Are You a Friend of God?
In James 2:23, Abraham was called the friend of God. Also, God Himself called David a man after His own heart, meaning he was very dear to God.
This is the greatest relationship anyone can have- to know God personally and be close to Him.
But what shows that a person is a friend of God? The most significant feature of a friend of God is obedience to God’s word. That is why God said of Abraham in Genesis 18:19, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” God trusted that Abraham would obey Him and teach his family to fear the Lord.
Similarly, whenever God spoke of David to his descendants and other Israelites, He commended his earnestness in obeying Him, using him as an example for them to imitate.
Also, during His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus declared that, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14).
There are many benefits of being a friend of God such as being privy to His secrets (John 15:15, Psalm 25: 14) and being jealously guarded by Him from the enemies’ attacks (Genesis chapters 12 and 20).
But these and other benefits only accrue to those who show their love for God by living according to His word, fearing and obeying Him diligently.
The process in this dispensation starts with receiving the Messiah Jesus as one’s Lord and Saviour. Thereafter, the Holy Spirit lives in the person and helps him or her to understand God’s word and communicate with Him in prayer. These interactions help the person to grow spiritually and puts him or her in readiness to appropriate the grace for obeying God.
Let us not jump into demanding God’s myriad blessings. Let us settle our relationship with Him first and live in humble obedience to Him. Then our blessings will flow according to God’s loving kindness without any grounds the devil can stand on to fight them.
Scriptural References
John 15:15
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Psalm 25:14
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Psalm 105:14-15
14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
Genesis 12:14, 15, 17
14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.
Genesis 20:2-3
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a a man’s wife.
Isaiah 43:4
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
(The scriptures in this post are from the KJV.)
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