Law of Unity
     1.   Relates to wholeness
     2.   Three aspects of Law of Unity
               a.   Simple unity — accord among individuals
               b.   Personal integrity — personal focus, uniformity
               c.   Synergy — multiplying effect of unity
     3.   Characteristics
               a.   immutable — does not change, cannot be changed
               b.   inviolable — cannot be violated
               c.   universal — applies equally to everyone
     4.   Plan: move quickly through “unity” and “integrity” to allow more time for “synergy”

Unity
     1.   Definition of Unity.
               a.   Being in accord; harmony.
               b.   Each contributes to a common purpose or result.
     2.   Law of Unity
               a.   (admit: only one aspect; Law is broader than the following statement)
               b.   God’s power is free to act when believers bind themselves together, committed
          to achieving God’s will.
               c.   An indecisive person is ineffective; unity of thought, single-mindedness is
          essential.
               d.   Relevant to definition?
                         i.   Mt 9:38-40 whoever is not against Jesus is for him
                         ii.  Lk 9:49-50 whoever is not against you is for you
                         iii. Lk 11:23 whoever is not with Jesus is against him
                         iv.  Mt 12:30 whoever is not with Jesus is against him, whoever does not
               gather scatters (without external influence, objects/systems seek lowest
               state - order/energy)
     3.   Importance of unity
               a.   Jn 10:30 “I and the Father are one.” — unity characteristic of the Trinity
               b.   Mt 12:25-26 “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every
          city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan,
          he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?”
                         i.   What happens if unity lacking within a kingdom? lack of unity is
               disastrous
                         ii.  How does this apply to Satan’s kingdom? God’s kingdom?
                         iii. What does this imply about diversity within God’s kingdom?
                                   (1)  Unity with diversity is characteristic of God’s kingdom, because
                    he created diversity.
                                   (2)  However, unity of purpose is non-negotiable.
     4.   Significance of unity
               a.   Jn 17:20-23
                         i.   Jesus one with Father, Father in Son, Son in Father; spiritual union.
                         ii.  Believers to be brought to complete unity (one)
               b.   Gal 3:28 “ There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for
          you are all one in Christ Jesus.” — All believers are one in Christ Jesus
               c.   Jn 17:11 “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name — the name
          you gave me — so they may be one as we are one.”
                         i.   Father protects Jesus’ followers by power of his name so they may be
               one
                         ii.  Father protects unity among believers.
     5.   Among believers
               a.   1 Co 6:17 “But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.”
                         i.   What is significance of being one with Lord in spirit? Figurative? How
               might this be literal?
                         ii.  If three people each unite themselves with the Lord, what is their
               relationship to each other?
                         iii. If each of these 3 is in the Lord and the Lord in them, are they in each
               other?
                         iv.  Not necessarily. However, should foster unity among believers.
               b.   Php 2:2 “Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same
          love, being one in spirit and purpose.”
                         i.   What does this look like? How do these people behave when they are
               together?
               c.   1 Co 1:10 “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.”
                         i.   What does “perfectly united in mind and thought” mean?
                                   (1)  lack of originality? strict conformity?
                         ii.  Previous verse: “like-minded ... being one in spirit and purpose”
               d.   Acts 4:32 “All the believers were one in heart and mind.”(spirit & intellect)
               e.   Php 1:27 “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the
          gospel of Christ. Then whether I come and see you or only hear about you in
          my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one
          man for the faith of the gospel.” — stand firm in one spirit, as one man

Personal Integrity
     1.   Definition
               a.   State of being unimpaired; soundness. No quality that interferes.
               b.   Being whole or undivided; completeness. All qualities conform to the whole.
               c.   Unity of all your resources and efforts, complete focus on a goal/purpose.
               d.   We usually think only of moral integrity, which means everything a person does
          conforms to a moral code; personal integrity is broader than adherence to a
          moral code.
               e.   Example, 1 Co 4:17. “For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son
          whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life
          in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” —
          his way of life agreed with what he taught; integrity.
     2.   Importance of integrity
               a.   Jas 1:8 refers to “a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”
                         i.   double-mindedness is opposite of integrity; conflicting goals cause his
               efforts to be scattered, not only spreading resources thin, but internal
               tension reduces effectiveness
                         ii.  makes him unstable in all he does
                                   (1)  lacks solid foundation of single purpose
                                   (2)  analogy: house foundation breaks (two foundations), walls crack,
                    house damaged
                         iii. also prevents God from answering his prayers; God responds to those
               who are in unity with him; if person not even in unity with self, certainly
               not in unity with God.
                         iv.  Integrity provides personal stability, increased effectiveness as result of
               focus
                         v.   For Christian, integrity (unity with self) essential to working with God
               b.   Mt 6:24 “No one can serve two masters.”
                         i.   Can only be fully committed to one master
                         ii.  Your life will conform (everything you do) to whatever you worship

Results/benefits of integrity
     1.   Pr 11:3 “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by
     their duplicity.”
               a.   Integrity focuses all their resources; this guides them.
                         i.   focus requires goal/purpose
                         ii.  gives direction, guidance
               b.   Duplicity: contradictory doubleness of thought, speech or action.
               c.   Often evidence of hypocrisy (say what you want people to think)
               d.   Also a personal quality, result of trying to live by more than one standard.
               e.   Will destroy you.
               f.   Likewise, trying to be Christian and live by world’s standards will destroy you.
               g.   May convince self you’re successful, but in long run is disastrous.
               h.   Lukewarm, repulsive to God (Revelation, “vomit”).
               i.   Parable of sower, become like soil that is shallow, can’t sustain spiritual life, or
          like soil with weeds that choke spiritual life.
               j.   Become double-minded, unstable, repulsive to God
     2.   Mk 12:14 “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men,
     because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in
     accordance with the truth.”
               a.   Integrity caused him to always teach with truth.
               b.   Did not try to appease people.
     3.   Speech can employ integrity to solve problem
               a.   If I’m trying to understand something or solve problem, pretend to explain it so
          someone else and helps me figure it out.
               b.   Using integrity, involving more of my mental & physical resources to focus on
          task, releases additional power.
               c.   Speech center of brain influences many other areas of brain.
               d.   Speaking helps focus more of mental abilities.
               e.   Also, hear self speak, employs additional part of mind to process what you
          heard self say; increases your focus, gets more of your faculties involved in
          same effort.
     4.   Praying in tongues (spiritual prayer language) helps develop personal integrity
               a.   Mind submits to spirit, cooperates without understanding what spirit is saying,
          directs body to speak
               b.   Even if only consider this as personal exercise, it builds you up, strengthens you
               c.   1 Co 14:4 “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.”
               d.   Why? Because making your whole being conform to your spirit. Integrity.
          Delivers power of unity to what you are saying with spirit. Natural power, but
          is important.
               e.   Add to that what HS is saying to your spirit, your spirit speaks through your
          body with your mind’s cooperation, and you are forming unity with HS;
          releases supernatural power.
               f.   Our main focus here is personal integrity. Praying with your spirit increases
          your personal integrity.
               g.   Encourage you to use your spiritual prayer language as much as possible
                         i.   Any time alone — cleaning house, working in yard, showering, driving
               to work
                         ii.  Strengthens spirit, unifies whole being
                         iii. You are primarily spiritual being; your spirit is most important part

Synergy
Definition
     1.   Interaction of two or more people or forces so that their combined effect is greater than
     the sum of their individual effects. 1 + 1 = 10.
               a.   Requires unity among the elements involved.
               b.   Synergy is corollary to Law of Unity; without unity, synergy doesn’t happen.

Examples
     1.   Deut 32:30
               a.   one chase 1000, two put 10,000 to flight.
               b.   If each chased 1000, then ordinarily two would chase 2000; instead, synergy
          multiplies their efforts.
               c.   Each person 5 times more effective. 1 + 1 = 10.
     2.   Lev 26:8
               a.   five chase a hundred, hundred chase 10,000
               b.   synergy: if 5 chase 100, then 100 should only chase 2000; instead, chase
          10,000.
               c.   Each person 5 times more effective. 1 + 1 = 10.
     3.   Ro 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
     him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
               a.   “works” synergeo
               b.   God can not only cause each experience to benefit us in the long run, he causes
          their combined effects to be compounded.
     4.   Ever worked with someone else on a task or project? If there’s unity, work goes
     noticeably faster than two individuals. Why?
               a.   Physically: additional hands or muscle overcomes load or resistance
               b.   Psychologically/emotionally: encourage each other; each reinforces other as
          needed; by himself, individual might get discouraged enough to quit
               c.   Intellectually: discussing problem or issue with someone else
                         i.   You have idea A, they add idea B. You consider A & B, respond with
               idea C, and so on. “Brainstorming”
                         ii.  Each person builds on previous ideas
                         iii. Interaction, different perspectives causes synergy; different perspectives
               cover more aspects of topic, develop more complete big picture, so
               develop more effective total solution
                         iv.  Even if other person doesn’t understand what you’re talking about, still
               beneficial.
                                   (1)  Their encouragement & unity cause you to progress much further
                    than by yourself.
                                   (2)  Even if they don’t encourage you and unite with you, still
                    developing personal unity/integrity by talking about the matter.
                         v.   If don’t have unity with other person, synergy doesn’t happen.
                                   (1)  They may stifle your progress; opposition
                         vi.  Is a lack of unity if one person has different goal, or is critical or hostile
               d.   Spiritually
                         i.   Becoming one in spirit releases spiritual power of unity
                                   (1)  Human quality, not just Christian
                                   (2)  Gen 11:6 “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.’”
                                   (3)  Their unity caused synergistic results; nothing would be
                    impossible for them.
                         ii.  Among Christians, also releases HS, presence of God
                                   (1)  Mt 18:20 “For where two or three come together in my name,
                    there am I with them.”
                                   (2)  Synergy of two or three believers, benefits of synergy
                                   (3)  God also present, does what we cannot
                                   (4)  Maybe this is why 1 + 1 = 10