Strife is one of the main weapons the enemy uses against Christians. I believe there are three things that open us up to a spirit of strife.
1. Our mouths: Wrong words spoken at the wrong time can certainly start a firestorm. The more wrong words we pour on the fire, the bigger it gets. One way to stop a fire is to remove the fuel.
2. Our pride: Although wrong words may open us up to strife, it is a proud heart that refuses to be quiet in order to have peace. Pride demands that we have the last word, but the Word says it will lead to destruction (see Proverbs 16:18).
3. Our opinions: We can often get into strife by trying to convince others of our own opinions. When we realize we have much to learn and stop giving our opinions when they aren’t necessary, we will begin to gain the knowledge we need.
The enemy will always try to infiltrate our lives with strife. Make a decision to honor God and others by resisting strife and instead pursuing peace, unity and understanding.