"But perceiving that one part were sadducees and the other pharisees, Paul began crying out in the council, 'Brethren, I am a pharisee, a son of pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!'  And as he said this, there arose a dissension between the pharisees; and the assembly was divided.  For the sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit; but the pharisees acknowledge them all.  And there arose a great uproar, and some of the scribes of the pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, 'We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?'  And as a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.  But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, 'Take courage, for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.'"

It pays to know the doctrines of the people who stand against you.  Paul uses this knowledge to defuse the Pharisees and Sadducees.  All in all, we learn a valuable lesson about our own lives:

We learn that there are battles that you should fight, and battles that you should not.  Battles against each other do not, obviously, lead to unity, but to division.

What fights are you fighting?  What do you refuse to let go of?  Do your fights draw you closer to the people of faith, or are you warring against people in your own camp?

Is your enemy on the same side as you?  If yes, then you are making yourself powerless.