Today, division and separation are taking place in the Church. This is a spiritual battle that some believers are not seeing. Some division and separation from evil in our ranks is needed to keep the Church pure and unsullied by human pride and ambition. The greater reality is this – our unity is essential for the Church to do what the Lord requires of us. We need to join ranks and not allow the enemy to win this battle.

We can learn something from the Spartans, the elite warriors of ancient Greece who were from the city of Sparta. In Sparta, every male citizen underwent rigorous training from a young age to become a Spartan. This training emphasized physical strength, endurance, and discipline, making Spartans among the most formidable fighters in the ancient world.

The Spartan soldiers were known for their intense training that began at age seven. Their training focused on learning combat skills, survival, and teamwork. The soldiers were known for creating something called the phalanx formation.  In the phalanx, they fought in a tight formation using overlapping shields and long spears, which made them highly effective in battle.

A life of faith lives in perpetual conflict with Satan and his demonic host. One of hell’s greatest weapons is to divide and destroy the people of God. These never-ending battles are nothing new in the history of the Church. As disappointing issues are revealed in the Church, we cannot allow Satan’s divisive tactics to divide us. We must maintain a spiritual phalanx with other believers because our witness demands unity.

Paul wrote, “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future” (Ephesians 4: 3-4). Maintaining oneness is our greatest weapon.

We do this by keeping our faith local and personal, not succumbing to the failures of leaders in the global church. We need to keep our ranks secure, living in a spiritual phalanx with those we are living with.

The Spartans had a phrase that was true then and still rings true today: “A Spartan’s greatest weapon is the Spartan to his left.” This means, in the ongoing spiritual battles we face in the Church today, we must stand together in battle, knowing that the believer next to me is just as committed to victory as I am. 

Jesus prayed this in His prayer to the Father, “May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:23). We need to close ranks in order to maintain a perfect unity when the enemy is attacking the Church attempting to divide and conquer our witness before the world.