I’m not wrong to assume that as believers, we would all want that Jonathan and David kind of friendship.
A friendship so firm and founded at the heart of Christ that even the devil knows it would be pointless to even try come between it
Unfortunately, not all of us get to experience that kind of friendship, and for some of us that do, it is very important to thank God for the friends that keep us joyful but even more importantly
Are there when we need them. For people reading this that have experienced friendship betrayal and are still healing from it, my heart goes out to you
As someone who has experienced this first hand, I would say I know the heartbreak that comes with letting someone in and feeling like they are family at that point
Only for them to betray the trust you put in the friendship and throw away all the years you have built together either by gossip, sudden rejection, become two faced or even worse actively playing side chick to cheat with your partner
To an extent I do understand why people may shy away from making friends based on the friendship trauma that they have experienced
But as believers, its also important to know that it’s absolutely not what God wants for us, part of being a believer is also understanding that a Godly community is important
Being that, we live in a fallen world we need especially close Christian friends that will not only understand what we are going through, but keep us strong while we are going through it
Why friendships may fail to work
It is important as a God-fearing person to not just let each and every person into your inner circle just because they claim to be Christian or might share the same views that you do
Not everyone maybe called to help you in your Christian walk and that’s okay, it doesn’t mean you are being a bad Christian by keeping a distance, in fact, it clearly shows that you are only but a wise person
I mean, even among the twelve disciples Jesus had a select few of those who were close to Him (those being Peter, James and John)
Most times our friendships may fail to work because of the following reasons:
- They are not Christ centered
- They don’t really have a purpose
- They are is too much ego
- There is a lot of selfness in the friendship
- Ungratefulness in the friendship, among many others
Bible verses on the importance of friendship
They are quiet a number of verses that talk about biblical friendship and the purpose of friendships in the bible and its importance, some which include:
Friends that will encourage you and build your faith 1 Thessalonians 5vs 11 NIV “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Having friends that will advise us on how best to be holy and how to go about situations of life proverbs 27vs 17 NIV “Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”
Friends that will love you the same way that you will love them Romans 12vs 10 NIV “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above your selves
The importance of choosing friendships that will help you walk better with God Proverbs 12vs 26 NIV “The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray
Having friends that you will be able to relay on in both good and bad times Proverbs 18 vs 24 NIV “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Prayers for our friends
Being there for our friends does not only mean in physical but it also means often times also standing in the gap for them in prayer
Like I said, it is good to have God fearing friendships because the only way they will know how to grow friendship is through God’s ways of which, prayer being one of the most important
So here are 5 prayers that you can pray for your friends who are going through life challenges right now
FOR A FRIEND GOING THROUGH FINANICAL CHALLENGES
Heavenly Father, I come to you in this moment because I know
That you are greater and I am lesser, I humble myself in this
Moment to stand in the gap for (insert name). father you
Know his/her financial situation better than he/she has explained it
To me, and in this hour, I freely volunteer to be friend that will
Also help speak to you on his/her behalf to ask that Lord you would
Release him/her from this financial stress and give him/her a breakthrough
In the best way you see it fitting for him/her. Not only that father, I also
Ask that you begin to bless the works of his/her hands and may he/she know
Father that as long as he/she stands with you he/she will never lack. Continue
To help him/her build his/her trust in you and know that you are Jireh and you
Will never fail him/her and help him/her fight a good fight of faith in all this
It is in your son Jesus Christ I pray
AMEN
FOR A FRIEND THAT IS GOING THROUGH RELATIONSHIP/MARRIAGE PROBLEMS
Heavenly father, I, your humble servant come to your throne of grace in this
Hour to put my friend (insert name) into your hands, I specifically come to
You at this moment because of the relationship/marriage stress that he/she
Has been facing in this season and Lord I’ve seen how much all of this has
Caused anger and sadness in her/his life, and today Lord, I ask that through the
Help of the Holy Spirit give him/her discernment of how she/he should best
Handle this situation, I know a lot is at stake with the discission that she/he will make
But I know that because the answer will come from you, there will be a lot of
Healing and freedom that will come out of this moving forward. I also submit
The future of his/her relationship moving forward, that you will now be at the
Center of it moving forward, and that may you show her/him that relationships
Were a beautiful thing that were designed by you, and that were you are at
The center, there is Love and peace because you are the author of them
In Jesus name I pray
AMEN
FOR A FRIEND TO COME TO KNOW JESUS
Our dearest Father, the one who created us and the one whom we delight in
The one who saves souls and the one who heals the broken pieces that we
Submit. Father, I Just want to thank you for saving my soul and setting me
Free from all the bondage I was in before I came to know you. It is because
I surrendered my life to you that I was able to know all the truth about
You. And today I kneel before your holy presence to ask that you do the same
For my friend (insert name). Father, I know that his/her life was created for a very
Extraordinary purpose and right now he/she won’t see it manifest until she/he surrenders
Her/his life fully into your hands and accept Jesus as her/his personal Lord and savior
I ask that in this very moment that you send the Holy Spirit into his/her life
So that He may begin to convict him/her of all her/his fleshly desires and
Help her/him realize that it is only in you that she/he will find total fulfilment
It is in your son Jesus Christ I pray
AMEN
FOR A FRIEND STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION
Heavenly Father, one whom we can call in times of distress that we are
Guaranteed will rescue us from all our struggles and failures, and today
Lord, commit (insert name)’s struggle in your hands. Lord, I know that
In your name is where freedom and strongholds are broken, and that’s
Why I call upon your name Lord to cast out the stronghold of (insert
Addiction) that has taken over her/his life. I know that as I pray right
Now, her/his addiction is bowing down to your presence and
You are setting her/him free in this very moment. And not only are you
Setting her/him free Lord but you will give her/him a powerful testimony
That will help masses dealing with the same addiction free. Father, I know that
Her/his light will shine so bright and you will use her/his life
In a mighty way. Addiction is from the enemy Lord and she/he will
Be set free from it because you are all powerful, in Jesus’ name I pray
AMEN
FOR A FRIEND GOING THROUGH SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Our dear heavenly Father, one who’s throne will reign forever, that no
Amount of power that the enemy claims to have will ever amount to yours
And that’s why Lord, I humble myself in this moment. As I bow down to your
Holy throne to ask that your will begin to deliver (insert name) from the
Attacks of the enemy, Father, I know that the only reason she/he is going
Through this is because the enemy knows that there is a great calling
On his/her life and he is trying to distract him/her from realizing it
But today I denounce all the plans of the enemy that are surrounding her/his
Thoughts, health, well-being in Jesus’ name, I decree and I declare that
The enemy will be put to shame and she/he will arise from all this like
The victor you created him/her to be, in Jesus’ name I pray
AMEN
Hello. And Bye.