INTRODUCTION

This week, we continue our series “The Power of Agreeing”. Last week, in Part 1, “The Power of Agreeing with God”, we discovered the importance of putting aside time for our ‘Personal Temple Cleansing’, also known as confession. This week, we discovered “The Power of Agreeing with One Another”. In our world today, disagreements abound in our newspapers and social media. Disunity tends to govern our lives, but this is not how we were designed. God built agreement into the fabric of our lives. There is multiplication when we have an agreement between two persons (Matthew 18:18-20, 1 Corinthians 1:10-11 and Philippians 2:2). Agreement with one another brings forth fruitfulness and joy. 

The biblical agreement is lateral, meaning between two people, and vertical agreement with God. Therefore, the agreement follows the form of a cross. For the agreement to happen, we first need to know God’s words. 

DISCUSSION

1. In light of the truth that Biblical agreement takes the form of a cross, share with your group a time when you have found agreement with someone else. How did it work, what was the fruit, and what did you learn from the experience?
2. In Hebrews 11:8,11 – Abraham and Sarah were called to leave and blessed to conceive. An agreement was required for both of these actions to come to fruition, and the faith they exhibited is an example to us. God spoke, and despite immense difficulty and impossible circumstances, they both agreed with God’s call and acted according to His call. The result was supernatural fruitfulness.

   a. What impossible situations do you face today? What is God saying about them?

   b. With whom can you seek agreement in the midst of these situations?

3. An agreement brings fruitfulness out of difference. The word for agreement in Greek is symphoneo. This is where we get the word symphony, as in an orchestra. In an orchestra, many different instruments play together to bring one unified and complex sound. A symphony is made richer by the different sounds each instrument brings. We are not called to each do the same thing in the same way, and agreeing on what God is saying does not mean that we each have the same role to play in obeying His call. How might this look in our church, if we agree that God’s called us “to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ”

   a. What role do you play?

   b. What role do others play?

   c. What value do you see in our differences?

4. An agreement often requires a process. God is not limited by our limitations, and although Sarah and Abraham were well past childbearing age, God promised them a son.

   a. Read Genesis 17:16-17 and Genesis 18:10-12. How did they respond to God’s promise? 

   b. Read Genesis 21:6-7. What has changed in Sarah’s outlook?

   c. Where in your life do you need to come into alignment with what God is saying? In your marriage, family, or community?

5. Agreement must move from belief to behaviour. Abraham and Sarah had to live out what they agreed God was saying. Read James 2:14-26.

   a. What could be obstructing you from moving from belief to behaviour?

   b. What specific ways can your life group pray for you to move towards behaviour?

6.  
7. The Bible offers many examples of believers coming into agreement after an initial disagreement. Read Acts 15:1-21.

   a. What was the issue the early church leaders disagreed on?

   b. How did the early church handle disagreement?

   c. What role did various individuals play in bringing agreement to the church? Peter? Paul and Barnabas? James? The apostles and elders?

   d. Read Acts 15:22-35. What did the apostles and elders do to bring agreement to the Gentile believers? 

WHAT WILL YOU DO

Knowing that the result of agreement is supernatural fruitfulness, what should we do?

1. Seek God’s Word – Know and understand what He is saying to you in 2023.
2. Write it down- so you will not forget what God has said.
3. Orchestrate your part – discuss what each person can bring to walk in agreement.
4. Rehearse it often – review and remind yourself of what God has said, so as to not forget.  
5. Do it together- Seek God together, being in agreement and aligned with what God has said.

Areas of our lives that we can apply the Agreement SWORD include our marriages, parenting, work, church, sermons and prayer. 

This week, take time to seek God and His purposes for you in this season and in 2023. Use the Agreement SWORD to experience His supernatural fruitfulness in your life! 

MEMORY VERSE

Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. – Matthew 18:19-20

I appeal to you, brothers, and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. – 1 Corinthians 1:10