Oneness: How Important?

In our growth, if we think of ourselves as “mature,” it is usually in context with some sin or area of knowledge. No spiritual growth comes without effort or without the enemy trying to stop it. But the maturity that Satan fears the most is that state of spiritual development that produces oneness in the church.

I am reminded of President Reagan’s “Star Wars” defense plan. The purpose of this system is to intercept enemy missiles and destroy them in outer space. The major complaint we hear about this plan is that it is “… too costly and it will never work.” That observation may indeed be true, but it is interesting that of all the weapon systems we see in America, the “Star Wars” defense system is the biggest fear the Russians have.

In the same way God has a defense system also. His system of defense is seen in our spiritual oneness, where we intercept the enemies “missiles” and protect the homeland of one another’s hearts. Yet, we hear time after time people say, “… it is too costly, it will never work.” Even the way the Russians rejoice over dignified scientists and statesmen criticizing the Star Wars concept, so Satan uses even good, seemingly mature Christians to try to discourage those who have a vision of oneness. Why does Satan hate the oneness of God’s Kingdom so viciously?

He hates spiritual unity because he knows when we become one with each other, loving, caring for and protecting one another, the devil’s weapons will become ineffective.

And I heard a loud voice in Heaven saying,

“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.

“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.” (Rev. 12:10-11).

In order for the salvation and power, the kingdom and authority of Christ to become more than just empty doctrines, the accuser of the brethren must be cast down. That means no more fault-finding, gossip, or criticism. It means that the blood of Jesus makes us one body, giving each of us justification, life, and forgiveness. It means that our prophetic word spoken in faith brings forth God’s victory regardless of what the “facts” initially indicated. And it also means refusing to be reactionary, refusing to return evil for evil but rendering a blessing instead even “… to death.” The Kingdom of God won’t be manifested any other way. And believe me, Satan will resist every inch of the oneness we possess in God.

Today, the devil will try to find some area of our lives, some root of bitterness, or hidden sin or weakness, and then try to use it to stop us from truly becoming one in the body of Christ. None of us are perfect. All of us say the wrong things, do the wrong things, and react wrongly at times, but the maturing saints are pressing and reaching toward God’s perfect love, that love that enables them to overcome every fear and barrier, that love that leads them into oneness.



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