If you have strife and confusion in your life, perform a quick inventory and drive out the people or thing that is  disrupting your peace.

Strife: angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues; conflict.

Let’s take a look at Abraham and Lot as an example:

Genesis 13 New International Version (NIV)

Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. ² Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

³ From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier ⁴ and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.

⁵ Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶ But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. ⁷ And quarrelingarose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

⁸ So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. ⁹ Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

¹⁰ Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoarwas well watered, like the garden of theLord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) ¹¹ So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: ¹² Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. ¹³ Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord

Now you see that Abraham and Lot were both blessed but they came to a point where they outgrew their current position or relationship. There was not enough room for the both of them. It is clear that Abraham was the wiser of the two and suggested they both go their separate ways. He evaluated the situation and made a wise decision and solution at the same time.  In life we outgrow friends and sometimes family members and it is not always a bad thing. Certain goals, or plans that are greater than our current position just don’t fit our current lifestyle and it is now time to separate and elevate. You will see in the following scriptures what happened with Abraham once he separated from Lot. If you read previous scriptures Lot was never in God’s plan to tag along with Abraham from the beginning. Sometimes we hold on to people and things because we feel obligated and in reality we are hindering out next, blessing, next promotion or elevation. Here is the result of Abraham finally obeying God and separating from Lot.

¹⁴ The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. ¹⁵ All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring^[a]forever. ¹⁶ I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. ¹⁷ Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”

¹⁸ So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.

So as a result of Abraham’s obedience he came into his inheritance, The Promise of God. It is true that obedience is better than sacrifice. What are you holding on to or afraid to let go of that is keeping you from going to the next level, getting that promotion, your million dollar invention, your next business, your husband or your wife. It’s time for us evaluate and put it to action. It’s time to elevate and move forward. Are you ready?

Repeat this prayer after me:
Lord I am ready to surrender to your plans for my life. I let go of ….. and I submit. Reveal to me my next step, where I should go and what I should do. I am listening and I will do. Remove all strife, pride and contention from my life and I receive your peace. Holy Spirit guide me into all truth. Shine your light into all areas of darkness in my life. I thank you now Lord for the Victory, in Jesus name, Amen!

#sicilyhasspoken

Here are a few scriptures on strife for meditation.

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

Proverbs 18:6
The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.

Proverbs 17:1
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife

Proverbs 22:10
Drive out the locker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.

Proverbs 20:3
It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel

Psalm 55:9
Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city.

Sicily has spoken!