The Spirit Of Division A spirit of division has descended on the body. It is a spirit of darkness and disharmony, that seeks to divide and tear apart. It is a spirit that seeks to devour and destroy. It is a spirit that seeks to set people against one another and to prevent unity. The spirit of division infiltrates and infects the thoughts and attitudes of those who are weak in the faith and who lack wisdom and discernment. The spirit of division stands in opposition to YHVH and His Way of Life! There are some who call themselves teachers, who continually cause disharmony, upset and division within the body they espouse their own doctrines and ideas. Why do people continue to follow and listen to those who are clearly in error? They reveal themselves and their teachings for what they are, by their attitudes and through their actions and in refusing to receive correction. Their constant attacks on people, their rudeness, arrogance, lack of mercy, and lack of self-control are all signs that the fruits of the Spirit are absent. Anyone who disagrees with their teachings and interpretation of scripture is quickly attacked and ridiculed without compassion or love. It does not seem to matter if their words line up with The Word of YHVH or not, there is a certain element of people who follow them and hang on their every word. People like fights they like drama and they like to line up and choose sides. Who are we to follow men? 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 1 And I, brothers, was not able to speak to you as to spiritual ones but as to fleshly, as to babes in Messiah. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is envy, and strife, and divisions among you, are you not fleshly and walking according to man? 4 For when one says, I am of Sha ul, and another, I am of Apollos, are you not fleshly? Sha ul cuts to the heart of the issue. It is those who are immature, who choose to align themselves, pick sides and divide over personalities. What can anyone who wants to follow YHVH and who seeks to grow close to Him, think that they can possibly learn from such teachers who are immature and lack understanding themselves? There is a little truth mixed in with a lot of error and a very wrong spirit and attitude. Sadly, those that follow them, then go out and imitate them. The true believers are supposed to follow the example of Yeshua! 1 Corinthians 11:1 1 Become imitators of me, as I also am of Messiah.
Anyone that we put between Abba and ourselves is an idol! Sha ul was warning the Corinthians to quit dividing themselves. It is the adversary who divides! His strategy is to create division within the body and to try and prevent unity from taking place. Do NOT think that the adversary cannot work within the body. Those who are the TRUE called and appointed teachers of YHVH will be speaking and teaching the same things. Not everything is as it appears to be... 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 5 What then is Apollos, and what is Sha ul, but servants through whom you believed, as the Master assigned to each? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but Elohim was giving growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is any at all, but Elohim who gives the increase. 8 And he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are fellow workers of Elohim, you are the field of Elohim, the building of Elohim. Those who are called to teach do NOT seek to glorify themselves, or build a following! Teachers are servants sent by YHVH for the benefit of His people and those He is calling out of the world. Unity starts with those who teach the Word of Elohim they are to be examples! There IS a separation taking place and people are building up teachers for themselves we are told these things would happen. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 3 For there shall be a time when they shall not bear sound teaching, but according to their own desires, they shall heap up for themselves teachers tickling the ear, 4 and they shall indeed turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to myths. There is a lack of discernment and wisdom. There are many people becoming interested in Torah and in seeking out their Hebraic roots. These people become victims of false teachers who teach false doctrine. They take advantage of those who are babes in understanding and those who do not study and prove all things. It is nothing new 2 Timothy 3:1-7 1 But know this, that in the last days hard times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, thankless, wrong-doers, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, haters of good, 4 betrayers, reckless, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Elohim, 5 having a form of reverence but denying its power. And turn away from these! 6 For among them are those who creep into households and captivate silly women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The knowledge they claim to have, is false knowledge. When Sha ul taught the Bereans, they did not take him just at his word. They rightly divided the word and proved for themselves if what Sha ul was teaching them was correct and according to the Word of YHVH. They searched the Word daily and proved whether Sha ul was teaching them the truth, or not. We cannot be led astray and deceived if we do that! There are those who are not openly wolves that are the most crafty and deceitful of all, masquerading themselves as being full of light, when nothing could be further from the truth. Flattering and convincing with words, when their real intent is to devour and destroy. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 13 For such are false emissaries, deceptive workers, masquerading as emissaries of Messiah. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself masquerades as a messenger of light! 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works! We are to turn away from those who do not live by the Word of YHVH. Just because someone claims to have knowledge and claims to be a teacher, that does not make them fit for the task. Abba is the One who calls and appoints those whom He wants, into positions within the body to suit His purpose. He places those whom He can trust and depend on, where they can be of the most benefit to the body. No one can appoint themselves to a position within the body. Ephesians 4:11-13 11 And He Himself gave some as emissaries, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers 12 for the perfecting of the set-apart ones, to the work of service to a building up of the body of the Messiah, 13 until we all come to the unity of the belief and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the completeness of Messiah, We are told to come out and be separate and set-apart to YHVH. We have to use wisdom and discernment to find those whom YHVH has sent to teach us and to help us. The sprit of division MUST be overcome! It is NOT of YHVH! No matter how anyone tries to justify their actions and their words, those causing and inciting division are in opposition to YHVH. If we cannot discern who the TRUE shepherds and teachers of YHVH are now, when things really start getting difficult we are going to be in serious trouble! The early believers faced the same challenges. 1 Corinthians 1:10-15 10 And I appeal to you, brothers, by the Name of our Master יהושע Messiah, that you all agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be
knit together in the same mind and in the same opinion. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers, by those of the house of Chloe, that there are strifes among you. 12 What I mean is this, that each one of you says, I am of Sha ul, or I am of Apollos, or I am of Kĕpha, or I am of Messiah. 13 Has the Messiah been divided? Was Sha ul impaled for you? Or were you immersed in the name of Sha ul? 14 I thank Elohim that I immersed not one of you except Crispus and Gaios, 15 that no one should say that I immersed into my own name. YHVH desires unity and peace among those whom He has called and chosen. Just as there are those who are of the spirit of division and disharmony, the TRUE people of YHVH will have the spirit of unity and they will guard and protect it. There is a common bond and a common spirit that exists among them. It is the same spirit that will exist in the Kingdom of Elohim. The spirit of division will not be present in the Kingdom! Ephesians 4:1-6 1 I call upon you therefore, I the prisoner of the Master, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being eager to guard the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace 4 one body and one Spirit, as you also were called in one expectation of your calling, 5 one Master, one belief, one immersion, 6 one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. There is confusion, disharmony and discord within the body and those responsible need to repent and turn from what they are doing and from sowing division among those who are being called out. Those being called out need to use wisdom and discernment in whom they listen to and study and show themselves approved, rightly dividing the Word. Acts 20:25-31 25 And now see, I know that you all, among whom I went about proclaiming the reign of Elohim, shall see my face no more. 26 Therefore I witness to you this day that I am clear from the blood of all. 27 For I kept not back from declaring to you all the counsel of Elohim. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Set-apart Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of Elohim which He has purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves shall come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men shall arise, speaking distorted teachings, to draw away the taught ones after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease to warn each one with tears.
These things have happened before and they are recorded for an example to us, so that we can learn from past mistakes. The body MUST be ready and prepared for the return of Yeshua. The spirit of division will prevent that from happening. It is time to put away childish things; the body is immature and needs to grow up. Ephesians 4:14-16 14 so that we should no longer be children, tossed and borne about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of men, in cleverness, unto the craftiness of leading astray, 15 but, maintaining the truth in love, we grow up in all respects into Him who is the head, Messiah, 16 from whom the entire body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the working by which each part does its share, causes growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Sha ul gave Timothy sound guidelines to use, when looking for those who should be in positions of responsibility among the assemblies. They are to have fruits in their lives BEFORE they are placed in a responsible position! They are NOT to be new converts and they are even to be respected by those outside of the body of believers! 1 Timothy 3:1-7 1 Trustworthy is the word: If a man longs for the position of an overseer, he desires a good work. 2 An overseer, then, should be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, sensible, orderly, kind to strangers, able to teach, 3 not given to wine, no brawler, but gentle, not quarrelsome, no lover of money, 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in subjection with all reverence, 5 for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how shall he look after the assembly of Elohim? 6 Not a new convert, lest he become puffed up with pride and fall into the judgment of the devil. 7 And he should even have a good witness from those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. If we do not learn from the examples we are given, then we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. The people of YHVH must be discerning and wise and they must be able to separate the truth from those things which are false and in error. When Yisrael was in the wilderness, division was not tolerated by YHVH and it caused death and destruction among them. Division is also a means for sorting out those who TRULY belong to YHVH. 1 Corinthians 11:18-19 18 For in the first place, I hear that when you come together as an assembly, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 For there have to be factions even among you, so that the approved ones might be revealed among you.
Do NOT allow yourselves to be deceived! Prove all things! Do NOT give up your crown! No one will be standing beside you on the day that you answer to YHVH for everything you have done there will be no one else to point fingers at and we will give account for ourselves. Abba is very much against division and those who cause it it is something that He hates very strong words and something everyone should think about and consider very seriously! Proverbs 6:16-19 16 These six matters יהוה hates, And seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, And hands shedding innocent blood, 18 A heart devising wicked schemes, Feet quick to run to evil, 19 A false witness breathing out lies, And one who causes strife among brothers. Why does YHVH say that He hates division and those that are divisive? Because at the root of division lies rebellion! Pride and rebellion always cause the downfall of man and they will result in many losing out on their eternal life in the Kingdom of Elohim. People need to understand the difference between being set-apart and causing division. We are NOT to be tolerant of lawlessness, but we do not have to be intolerant of those who are still learning and growing. We all lived in lawlessness before we came to understanding. There are clear guidelines for dealing with lawlessness. Yeshua gives us direction, in Matthew 18, for resolving differences between ourselves and a brother. What do those directions accomplish? Restoration and harmony! It is to prevent division unless it is absolutely necessary. There are three steps, three different opportunities for reconciliation. What did the adversary incite and stir up in the heavenly realm? Division, discord, disharmony he had his followers too, who foolishly went along with his insurrection and believed his lies. There are also those who claim to be believers who constantly stir up division and discord. Those who whisper lies, who slander, who speak falsely of others they also must be dealt with and not allowed to continue their evil. Titus 3:10-11 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second warning, 11 knowing that such a one has been perverted, and sins, being self-condemned. We must learn what is acceptable to YHVH and what is not. We must learn discernment. We must stop mixing what is profane, corrupt and defiled with that which is clean and set apart. Elohim is echad (one) there will be no division in the Kingdom and no one will be allowed there who would cause it. Think about it
The Appointed Times are a picture of unity and harmony. YHVH requires His People to gather and observe the days that He set apart forever. That is how it will be in The Kingdom. All of those who enter in will dwell in peace, harmony and unity for all time. There will be nothing allowed there that would interfere or prevent that from happening. It is YHVH s desire for His People. Psalms 133:1-3 1 See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity 2 Like the precious oil on the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aharon, unning down on the collar of his robes 3 ike the dew of יהוה ermon, That comes down on the mountains of Tsiyon. For there commanded the blessing, Life forever! Abba s Plan will come to fruition and nothing, and no one can stand in the way or prevent that from coming to pass. The spirit of division will be removed along with all the rest that YHVH has already condemned. It has already been ordained and written. May YHVH speed that day. Copyright 2013 Jeff L Mills www.haemet.org