9 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Matt 18:19-20 (NKJV)

Let’s look for a minute at the beginning… God created the earth, and every step along the way He said it was good. God created man. So here we are… God, and a man. But then for the first time God said, “It is not good.”

18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Gen 2:18 (NIV)

God made us in such a way that we could not achieve our potential without someone else besides him.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Eccl 4:9-12 (NIV)

A cord of three strands… What did God intend for that to be? One is me, one is someone else - and one is God.

God knows the power of agreement.

6 The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." Gen 11:6-7 (NIV)

Notice here that God actually divided them. Why? Because he knew the power of agreement – but without Him, they would die powerfully!

About Agreement

I cannot agree with everyone

⁵¹ Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵² From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." Luke 12:51-53 (NIV)

I must choose my agreements

14 "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! 15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Josh 24:14-15 (NKJV)

I must first agree with God.

37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. Matt 10:37-39 (NKJV)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus… Phil 2:5 (NKJV)

Then I can agree with my family.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Gen 2:24 (NIV)

Then I can agree with my church family.

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Cor 1:10 (NIV)

· When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord... Acts 2:1 (NKJV)

and suddenly there came..

· Now all who believed were together… Acts 2:44 (NKJV)

and the Lord added daily…

· So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord Acts 4:24 (NKJV)

and the place was shaken…

· Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; Acts 4:32 (NKJV)

with great power the apostles testified, and great grace was upon them all…

· And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. Acts 5:12 (NKJV)

many miraculous signs and wonders were done, more and more men and women believed, (Peter’s shadow)

Everett McCoy - Pastor
ConnectPoint Community Church
Birmingham, Alabama

www.connectpoint.org

Everett McCoy pastors an independent church in Birmingham, Alabama, along with his wife Rhonda (www.rhondamccoy.com). Everett is a business owner, and passionate about motivating Christian businessmen to use their gifts to serve God's purpose around the world. His own business (www.macrim.com) enables him to travel frequently to India, where he also enjoys assisting in the work of indigenous churches.