We cannot separate the Presence of God and His love as God is always loving. We have seen that when that tangible Presence of God is present, one tastes the love of the Lord. Yes, there are times when we feel a nudge to deal with something, but His love accompanies it. Our hearts hunger for more of the Lord in so many ways. We desire to be changed from one degree of glory to the next, see the church arise with passion and power, and see the lost get saved. We desire to see the broken made whole, the sick healed, etc. Above all, we long to see our magnificent Lord glorified. One of the keys for us to walk into these things is unity.

Ephesians 1:4-6: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (NKJV)

We also read in Psalm 133:1-3: “How truly wonderful and delightful it is to see brothers and sisters living together in sweet unity! It’s as precious as the sacred scented oil flowing from the head of the high priest Aaron, dripping down upon his beard and running all the way down to the hem of his priestly robes. This harmony can be compared to the dew dripping from Mount Hermon, which flows down upon the hills of Zion. Indeed, that is where Yahweh has decreed his blessings will be found, the promise of life forevermore!” (TPT)

In these scriptures and so many others, we can see just how vital unity in the body of Christ is. I love what Ruth Heflin says, “Unity brings a pleasure many of us have not known until now, unity with those who have opposed us, unity with those who have maligned us, unity with those who have done us wrong. Only God can do that for us. Only He can cause us to “sit together in heavenly places.”

If only God can bring us to the place of unity, what can we do to position ourselves to receive that unity from God? Here are some thoughts:

  1. Love is at the heart of unity. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” We see here the most powerful act of sacrificial love. God gave His Son. Jesus gave His life for us. This came out of love. This love was not given because we deserved it, but because God loves. It is not always easy to love unconditionally but it is God’s way and because of that He will enable us to love.
  2. We need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author, and Perfecter of our Faith. When our eyes are on our magnificent Lord, we don’t tend to focus on people’s issues. The more we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the more He works in us, and we begin to see people through His eyes.
  3. We need to walk in forgiveness. While this is quite obvious, it is not always easy. However, the power of forgiveness is exceptional and brings such release. Sometimes we genuinely believe we have forgiven a person. If there is still some reaction within, we often find there is still some unforgiveness that is hidden deep within.

We can also pray and bless the person. We can ask God to give us a heart of understanding and compassion for the person. Again, the biggest key is to keep our eyes on Jesus and not the issue with that person. As we do that we will find that our Lord will slowly or suddenly bring us to a place of unity and peace in our heart with that person. Sometimes it is not from both sides, but leave that in the hands of our Jesus. Dwell in unity from your side. In His Presence the unity will increase, and the greater the unity, the more we can enter into His Presence. Let us be those brothers and sisters that live together in sweet unity. This is a sweet fragrance unto our Beloved Lord Jesus.