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  UNITY
  by K.P. Yohannan
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Summary: The sermon emphasizes the importance of unity and the right
mindset in overcoming conflicts while serving God.

Topics: "Spiritual Warfare", "Unity"
Scripture References: Matthew 5:9, John 17:21, Romans 12:18, 1 Corinthians 1:10, Galatians 5:15, Ephesians 6:12, Philippians 2:2, Colossians 3:13-14, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 4:1

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DESCRIPTION
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K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the importance of unity in serving God,
acknowledging that initial excitement can fade as we encounter conflicts
and challenges with others. He warns against losing sight of the true
battle, which is not against fellow believers but against spiritual
forces. The sermon encourages believers to arm themselves with the
mindset of Christ, who suffered for us, to maintain unity and
perseverance in service. Yohannan reminds us that our struggles often
stem from forgetting our true enemy and the spiritual nature of our
battles. Ultimately, he calls for a return to a heart of service and
unity, grounded in Christ's example.

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CONTENT
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When the Lord calls us to serve Him, our hearts are overjoyed. We are
excited and eager to do our best. But very soon we discover that things
would go a whole lot smoother if circumstances would be more favorable--
if finances weren't so tight, if John Doe with his strange ideas
wouldn't be in leadership, if we wouldn't have to work beside Mary Major
with her overbearing personality.

As time goes by, our initial excitement wears off, and the irritations,
disappointments and conflicts with others seem to grow stronger. We can
get to the point, at which we can't take it anymore, and we either start
fighting for our rights or we quietly walk off with hurt and bitterness
in our hearts.

If we began with such willing and sincere hearts, how do we get to the
place at which we are ready to walk away from this great privilege?

Could it be that we forgot we were in a battle that is not against flesh
and blood? Instead, we end up fighting John and Mary instead of our real
enemy. Did we arm ourselves correctly for the spiritual battle we
entered, as Paul describes in Ephesians? If our answer is yes, what are
we still missing?

I believe our answer is found in the letter the Apostle Peter wrote near
the end of his life: "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the
flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind" (1 Peter 4:1).

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/kp-yohannan/unity/
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