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God commands His servants never to engage in strife. 2 Timothy 2:24 says that a servant of the Lord must not strive or struggle for supremacy but rather be gentile and patient. God’s servant must not be quarrelsome nor be argumentative. Arguments usually precede strife. Argumentativeness is actually a quest for superiority between people. It is a battle to gain superiority over others in thoughts or speech. Strife sets in when no one is willing to yield grounds to the argument of the other party because each person perceives his opinion as right and superior to the other person’s opinion.
Strife reflects in contentions over matters and disagreement over issues. It is seen in a deliberate attempt to exert oneself, one’s ideas and opinions over others or contending for superiority either by intellectual or physical efforts. It is actually a battle for superiority or acceptance of opinions.
Strife generally refuses to yield grounds as a result of being unwilling to be selfless.
Strife is a subtle battle for superiority and relevance. Most people struggle for relevance in organisational settings. The quest for self-recognition and self-exaltation, which are attributes of pride, is the reason for strife.
Strife most times exist where there is a perception of equality of any or some kind. You hardly contend or argue with someone who you hold in very high regard or esteem. Even if you would differ on any opinion, it is usually with a lot of respect that you air your opinion. But when you have a feeling of equality, then you can argue and contend without willingness to submit.
The importance of dealing with strife in leadership is because the devil uses strife as a tool to gradually destroy God’s work, weaken the power of leadership by creating division. Division always weakens the force of any team. Strife by way of words was the instrument that was used to stop the tower of Babel from being built and the devil uses that as a tool today to stop the work of God. At the Tower of Babel, their language was confused and the people couldn’t understand themselves any more. Once they lost their unity of speech, they lost their cohesion and hence they could not continue building the tower which brought them together in the first place.
Once disagreement arises, and strife sets in, confusion also sets in.
Amos 3:3
• Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
For any group of people to work together there has to be complete and total agreement. This is only truly possible through submission. Submission does not mean that you do not have a differing opinion, but it implies that you are willing to yield grounds to another person’s opinion.
God instituted the need for submission. He said wives must submit to their husbands and servants or followers must submit to their leaders. Then he said we must all put on the cloak of humility and submit ourselves one to another in the fear of God.
James 3:16
• For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Strife brings confusion into leadership and opens up the door for Satan to bring in every other evil work. Where there is strife there will be backbiting, gossip and malice. Relationships that are heaven made can die on the platform of strife. It is better to yield grounds in submission than to lose relationships because of strife.
Strife usually occurs in leadership in the areas of differences of opinions, ideas or methods of how things should be done.
Strife also occurs where there is no clear perception of leadership roles. Where there is no clear definition of roles in any relationship there will always be strife.
There cannot be two captains in one ship. Proximity to your leader can destroy your perception of him as your leader.
We must clearly recognize those who are both our elders and or leaders spiritually to avoid strife.
One common field of occurrence of strife is between a husband and his wife. Many couples today are constantly at war with each other, quarrelling daily and involved in conflicts and disagreements of different kinds, simply because the concerned individuals are unaware that strife is of the devil and is actually a devilish way of going about things.
Last Line: Have you ever wondered what it means to give your life to Christ and be saved? Are you born again? God sent Jesus to die for all your sins so that you will not have to be punished for the same. To be saved means to simply accept Christ Jesus as your substitutionary sacrifice for your sins and to make him lord over your life. Surrender your life to Christ today by asking Jesus to forgive you your sins; ask Him to come into your life and to make you a new person. If you are facing challenges and require counseling/prayers do not hesitate to contact me. I will be willing to assist as much as I can.
