OPENING SCRIPTURE:

If a house is DIVIDED against itself, that house CANNOT STAND (Mark 3:25 NKJ)
A home filled with STRIFE and DIVISION DESTROYS ITSELF (Mark 3:25 TLB)

• If a home is filled with the spirit of strife, that home will self-destruct.

WHAT IS STRIFE? Strife is conflict, contention, discord, disharmony, dissention, division, disunity, friction, fighting, quarrel.

• Strife comes in when we open the door.
• Strife can become a lifestyle if it is not dealt with.
• Many people operate in strife without being aware of it.

Strife is a destructive spirit. It destroys homes, marriages, relationships, churches.

DOORS THAT CAN ALLOW STRIFE IN:

#1 ANGER

An ANGRY man stirs up STRIFE, And a furious man abounds in transgression. (Proverbs 29:22 NKJ)

• Anger comes God and strife comes from the enemy.

“BE ANGRY, and DO NOT SIN”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26 NKJ)

• Anger is not a sin. It is an emotion that God put inside in all of us. The difference is what with do with it.
• The cool down process: “do not let the sun go down on your wrath,.”
• Close the door to the enemy: “nor give place to the devil”

When anger controls us? Anger turns into rage. Rage vents out.

FOOLS give FULL VENT to their RAGE, but the wise bring calm in the end (Proverbs 29:11 NIV)

A fool gets into CONSTANT FIGHTS. His mouth is his undoing! His words endanger him. (Proverbs 18:6-7 TLB)

• Conflicts can be resolved without a fight and without yelling and screaming at each other.

THINK:
T – Is what I’m saying True? H – Is it Helpful? I – Is it Inspiring? N – Is it Necessary? K – Is it Kind?

#2 HATRED

HATRED stirs up STRIFE, But love covers all sins (Proverbs 10:12 NKJ)

• Hatred is a by-product of uncontrolled anger.
• Hate is a destroyer: relationships, churches, communities, nations.

#3 GOSSIP

Fire goes out for lack of fuel, and TENSIONS (STRIFE) disappear when GOSSIP stops. (Proverbs 26:20 TLB)

An evil man sows STRIFE; GOSSIP SEPARATES the best of friends. (Proverbs 16:28 TLB)

• Gossip creates strife by destroying relationships.

#4 SELFISHNESS

For wherever there is JEALOUSY or SELFISH AMBITION, there will be DISORDER (STRIFE) and every other kind of evil. (James 3:16 TLB)
• Selfishness in any relationship at home or the church invites strife.

#5 PRIDE

Where there is STRIFE, there is PRIDE, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (Proverbs 13:10 NIV)

• Pride can be a huge blind spot in our lives.
• The Bible says to clothe yourself with humility. With humility comes wisdom and honor.
• Pride wants you to fight to be right. Humility keeps you away from the fight and brings you honor.

It is an HONOR for a man to STAY OUT OF A FIGHT. Only fools insist on quarreling. (Proverbs 20:3 TLB)

CONCLUSION
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?