STRIFE WITHIN BRINGS STRIFE WITHOUT

by Ruth M. Lambert

What is the meaning of strife? It is a angry underlying current that can not be seen but it surely can be felt. It produces a hostile attitude towards others who may not have anything to do with the way the "spirit of strife" makes you feel in your emotions. Strife is arguing, bickering, hostile attitudes, bitter dissention, contention, disagreement, a struggle for control, rivalry, debate and provocation, division and factions.

When we are in strife with ourselves we will suffer all these things within us. We will be in battle within, the flesh trying to rule over our spirit. In our spirit man we clearly know right from wrong, what God wants of us and the "words" He has spoken to us. Our flesh will fight against the things of the spirit. We will sense all the elements of "strife within" us the same way we are drawn into strife without, in our circumstances and relationships. What is the battle all about?

It is mainly about "obedience" ! God may have given us clear directions about a desire or assignment He wants us to do. It may or may not be to our liking. We may try to reason it out with arguments from our flesh but in our heart (spirit) we KNOW it is God's desire and will for us. We heard Him clearly and know exactly what He is asking of us but we DO NOT want to do it. Our flesh has other desires. We want our way, not God's. Following Jesus requires obedience and our will must be "sold out" to doing God's will.

I know the flesh desire of Jesus was not to go to the cross! He prayed so earnestly, Father, if there be ANY OTHER WAY, let this cup pass from me! That was his flesh crying out for a release from what He knew in His spirit was the will of His Father! He had a work to do, an assignment that only He could do. He had heard clearly His Father speak, He understood in His heart (spirit) the thing being asked of Him and He struggled within to bring His flesh under the control of his spirit man. This was Jesus in strife within himself. It was a time of decision. A time of battle. A time of struggle for control.

But Jesus had made a quality decision long before this moment in time. He had sold out his own desire to that of doing the Father's will! Long and hard was the strife within, the battle so strong against His spirit he sweat drops of his own blood as the strength of the battle increased within him. But His "sold out" will of surrendering to the will of His Father won the battle when He cried out.........NEVER THE LESS.......THY WILL BE DONE!

At that moment, all the strife within Jesus departed, for it had been defeated by the OBEDIENCE of Jesus to do the will of His Father! The battle was won by determination to do His Father's will at any cost to Himself. Do you hold that kind of commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and His work in you-----? Do you cry out-----at any cost Lord let your will be done?

Make no mistake about this! When YOU sell out your will to doing Your Father's will here on this earth, YOU TOO WILL EXPERIENCE THIS BATTLE OF STRIFE WITHIN YOU AT TIMES. Your enemy is not going to stand by and watch you walk in victory against his "spirit of strife" without a fight!

I believe there is a very important lesson in this scripture account of Jesus that is often overlooked! It is all about "decisions" or "choices". Long before Jesus arrived at this stage of His life.....He had made a powerful decision that gave Him strength and courage in this moment in found Himself in! (remember Jesus as a child in the temple saying " I must be about My Father's business) That powerful decision fixed His mind and heart on what He knew He must do. Captured within that decision was the power and spiritual strength to keep Him on the path He had chosen.

He had a "fixed focus" by the "choice" he had made! Strife within Him could NOT deter His decision nor His purpose! He would fulfill what was assigned to Him by His Father!


Lord help us all to receive revelation on this spiritual truth on WHY we suffer strife within us. Help us to stop arguing with the will of our Father in our lives! Stop arguing with God and ourselves and understand our surrender to the will of Christ in our lives makes us an instrument the devil trembles of in fear!

Oh sisters! That we should make an all or nothing, sold out to Jesus decision, and begin to OBEY THE CALLING OF GOD OUR FATHER AND BE SET FREE FROM THE 'SPIRIT OF STRIFE ' within us!

We must FIRST be at HARMONY WITHIN OURSELVES before we can walk in harmony with others! Cast down the "spirit of strife" within you! Make a quality decision to do the will of your Father and begin to live in the great and powerful peace that comes from harmony within yourself!


Strife is a killer! It will kill your anointing! It will kill your blessings! It will kill your prayers! It will kill and destroy blessings God has already given you!

PEACE is a powerful spiritual weapon! When the devil can not steal your peace from you, you have strength and courage that makes him tremble in fear of YOU!

Harmony within you puts you on the OFFENSE! You are strong in spiritual strength! Suddenly your enemy must take the defense because he knows You are about to cut him down! Now it is he who is on the run! NOT YOU!

If You are in strife with yourself today..... make a decision that will give you power and strength. Lay down your will and while you are laying it down, grab hold of God's will .......before you get back up!