The Spiritual Battle 1
Keeping Leaders From Unity.

When are Spiritual Leaders ready for Unity?

There is a tremendous Spiritual Battle 1 going on to keep spiritual leaders from uniting and walking in unity. 

As you read the details of the spiritual level required of our spiritual leaders to be prepared to give spiritual leadership to bring about change, you will realize how susceptible we are to the attacks of the enemy.

Many of the descriptions below for being spiritually ready are easy to give lip service to or to believe in our head but not in our heart.

For the past 25 years, there have been major efforts to transform cities, but none in America has been transformed.  There have been enormous effort, strategy and resources devoted to the effort.  The big question is why are they not transformed?

I believe the “Why?” can best be answered by looking at the big picture rather then at the details of the failures.  The big picture is that we have an enemy, Satan, who will do most anything to prohibit unity and the Body of Christ coming together.

As human beings, we find the traits for being ready for unity listed below are difficult to obtain.  The reason being is that we find so few people who totally give themselves up and allow another person, the Holy Spirit, to completely manifest through them.

The traits below are very worthy of our close attention; they will show the areas we each need to work on to be successful in the practical spiritual warfare.

When Are Spiritual Leaders Ready for unity in Their City?

1.  When the glory of God and his kingdom is their only focus – tremendous spiritual battle 1.

          a.  The Father must be glorified in the Son. His glory is the objective, not mine.

          b.  It requires a release in “control” to the Lord and a submitting to one another              in love.

2.  When the pastors and leaders are married (Beulah) to the land. (Genesis 12:1-13:3) – spiritual battle 1

          a.  God has assigned us to the place where we are.

          b.  Our bodies and the hearts have to remain rooted in our geographical location             until God changes the assignment.

          c.  You cannot change what you do not love. Unless you love the place and the             people, there will not be a displacement of opposing jurisdiction.

3.  When the focus of their efforts shifts from the church to the lost.  Spiritual Battle 1

          a.  They are committed to praying with all prayer, for all men, in all places, at all             times, that all may be saved.

          b.  They are intent on filling up the city with knowledge of Jesus versus Filling up            their church buildings with people.

          c.  The needs of the city set the agenda for the church of the city.

4.  When they realized that their first call is to co-pastor the city with the other under shepherds of the city.  Spiritual Battle 1

a.  Most scriptural references are to a city-wide, even region-wide church, and to pastoring in the city versus in a local congregation.  (Revelation 2,3, Acts, Ephesian Elders and Paul).

          b. "Sheep" in Scripture refers to saved and unsaved people, and we are called to           pastor both.

5.  When they are walking in covenantal unity with the circle of pastors and leaders God has drawn together.  Spiritual Battle 1

          a.  Unity is a mandate not an option (John 17:21-23/Ephesians 3).

          b.  It's the relationship that produces the program; the process is the program.

          c.  Covenantal unity pursues others to join and blesses those that don't.

6.  When there is an utter dependence on God in the place of prayer until they have learned to hear God's voice corporately.  Spiritual Battle 1

          a.  Prayer precedes planning and talking in the leaders’ gatherings.

          b.  They live and move and have their being in the presence of the presiding                  Jesus.

          c.  Much frustration is due to being addicted to action before being committed              to waiting on hearing God's direction togather!

          d.  "What do we do next?" Is better replaced by "What is He saying?" And "What            are we seeing the Father doing?"

7.  When they are committed to reconciliation and its fruit, restoration and restitution.  Spiritual Battle 1

          a.  It means "the restoration of friendship." [First Peter 2:8]

          b.  It involves pursuing all relationships that are not restored in Christ: racial,                 generational, gender, denominational etc.

          c.  "Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more."

8.  When they recognize the synergism between local and trans-local leadership.  Spiritual Battle 1

          a.  The grace for the city is deposited that in the church of the city.

          b.  No city has ever been reached with local leadership alone (apostolic influence,           is to come under the locals and not dominate or dictate to the locals).

          c.  The above two statements are the two sides of the same coin.

          d.  They deal with fears and hurts, brought from outside people and events,                   through repentance and forgiveness.

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