Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. –Ephesians 4:2-4
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. -Ephesians 6:18
The world is so divided around us. In this time of uncertainty in our nation, it’s so important that we come together as followers of Jesus to pray for unity and reconciliation in our own community and in the world. There is a power that can only be accessed by the Holy Spirit when the church unites. As members of Christ’s body, we are called to unify our hearts, set aside our differences, take a posture of humility and other-centeredness, and seek to understand each other’s pain. If we are honest, we are all feeling unnerved and upset in one way or another right now. We must pray in the Spirit, asking Jesus to unify our hearts with His.
The enemy is lurking about, looking for ways to set us out of joint with one another so that the work of the kingdom will have little effect. Yet our vigilance to resist the enemy, walk by the Spirit, and manifest the Spirit’s fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control will allow the enemy no point of access.
In fact, this current struggle can become the very place of our next victory as we allow the light of Jesus to pierce the darkness around us; sending forth fresh waves of the Father’s love to heal our hearts, and awaken new hope for the broken and vulnerable to be set free.
Church, this the time to stand together in prayer, be humble and united, and keep in step with the Spirit at all times, so that the power of God will be released in our day.
Our God Hears,
AJ Picard