The Perils of a Divisive Spirit - Bible Teaching #20

Hello everyone, this is written in an act of humility and repentance.

Lately the Spirit convicted me, I was dividing too much. In this I will be going through the story of my conviction, repentance and my new standard. All will be backed up with Scripture.

An answered prayer happened. God sent 3 brothers in Christ to my preaching spot, before I got there. Last October, (October 2023), I believe, around then atleast. They were preaching, they have since become beloved brethren of mine and friends in the Spirit. One was brother Kevin from Cry to God ministries. Another, brother Adam from Team Jesus Preachers. The 3rd was brother Cliff, a deer brother of a truly pure heart desiring holiness.

First, I met with brother Cliff for dinner, in error myself, prying him for a fault to see if we could partner. I found no doctrinal charge against him worthy of separation. Looking for faults is the type of judging that the book of James condemns. Test the spirit as it says in 1 John, but do not pry into someone, looking for a fault. That is one of the symptoms of a divisive spirit.

Then after preaching with brother Cliff for about a month. As well as being in contact with Kevin and Adam. I met up with all 3, including another brother, at a big UF game to preach. I was thrown off at first by Adam's wife preaching with us. I asked brother Cliff what he thought. The Spirit told me to hold on and slow down. As I was contemplating confronting Adam. That night I prayed and read and meditated, as well as consulting my elder, brother Sammie from Kentucky. I eventually came to the conclusion that there is nothing prohibiting a female from proclaiming Jesus on a street corner to lost souls. I will invite conversation about this if anyone disagrees. I was invited back for fellowship the next day. 

When I arrived for fellowship I found out that brother Kevin was OSAS, really Preservation of the Saints. Something that I would usually divide from, but strangely the Spirit told me to hold on a sec. Kevin believed in blamelessness, in a way that I have never seen, with a person that believes in eternal security. We all had the most beautiful fellowship in the Spirit. Truly, I felt like I finally found my brethren.

That weekend weighed on me for a couple months. Until I was on the way to the Maranatha 4, street preacher conference, hosted by Adam. On the way up. I read numerous articles, I consulted brother Sammie, I prayed deeply, I consulted my wife as well. I kept getting the same answer. If they live holy, are filled with the Spirit and believe in the unique deity of Jesus. Then I should not divide. I even was given Scripture from the Spirit to back it up. 

1 John 3:24

"Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."

1 John 2:29

"If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him."

1 John 2:22-23

"Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also."

Basically I was led to a 1 John standard for who is brethren and who is not. As we should not cut off parts of the body of Christ, we should only cut out those who are not parts and those that are infected with habitual unrepentant sin. We also have to patiently bare with one another, as not everyone has reached the same level of knowledge or maturity. There is a time to be merciful and patient; as there is also a time to be sharp and judgemental. As it says in Phillipians 3:15-16,

"Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind."

So, we have to remember that there are growing plants, that have not attained to our height. They can not see the distance or view, that we can see yet. We should help them grow and not scrutinize them, for not being able to see our view, at our height. As taller trees have less obstructing their view, causing a clearer vision that sees farther. While shorter trees see less clearly, they have more things obstructing their vision. Still tell the shorter trees about what you see, but they will not see it until they grow to your height. Also remember, both the tall tree and the short tree have life. Also, trees can stop growing or die. Remove the dead trees from your midst. But help the trees that have stopped growing before they die. 

This was a hard concept to swallow. But as one who loves the Lord. I admit that I was wrong and was attacking the body of Christ at times. This is a formal repentance from where I was to where, I am now. To those who I divided from for reasons other than these, I humbly apologize. 

May God bless you and Godspeed, Michael, a humble servant of Christ

I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts and am willing to discuss any of these topics and more, in great detail. If you would like.

Email:

Michael.servantofchrist@gmail.com