Want close friends made in heaven? Allow the Holy Spirit to be your best friend. If Jesus needed a close circle of friends to walk with, twelve disciples and then three who were even closer (Peter, James and John) so do we who are his.
Seek the LORD and ask Him who should be among your close friends or in your close inner circle. Trust me, certain people do not qualify and also be warned that not everyone wants you to prosper or fulfil your identity.
When Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane, he told some of the disciples to wait and took three with him, Peter, James and John who were the only ones to whom he said the following: “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch with me” (Matthew 26:38).
These were the only three disciples he chose because they were destined to walk with Jesus in this manner by God. Could it be that there are people chosen by God to walk with you in different ways? Those who are mere acquaintances, close friends and some even closer? I believe so.
Not everyone should have access to your personal information. We have to walk in God’s wisdom and discernment in relation to how we relate to others. Although we are called to love one another, we are not to do so to our detriment, that is not love. When we allow people to afflict us because we convince ourselves that it is because we love them and we have no choice but to accept whatever offensive treatment they give us, we are in deception. In actual fact fear for the person is what is keeping them bound and in enslavement to them. The two greatest commandment of God are to love God, and our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-39). If we do not love ourselves the way God loves us to any degree in order to prevent other people afflicting us physically or emotionally, then we cannot love them with the genuine kind of love, which is that of God.
Could it also be that as Jesus had Judas in his entourage for only a season because he served a specific purpose only for that season (which was to betray Jesus), that likewise there are certain people in your life and mine only for a season to serve a specific purpose in that season after which God takes them away? I believe this is the case.
In my experience even as a Christian, there are people who were friends of mine, in fact the ones I am thinking of approached me so we became friends but as I grew spiritually and if I told them what God was doing in my life, they would at the time be congratulatory but then after a while appear not to want to know details of things I have birthed to the glory of God. I told them those things not to boast but because as I thought they were close friends of mine, I could share and discuss with them without reservation about such things.
I noticed they would never bring the subject up and would become scarcer in my life, failing to stay in touch as frequently as when I did not have anything significant for them to envy or feel threatened by. At times I would discern in their voice and attitude that they were not really happy for me in terms of my breakthroughs or advancement to the glory of God. I thought back at one of them in particular and how she said God sent her to me in a time when I was quite distressed and she was a great source of encouragement to me and I do believe that God sent her for not only did she encourage me but also prayed for me many times.
However when by God’s delivering hand I began to change my manner of speech and attitude to one who was highly self-encouraging and unrelenting in fulfilling prophetic destiny, as well as being one to minister to her and encourage her as well, I realised sadly a change in her attitude towards me or her desire to be a consistent friend.
I never told this particular friend I did not need her encouragement and prayers, but something in her could not accept me anymore because I had changed. Honestly I struggled to understand and was often hurt by certain mannerisms and attitudes that surfaced as a result of me speaking about what God was doing in my life positively or refusing to stay in the “poor me, pity me” mindset and attitude.
I did forgive her as God gave me a depth of understanding as to why she was acting that way and I began to pray for her. However now having had a certain measure of God given discernment, I have stopped taking initiatives to sustain “close” friendships when I felt they are not bothered anyway to make an effort to stay in touch or maintain closeness. In addition, I don’t hesitate to let people be who start acting strange and think it necessary to pull away from me or those I personally feel led to pull away from if I discern that they don’t like the new me who I know is the real healed me coming to the fore.
If a close friendship begins to fizzle out and you know your conscience is clear and you have not deliberately hurt the person or are in anyway responsible, let it end its course. I have realised that at times certain friendships are for seasons and some people cannot be close to you anymore as you advance into the purposes of God. If you dare forcefully stay in touch with them it is to your detriment especially if you discern the spirit of jealousy, envy and bitterness which is their problem not yours.
Cry out for the gift of discerning of spirits and the Wisdom of God. In these last days, whatever you do make sure you are doing all that is humanly possible in relation to godly Christian living in order to stay strong in the LORD and in the power of His might! The people you hang around with, call your close friends or confidants will play a great part in determining whether you stay strong and on course to fulfil your destiny.
It is only in staying close to God in the power of the Holy Spirit that you will know who God has sent into your life for mutual personal and kingdom purposes, what these are and how long for. You will also know how to interact with people as according to God’s will so that you do not miss God induced mutual opportunities and blessings.
The Holy Spirit knows the wisdom and will of God and reveals them to us (I Corinth. 2). Much prayer for the fruit and gift of the Spirit will develop your nature to be as one who is shrewd as a serpent and gentle as a dove as well as one who has God’s perspective on things. The wisdom and perspective of God will therefore keep you one step ahead of the enemy at all times.
Satan and his demons are pacing about through people and situations seeking whom to devour. The Holy Spirit should therefore be our closest or best friend first and foremost and through him we will be able to discern or know who should be our confidant or close friend. In addition the Holy Spirit will give us sensitivity as to where we should and should not go. We are therefore protected from danger and opening ourselves up to situations which include alliances that are not God’s will for us.
I can testify that God has been bringing me genuine friends who are excited about and share my vision as I do theirs because we understand each other as we are equally yoked spiritually. By this I mean that the Holy Spirit is as much their best friend as he is mine.
Thank you Holy Spirit!
Come Holy Spirit, have your way! God we ask for a greater measure of the gift of discerning of spirits this day, so as to know who we should walk with closely.
We ask for God’s choice of close friends in our lives who are the type of friends we are equally yoked with. Change us if in any way we fall short of the type of friends you expect us to be to others.
In Jesus’ mighty name we pray Amen.
Poem:
The Spirit of Truth
**
Truly on the road to nowhere are the walking dead masses.
With Father’s truth, you’re on the road to somewhere
on a daily basis.
Truly he will teach you to keep your eyes on what is vital.
With Father’s truth, you will gain faith as a shield of metal.
Truly he will release you from ungodly soul-ties.
With Father’s truth you will overcome Beelzebub, the Father of lies.
Truly he will ensure you no longer waste your life in a barren state
and that you live a fruitful life to Father’s taste.
Receive the Spirit of Truth.
Scriptural inspiration: John 14:26, John 16:13
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” (John 16:13 NLT).
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative–that is, the Holy Spirit–he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26 NLT).
Note: This devotional is an excerpt from the book Wielding the Sword of the Spirit (Chapter 9) by Deborah Esther Nyamekye (Amazon Books online). Chapter by Chapter it contains devotionals or encouraging articles about diverse topics such as prayer, peace, sacrificial living and worship. Each chapter ends with a poem that relates to the devotional.
©2018 Deborah E. Nyamekye
Biblical Exhortations, Devotionals & Poetry 