DIVIDE and CONQUER

 

Divide and conquer is the policy of maintaining control over one's subordinates or subjects by encouraging dissent between them. This adage is the exact demonstration of “There is strength in numbers,” because, when unity is lost, the accompanying strength is lost as well. There is yet another adage that teaches the same lesson: “united we stand, divided we fall.” All these are true statements that, when put into action, result in chaos and defeat. This policy is one of Satan’s tools, and he uses it against the Church quite often, unfortunately, with much success.

Do you know people who hop from church to church, and are not able to call any particular church their home church? Why does that happen so often? Why aren’t people happy with ‘their church’? They make excuses like: they didn’t like someone or something in a particular church, someone offended them, their needs were not being met, or their suggestions were not taken seriously, just to name a few. The devil uses all these excuses to break down relationships in the Church, and we become powerless in prayer because we regard so much iniquity in our hearts (see Psalm 66:18). We hold our hurts inside, give people the silent treatment, and think we are doing church. O shame, thrice shame upon us, Christian brethren, as the hymnist says!

 This morning, reading Psalm 141, I was fascinated with verse 5, “Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it.” I believe that’s what the Church needs today; we need to be able to accept correction with gratitude, and we need to rebuke and correct each other with kindness and respect. The Church is God’s, and if we focus on His glory alone, we won’t allow our emotions to run so wild. It’s time to settle down and play our given role in the Body of Christ. And if something goes wrong, which, given time, it will let’s address it with the right people in the right way (see Matthew 18:15-17).  

Jesus knows the power of unity. After all, He is in unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit as the Godhead, and they work together as One! They have no inner fighting; there is always harmony in their relationship, and they are each other’s promoter. They never do anything contrary to the will or desire of the other. They created the world together and supervise its workings together. Before His death, Jesus prayed for His disciples (the then-current, and the future ones-us), “Protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are” (John 17:11). “Just as we are,” He prayed! How powerful! In order for Christians to succeed at what they undertake to do collectively, they have to agree and be united. No wonder Jesus taught, “If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:19-20). 

Likewise, Satan knows the power of unity, not because he is one with anybody, but because He sees the Father, Son and Holy Spirit at work, and knows how powerful and effective they are in all they do. That, of course, is why he does not want interconnected families or unity in the Church. His goal is to turn believers against each other, creating chaos, so they lose focus of their calling and responsibility toward each other and the unbelieving world. In the absence of group unity, there is infighting and division, and so, consequently, nothing or very little is accomplished. 

Can you imagine what great works The church could accomplish if we were united? Wow! If we didn’t have gossip, backstabbing, backbiting, resentment, pride, arrogance, and “better than thou” attitudes in the Church, what victories we’d experience as the body of Christ!

We should guard against such problems by obeying the command, “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” (Ephesians 4:2-3). We are also commanded to “Get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech” (1 Peter 2:1). 

Why does Satan attack Christian marriages? Because the Christian family is a Church in itself and a member of a local and the universal Church. If he succeeds in instigating controversy, he gets the upper hand. And even if the controversy does not lead to separation or divorce, he has still succeeded in turning the couple against each other. When there’s chaos in the home, praying or studying the Word together would be totally impossible or ineffective at best. Couples have disagreements about almost anything: finances, child discipline, you name it.

Church, let’s stay alert and not allow the enemy to divide us. If we allow him to divide us, it would also mean we’ve given him permission to derail us and hinder the work of God through us. The biblical solution to this dilemma is for us to “Show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters” and “Love each other deeply with all our heart” (1 Peter 1:22). May God help us!