Lessons from the battlefield, part 18: working together

After these acts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself. Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to make war on Jerusalem, he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. (2 Chronicles 32:1-3 NASB)

 

Hezekiah was king.  He could do whatever he wanted because, ultimately, he was responsible for any decision that was made.  The buck stopped with Hezekiah.  When Sennacherib decided to make war on Jerusalem, Hezekiah could have made a plan and demanded that it be implemented.  He could have issued orders and insisted on obedience.  

Instead, Hezekiah met with his officers and his warriors (the leaders and the workers) to formulate a plan.  They worked as a team and Scripture tells us “they helped him.”  His officers and warriors not only helped Hezekiah implement the plan, they helped him make the plan, and it was a better plan because of their input.  King Solomon wrote of this truth in Proverbs 11:14

“Where there is no guidance, the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory (deliverance)”

The work of the local church is also dependent upon teamwork.  When we work together to be the Body of Christ in action, the work of reaching the lost for Christ and making disciples will be accomplished quicker and more creatively.  When we work together, we can do more and do it better than when we try to be a "lone ranger".  

This is true for the local church, but it is also true for the greater body of Christ. This may surprise you, but there is nothing at all in Scripture about separation by denomination. Jesus meant for all His people to work together, regardless of what kind of sign was on the building where they worshipped.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the denominations had such unity of spirit between them?  Perhaps when we do, we will finally accomplish the job of going to all the world (every single "people group") making disciples and teaching them to be obedient.  

Jesus expressed it another way:

“I in them and Thou in me,

that they may be perfected in unity

that the world may know

that Thou didst send Me.

John 17:23