Jewels From JohnExemple

The Power of Being ‘One’ 

“I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of their message. I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent Me.” John 17:20-21 (GNT)

If we, as the body of Christ, deeply desire for the world to believe that Jesus is indeed the Saviour whom the Father sent down from heaven, and if we aspire to make that huge impact on those around us, the secret is unity. Jesus knew this was of utmost importance, and that’s why He prayed, not only for His disciples, but for all of us who have heard and believed the message of the Gospel, that we all be one. 

One of the crafty tools in the hands of Satan is disunity. Once the seeds of dissension are sown by the enemy, his work is almost fully done. Many are not aware of his evil schemes, and so fall prey to this subtle trap. Disunity and discord often starts within the family, permeates through every section of society and has, sadly, become part of the church as well. No wonder then, that we have made little, or no, impact on those around us.

Love is the cord that binds and brings about this unity at every level. Paul explains this beautifully in Colossians 3:14, “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (NLT) 

The Apostle Paul reinforces this thought over and over again in his Epistles, that we are ‘One Body’, and this is true, especially for those of us who belong to Christ. Here’s a word of admonition from Paul to the Corinthian church which is very applicable to us today. “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NLT)

Let’s pray as Jesus prayed, and do all we can to maintain love, and unity in every relationship. There’s an encouraging scripture in Ephesians 4:3, “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” (NLT)