Faith-Filled Friends Carry Each Other
ICS Daily Devotions
Matthew 18:19-20 (NKJV) “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 2For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Have you ever wondered what are the essential elements of success of the healing of the paralytic in this passage? It must have birthed out of the paralytic’s heartfelt sharing of his desire to be healed by Jesus. Then the agreement between him and his four friends on Jesus’ power to heal and the plan must have been the force behind their determination.
We can be confident that God is with us whenever we are gathered in two or three, but to have effective prayers as a group, there must be honest sharing from the heart for the group to agree, especially if we want to know whether something is God’s idea or our idea, such as starting a business, a job, or a family, God is the silent listener of our conversations, and He will prompt us to probe each other regarding the Word of God that we are standing on in our decision-making process. We should even allow others to play devil’s advocate to ensure no area is left uncovered before we venture out. This kind of honest and open sharing is what is needed to bring us closer as a family of believers. The three-strand cord is not easily broken when we are all in faith!
Luke 5:20 (NKJV) When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
Faith lifts us up by looking at God rather than a depressing situation. We must all agree this is what faith is so that we can spur each other on to persevere and not look at our circumstances or bad reports. Another prerequisite is that we must have received a promise or the Word of God to base our faith on. Thereafter, we can remind each other to stand on the promise God has given us.
Lowering the paralytic from the roof of a crowded house was no easy task, but the four friends were not discouraged by their circumstances—the crowd and their friend’s paralysis—or the strenuous work involved. Because they were already full of faith in Jesus’ ability to heal, they weren’t affected by what they saw or their experience.
Therefore, if we want to be a blessing to people who are going through challenges, we need to be faith-filled friends who are forward-looking, rather than complain or participate in a pity party about the circumstances. Instead, we need to stand in faith with fellow believers and let them know that they are not alone on the journey!
Sermon Series: Up! Cell Group Campaign
