Agree With Yourself First: Why a Divided Mind Gets No Answers

Sermon outline

Agreement releases multiplied power, but before you can agree with anyone else your own mind, spirit and body must come into harmony with each other and with God's word, so that you are single-minded and your words carry life.

1. Heaven backs you up

   Jesus said that whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever you loose is loosed, so believers can control affairs from this plane. As long as your prayer is according to God's word and will, heaven will back you up, and your prayers are not ordinary but devastating.

   “Heaven will back you up with what's required in your life.”

   • Matthew 18:18

2. Agreement means to symphonise

   If two agree on anything they ask, the Father will do it, and two or three gathered in His name already make church. Agreement means to harmonise, like instruments playing the same tune: saying, believing and asking for the same thing. One person hoping and the other in faith is not agreement, because faith already declares it has what it asked for, like Abraham and unlike Thomas.

   Illustration: One person prays for 'greater financial blessings' while the other believes for a thousand rand by seven o'clock tonight: that is not agreement.

   “Faith already declares that it has the manifestation of what they are asking for before they even see it.”

   • Matthew 18:19-20
   • John 20:25
   • Hebrews 11:1

3. One chases a thousand, two put ten thousand to flight

   God told Israel that if they walked in His statutes they would have rain, harvest, peace and safety, and five would chase a hundred and a hundred ten thousand. In agreement, power is multiplied, and as Abraham's seed in Christ that promise is ours by grace.

   “Multiplied power comes to the Christian when he or she walks in agreement.”

   • Deuteronomy 32:30
   • Leviticus 26:3-8
   • Galatians 3:29

4. A double-minded man receives nothing

   Ask in faith without doubting, because the doubter is like a wave tossed by the wind and should not expect to receive anything. Before you ask, be sure it is what you want and that it is God's will: meditate on the word until you know it is His will to prosper you and that you have already been healed. Small wrong thoughts, like little foxes, spoil the vine.

   Illustration: God tells you to give away the new black suit you wore on Wednesday, and you ask whether you can give the older, cheaper one in the wardrobe instead: that is double-mindedness.

   “A double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways.”

   • James 1:2-8
   • 3 John 2
   • Song of Solomon 2:15

5. You are three in one: spirit, soul and body

   You are spirit, soul and body, three distinct parts that make up the whole. Your faith has a spirit, because we have 'the same spirit of faith'; your mind has a spirit, because you are renewed 'in the spirit of your mind'; and your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, where there is liberty.

   “Faith has a spirit.”

   • 1 Thessalonians 5:23
   • 2 Corinthians 4:13
   • Ephesians 4:23
   • 2 Corinthians 3:17
   • 1 Corinthians 6:19

6. Agree with yourself: two are better than one

   Many prayers go unanswered not because God does not want to answer but because you are not in agreement with yourself: your spirit believes while your mind says it is impossible. When mind and spirit come into unity, even a whispered prayer releases power, they 'keep warm' together and nothing can overpower you. You are in charge of your mind and spirit: bring them into line with God's word.

   Illustration: Standing with three pastors as his body, mind and spirit, he shows the mind running one way and the spirit another, like two horses pulling apart until the rider takes hold of the reins. When the Holy Spirit says get up at five to pray, you tell your mind and your spirit that you are going to pray, and all three of you get up together.

   “Your fight is not with someone else your fight is with yourself.”

   • Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
   • Amos 3:3

7. Be specific: write down what you want

   If your mind wants a car but cannot decide which, how can God give it to you? Write your request down, because writing forces you to be specific about what, when, how much and what colour, and then bring it to God once your mind and spirit know what they want. The same applies to your ministry: find the assignment God gave you and keep to it instead of copying someone else.

   Illustration: Not just 'a car' but a blue VW Golf 1.6 with black leather seats at a set price. And the person who comes for healing prayer while thinking about the queue at the doctor's tomorrow and hoping for a discount on medicine.

   “As soon as you start to write things down, it causes you to be specific.”

   • Matthew 19:26

8. In agreement, your words become spirit and life

   Jesus said His words are spirit and life. When your mind agrees with your spirit, which agrees with the Holy Spirit in you, which agrees with the sword of the Spirit, the word in your mouth, every word you speak carries life and power and none falls to the ground. Be of the same mind.

   “No word of yours will fall to the ground.”

   • John 6:63
   • 2 Corinthians 3:6
   • Romans 12:16
   • Ephesians 6:17

9. Stable and single-minded: keep to your assignment

   Some love the pastor one day and call him the most evil man the next, because they let mind and spirit drift apart. Leaders especially must be stable, single-minded and on one track, whatever challenges come. Respect other ministries, but once you find your niche, stay there.

   Illustration: Someone who works for Coca-Cola today, Pepsi tomorrow and a dairy the next month; and minds that have bolted from the stable into everybody else's kitchen.

   “Stable characters have their mind and spirit in check.”

   • Ephesians 4:5