Made for More Challenge #2: Doing Life with Godly Friends
In our first Made for More challenge, we talked about how YOU can live the risen life filled with the resurrection power of God, but you have to take action to get there. Every journey begins with a single step, so I challenged you to take one step to build a life of faith: find a Bible promise that corresponds to your need, write it down, carry it in your pocket, and talk to God about it until that need is met.
In this week’s challenge, we’re going to talk about how finding people to do life with can take your spiritual and practical experience to a whole new level of success. The risen life is a life lived in agreement. We need Godly agreement and unity in every aspect of our lives.
What do I mean when I talk about “agreement”?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says:
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
A life lived in agreement is a life lived in companionship with other people. Having people to agree with means you have friends who will watch your back when you need it. It means you’ll have people who will pray with you when you’re down. It means you can talk to people who care when you’re hurting. Christian's need to stop attacking one another and learn to build each other up. We need authentic relationships if we are going to be all who God has called us to be.
A life lived in agreement means you and your friends challenge each other to grow. Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” A real friend will believe in you no matter what, but they’ll also challenge you to believe God, make things right with other people, and live in covenant with the Body.
How do you find those true friends?
As I wrote in my book The Power of Agreement, real friends like I described above are going to be teammates for you. So how do you find those friends? I believe the best way is to find godly friends in small groups in the Body of Christ.
In our church, hundreds of people gather in small groups every Sunday morning before our worship service. Our small groups take one hour to worship together, pray for one another, and study God’s Word together each week. In those close-knit communities, people get to know one another and share their struggles, sorrows, and victories.
I believe a small, God-centered, purpose-driven group like that is the best way you can find your teammates. It’s easy to identify brothers and sisters who share your calling in life when you get beyond the small talk and seek God together. And most importantly, when you’re together with your fellow believers and teammates in close fellowship, God can move in power.
The original Pentecost happened in a small group!
Did you know that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the earth for the first time during a small group meeting? It’s true. Acts 1:14 says, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” All the believers were together in one place, and as they prayed together, this happened:
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).
When God’s people gathered together in agreement, He met them there. He’ll do the same thing for you, too, as you meet with other people, agree in prayer, and do life together with them. Matthew 18:19 says: “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.”
So here is this week’s Made for More challenge:
- Find one faith-based small group under the covering of a biblical and mission-minded church that you can meet with for one hour every week.
- If you don’t know where to start, try one for a few weeks; and if it’s not a good fit, then try another group until you find one that feels like home.
- Ask God to lead you, and He will.
- When you find the group that feels like home, COMMIT to it! Decide you’re going to be faithful. Be there week in and week out.
One hour is not a lot of time, but the agreement and encouragement you’ll gain out of that one hour of fellowship with other believers will change your life. As you follow God and plug into Biblical community, He will reward you for your decision. You’ll begin to grow as other believers challenge you. You’ll have people who can encourage you when you’re down, and you can serve other believers when they need it as well.
Agreement makes life worth living. Sharing a common goal, common purpose, and a fellowship that connects you with God and others is essential if you’re going to live the risen life.
So find that small group today, and make a commitment to be there every week starting this week!
Also, don’t forget that my inaugural Ronnie Phillips Ministry International Passover conference is coming up soon! It’s going to be held April 24-27 at Faith Worship Center in Chatsworth, Georgia. Check out the conference speakers and schedule here and make plans now to join us. It’s going to be a powerful time of worship and the Word of the Lord. My dad and many of my brothers and sisters in the Lord are coming to help preach and minister in worship, and we’re expecting a mighty outpouring.
We’re believing God for 1,000 new partnerships to help us continue to reach people for Jesus in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and here at home. Here are the mission projects we’re currently working on:
· We’re hosting an evangelistic crusade in Managua, Nicaragua in June.
· We’ve almost finished the construction of Phase 1 of our new Abba's House Church and children’s center in Cien Fuegos Dominican Republic.
· Plans are underway for Abba's House El Rubio in Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, and in cities across America.
All of these things are exciting, but there is so much more to do! We need faithful partners who will come up beside this ministry and covenant with us to carry the work of the Gospel forward into the next generation.
Will you be one of our covenant partners? Will you come into agreement with the mission and vision God has given and stand with us as we carry the message of Abba Father to the ends of the earth? If you feel the Holy Spirit calling you to be one of our new partners, please email me. I want to hear from you. Happy Birthday to my son Reid Montgomery Phillips! He turned 10 years old yesterday and has the call of God on his life. Pray for my father who is in Charlotte, NC with Sid Roth doing an interview about his new book, The Hiram Code. This book is a great read.
Thank you in advance for your friendship, "follow"ship, and partnership. We covet your prayers as wee look ahead. Please be sure to check back next week for the next “Made for More” challenge!