Leadership 101 (4)

Lesson 6 — The Power of Leadership: Walking in Unity

Central Point

Unity is not just an ideal — it is the lifeblood of Kingdom leadership. Without unity, there is no lasting anointing, no sustained revival, and no enduring fruit. Unity is the atmosphere in which the Holy Spirit moves freely.

Division grieves the Spirit; unity welcomes Him. When leaders walk in oneness of heart and purpose, heaven responds.

“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” — Matthew 12:25 (NKJV)

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” — Ephesians 4:3 (NIV)

Unity is not uniformity — it’s alignment. It means different people, different gifts, and different perspectives working together under one Lord, one mission, and one Spirit.

Scripture Foundation

Psalm 133:1–3 (ESV)

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”

This Psalm gives us a picture of what happens when God’s people live in harmony:

Unity is pleasant — it brings joy.

Unity is powerful — it releases anointing.

Unity is productive — it brings fruitfulness and life.

When leaders dwell together in unity, God commands the blessing — it’s not requested, it’s guaranteed.

“For where there is unity, the Lord commands the blessing.” — Psalm 133:3 (paraphrased)

I. The Anointing Flows Where There Is Unity

The anointing is compared to oil flowing from Aaron’s head down to his garments. The oil flows from the top down — from the head (leadership) to the body (the people). If leadership is divided, the flow stops at the head.

This means unity among leaders determines the level of blessing in the body.

“Now I plead with you, brethren… that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” — 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NKJV)

When leaders are in harmony:

The anointing flows without restriction.

The people flourish under peace.

The Spirit manifests freely.

When leaders are in strife:

The anointing becomes hindered.

Confusion replaces clarity.

The Spirit is grieved.

“Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” — Proverbs 13:10 (NIV)

As A.W. Tozer once said,

“One hundred religious people knit together by unity of purpose in Jesus Christ are stronger than ten thousand whose interest lie apart.”

II. Jesus’ Final Prayer: Unity Before Power

Before Jesus faced the cross, His greatest prayer for His followers was not for success, not for miracles — but for oneness.

John 17:20–23 (NLT)

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in Me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as You and I are one — as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You. And may they be in Us so that the world will believe You sent Me.”

Jesus linked unity with credibility. The world will believe our message when it sees our love and unity.

“By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:35 (NIV)

Love is the glue of unity, and humility is the posture that sustains it. The closer we draw to Christ, the closer we draw to one another.

Charles Spurgeon once said,

“We are confident that this unity is the delight of the heart of Christ. The nearer we get to Christ, the nearer we shall be to one another.”

III. The Power of One Accord

Acts 2:1–4 (NKJV)

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Before the power fell, the people united. Before fire came, hearts aligned.

Unity was the soil where the Spirit of God was planted.

Later, Acts 4:32 says:

“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.”

When the Church is in one accord:

The Spirit falls.

The Gospel advances.

The miraculous becomes normal.

We cannot have Pentecostal power without Upper Room unity.

“When believers learn to agree together in prayer, the earth will tremble again.” — John Wesley

IV. The Enemy of Unity: Pride, Offense, and Gossip

Satan doesn’t need to destroy the Church — he just needs to divide it.

“For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” — James 3:16 (NKJV)

Division starts in the heart long before it shows in behavior. It’s born from pride, sustained by offense, and spread through gossip.

Pride says, “My way is better.” Offense says, “You hurt me, so I withdraw.” Gossip says, “I’ll tell others instead of forgiving.”

But Scripture calls us to the opposite:

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” — Ephesians 4:2 (NIV) “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” — 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)

Where love abounds, offenses die quickly. Where love is lacking, minor issues become major divides.

“Bitterness is the enemy of blessing, and pride is the enemy of power.” — Leonard Ravenhill

V. Unity Requires Intentional Effort

Unity doesn’t happen naturally — it must be pursued, guarded, and maintained.

How to Cultivate Unity Among Leaders:

Keep a shared vision.

“Write the vision and make it plain.” — Habakkuk 2:2 (NKJV) Disunity grows when people lose sight of the mission. Keep the vision before the team.

Walk in humility.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” — Philippians 2:3 (NIV) Humility is the posture that protects unity.

Refuse gossip and division.

“A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” — Proverbs 16:28 (NIV)

Forgive quickly and fully.

“If you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you.” — Mark 11:25 (NIV)

Celebrate others’ success.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice.” — Romans 12:15 (NIV) Honor breaks the spirit of jealousy and comparison.

Pray together often. Teams that pray together stay together.

“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” — Matthew 18:19 (NKJV)

VI. Historical Example: The Moravian Revival

In 1727, Count Zinzendorf led a small community in Herrnhut, Germany that was plagued by theological disputes. They fasted, repented, and prayed for unity. God answered — His Spirit fell so powerfully that they began a 24-hour prayer chain that lasted 100 years.

From that unity came one of the greatest missionary movements in church history. They had a simple motto:

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.”

Application

Value unity over personal preference. You can’t have revival and resentment in the same heart.

Pray for those you disagree with. It’s hard to stay divided from someone you’re interceding for.

Choose reconciliation over being right. Winning arguments is easy — winning hearts requires humility.

Speak life. Build up, don’t tear down.

“If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” — Romans 12:18 (CSB)

Billy Graham once said,

“Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything.”

If we are to see revival power, we must first return to relational peace.

VII. The Blessing of Unity

Where there is unity:

The Presence of God dwells. (Psalm 133:3)

The Church grows. (Acts 2:47)

The enemy is defeated. (Deuteronomy 32:30 — “One can chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight.”)

Unity multiplies strength, amplifies anointing, and accelerates mission.

“Together, the people of God are unstoppable when united under the purpose of Christ.” — Watchman Nee

Leadership Lesson

Unity is the sound of heaven. Discord is the language of the flesh. The Holy Spirit fills what is in one accord — not what is impressive, but what is aligned.

A divided leadership team may have activity, but a united one has authority.

“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” — Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)

Quotes for Reflection

“The best remedy for division is to fall in love with Jesus. When He is the focus, everything else becomes secondary.” — A.W. Tozer “It takes the whole Church to reach the whole world.” — C.T. Studd “If the devil cannot defeat the Church from without, he will divide it from within.” — Unknown “We will never walk in revival until we walk in right relationship.” — Leonard Ravenhill

Reflection for Leaders

Am I walking in harmony with my team and my church family?

Have I allowed offense, pride, or jealousy to create distance between me and another leader?

Am I contributing to unity or disunity in my words and actions?

What practical step can I take this week to build stronger unity in my ministry?

“Unity is not the goal — it is the gateway to glory.” When leaders walk as one, the world will see the One we follow.