Together we stand divided we fall

Message Title: Together We Stand, Divided We Fall

Theme Statement:

Unity strengthens, division destroys. God's plan for victory is always tied to people walking together in love, obedience, and purpose.

I. Introduction

• Quote: "United we stand, divided we fall" – traced back to Aesop’s fable The Four Oxen and the Lion.

Jesus Himself emphasized unity:  The Four Oxen and the Lion – Aesop’s Fable (Short Version)

Once upon a time, four oxen lived together in a field. They were close companions, always grazing together and keeping watch for danger. A lion lurking nearby wanted to eat them, but every time he tried to approach, the oxen would stand back-to-back, forming a circle. Their horns faced outward, and the lion could never get close.

So the lion waited. Eventually, the oxen began to quarrel and went their separate ways, each grazing in a different corner of the field. Now that they were alone and divided, the lion attacked — and one by one, he devoured them.

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“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” — Mark 3:25 (NIV)

Illustration: The Bundle of Sticks

A father gave his sons a bundle of sticks and told them to break it. They couldn’t. Then he told them to break the sticks one by one — and they easily did.
Moral: Unity brings strength. Separation brings weakness.

II. Biblical Examples of Unity & Division

A. Unity that Brought Victory:

1. The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)

Even though their purpose was wrong, their unity was powerful:

“The people are one… now nothing will be withheld from them which they imagine to do.” (v.6)

• God confused their language because even in rebellion, unity was strong.

2. Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 6)

• The walls of Jericho fell when the people obeyed and shouted together.
• No one did their own thing — they followed God's order in unity.

3. The Early Church (Acts 2:1, 42-47)

“When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” (v.1)

• The church grew because they shared everything, prayed together, and stayed in unity.

B. Division that Led to Defeat:

1. Israel in the Wilderness (Numbers 14)

• Fear divided the people after the 10 spies gave a bad report.
• Because of disunity and unbelief, a whole generation died in the wilderness.

2. Kingdom Split Under Rehoboam (1 Kings 12)

• Rehoboam refused wise counsel and caused a split: Israel and Judah divided.
• Internal division weakened both kingdoms — neither was ever as strong again.

III. Real-World Examples

A. The 300 Spartans (Battle of Thermopylae)

• Vastly outnumbered, but their unity and strategy made them a legend.
• Unity can make a small group powerful.

B. Civil Rights Movement (1960s)

• Led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., diverse people united under one cause.
• Peaceful, collective action changed the world.

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” – Dr. King

C. Family Illustration

• A family that prays, eats, and faces struggles together is stronger.
• But when there's bickering and division, the enemy gets a foothold.

IV. Why Unity Matters