1 John 4:11-12 ‘Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.
DAILY READING; Matthew 15:1-20; Leviticus 24-25; Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
The Moravian Brethren, is one of the oldest Protestant denominations in Christianity.
It started in 1722 when a small community of persecuted believers found refuge in the estate of a German nobleman named Count Nikolaus Zinzendorf.
Count Nikolaus, whose heart burned with a passion for Christ allowed them to settle on his lands in the eastern part of modern-day Germany.
As word spread about the community, other persecuted Christians from diverse backgrounds began arriving there
However as this Christian community began to thrive, the enemy caused denominational divisions to arise among them by sending an evil messenger, named Johannes Sigismund Krüger, who preached using the Scriptures, but was actually “a false brother”. His messages were so persuasive and divisive that many were deceived and began fighting each other.
As Krüger’s messages increased in fanaticism, it eventually became
obvious that he was mentally deranged; he was arrested and committed to an asylum in Berlin. But a great deal of damage had already been done.
Saddened by the reports of the spiritual dissension among the Christian believers, Count Zinzendorf worked to bring reconciliation among the brethren.
Many of them became repentant and on May 12th, 1727, they signed an agreement, called the Brotherly Agreement to love each other and dedicate their lives to the service of Jesus Christ.
After this reconciliation as they came to the communion table, the Holy Spirit fell upon them so powerfully and gloriously that no one wanted to leave. Revival broke out among them and for many days they prayed and cried out to God.
After this outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Lord spoke to Count Zinzendorf from Leviticus 6:13, that the fire should never go out on the altar!
This resulted in an unceasing prayer watch that was held around the clock, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They launched the prayer movement with 24 men and 24 women, who pledged to “unceasing prayer” for one hour a day.
When the Moravians began these prayers, they had no idea that, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, this prayer chain would greatly expand and last for the next 100 plus years!
The decision of the Moravian Brethren to abide in love prompted the powerful outpouring of the Spirit that birthed the historical prayer movement.
Today, the spiritual movement of the Moravians has continued to thrive and has spread to various nations of the world.
When believers are in one mind and one accord, the Holy Spirit will flow unhindered and move mightily in their midst.
In Acts 2:1, the Holy Ghost descended upon one hundred and twenty disciples in the Upper Room when they were all with one accord and in one place. And from there broke out the revival that shook the world.
Indeed it takes unity and love for the Spirit to manifest mightily in our midst.
Psalm 133:1 -2 says ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard , even Aaron’s beard..’
Oil of the Spirit and the anointing flows in the place of unity!
Because the Early Church understood that there was power in unity of Spirit and being in one accord, they gave no room for strife in their midst.
In Acts 6, when the enemy tried to bring in confusion over sharing of food, the apostles immediately waded in and stopped the growing division and proclaimed that they would rather give themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word.
One of the devil’s tactics is called ‘divide and rule’.
Oftentimes, he looks for ways to create division amongst people so that it would given him room to rule over their affairs.
Anywhere there is disharmony in marriages, homes, families, Churches, organizations, relationships etc, it opens spiritual doorways for the enemy to bring in oppression and afflictions.
To stop people from receiving their miracles, the enemy breeds strife, hatred and discord, knowing that it hinders the flow of the Spirit.
But we are not ignorant of the devices of the devil. This is why we must continue to love each other under all circumstances. God is love and when we walk in love, we abide in God.
When we love despite offences, faults or wrong doings, it shows that the Holy Spirit dwells in us, because He is the One that sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts. God Himself showed us the perfect example of love; when He sent Jesus to shed His Blood to redeem us, even while we were yet sinners.
As we have freely received God’s love, so also let us freely release to others.
Today, by the power in the Blood of Jesus let us receive the grace to walk in love and unity so that the Spirit will move powerfully in our midst and freely manifest mighty signs and wonders in our lives.
PRAYER: Lord, please enable me to love people as You love them. By the Blood of Jesus, I receive the grace today to shine the light of Your love wherever I go in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see. WORDBITE 222