Friend of God

Thursday 24 August
READ: John 15:1-15
MORE LESSON: John 14:23

One of the greatest and most beneficial relationships on the earth is that of man becoming a friend of God. This relationship is most beneficial because it has both earthly and eternal blessings. It is also the highest level of relationship a man can ever have, relating with the Most High God as a friend. Abraham was no doubt a friend of God and that was why God did not keep anything from him, And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do: Gen.18:17. Moses was even directly referred to in the Bible as a friend of God, And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend...: Exo. 33:11.
This great privilege is, however, not received without a condition. John 15:14 says, Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Obedience, therefore, is the condition for a good relationship with God. If you want to become a personal friend of God like Abraham and Moses, then brace up for a life of total obedience to God in all things.
The starting point, however, is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour; therefore invite Him to be in total control of your life and He will come in. He says in Rev.3:20, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. That is an open invitation by the Almighty to friendship. Be a friend of God today. Only friends of God will spend eternity with God in Heaven, but His enemies shall perish in hell. Even before going to Heaven, friends of God will enjoy the cover and greatness of Heaven on earth. God will be jealous for their sake, defend them, give them silver and gold and they shall not be feeble (Psa. 105:37). They will call upon God and He will answer them, He will be with them in trouble, deliver and honour them, satisfy them with long life and, at the end, show them His salvation (Psa. 91:15-16). All these benefits and more are yours as a friend of God, so go for them.

Prayer/Action
* Renounce every friendship with the world that can make you an enemy of God, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to fill your heart with His love and grant you grace to do His command, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask that what makes a man God’s enemy will not happen to you, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
By the force of Heaven, I shift every battle of my life to the door step of the enemy, in the mighty name of Jesus.