, in the world when I drank too much I tended to have a more difficult time walking. Being drunk is something I was well noted for not too long ago. I am not talking about being drunk off of wine, or even being drunk in the Spirit. I am talking about being drunk off of the things of this world. We allow ourselves to be so drawn into the common things of this world we begin to fall. One of the definitions of drunk is to be fascinated or spell-bound by; pay close attention to. We allow ourselves to pay more attention to sports, music, television shows, American Idols, Dancing with Stars, Big Bang Theories, and books that we lose sight of Whom we are supposed to be fascinated with.  Jesus said, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:34-36).” Being drunk on things of this world is like being ensnared and trapped in to an unholy delusion. The way to fight this is to watch and pray. We are to be aware of what is going on around us. There is so much perversion and subtleties the fly past our senses daily that if we are not in constant prayer and in His Word we began to drink a bit of the common things of this world. The more sips of the common the more drunk and lost you seem to get, and all of that leads to Spiritual death.  We can also be united in drunkenness of things of this world. If you allow yourselves to hang around those that allow compromise you are likely to get influence by them, which will lead to your fall as well. You can say that you are going to influence them, which is possible, but you cannot allow yourself to do the very things that they do. Discipline and self-control leads to a road of holiness. I am no different than anyone else. I too often find myself getting distracted and fascinated by things of this world. Thank God for strong men and women of God to help guide me out of that reality. We need to long for holiness. Holiness leads to a great outpouring of the Spirit. A great outpouring of the Spirit leads to miracles, signs, and wonders. Miracles, signs, and wonders leads to curiosity of those who are lost, which in turn leads them to giving their lives to God. Our walk is not about ourselves, but about those that do not know who He is. I want the miracles so that those who do not believe see how powerful our God is. Jesus did not do signs and wonders for His amusement, but for the glory of God, and to bring those that are lost to the feet of God. Let us not get lost in the shuffle of life, but to remain focused on the main goal, and that is people. When it is all said and done I want to be able to say that I lived my life for others, so that God gained the glory. I want to lead a life as Christ as a servant, and not a dictator.

                I pray an long that we can all put aside our own ideologies and come together so that we can do what God put us on this earth to do. I pray that we stand united and pray and fast to fight the principalities of this world. All of this is a spiritual warfare, and I pray that through uniting we shift the very path of history. I believe that together we can change this world. I believe that if we unite together as believers that we can do all things, because we are united with Him already as our Bridegroom. I pray that we rid ourselves of the drunkenness of this world. I pray that we all become so fascinated with the beauty and wonder of God, that we get so lost in Him, that we throw caution to the wind and begin to live radically for Him that we care not for anything of this world. I pray that we remove the doubters from our circles like they did in Act 2 and that when we become united the fresh breath of God comes down from heaven as it did on the Day of Pentecost. Lord bring wonder back to the church, so that those who do not believe will fall to their knees to declare You as God. Shake us Lord with a holy shaking so that all impurities are cast out. Replace everything that we think we have with what You have. Give us Your heart I cry out to You, O Lord. My heart breaks for more God. I cannot live this way any longer, but need more of You.