ICS Daily Devotions
Standing In Faith With Our Friends

God never intended for us to go through life’s challenges alone. If we want to help and be a blessing to our friends who are going through a difficult patch in their lives, then we need to be faith-filled friends who stand in faith with them, instead of being friends who do not care or even discouraging them from trusting in God.

Luke 5:20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

In this passage where the paralyzed man was lowered from the rooftop by his four friends, it is important to note that all FIVE of them had faith. As friends, we must stand in faith with a fellow believer who is going through a difficult time and who is reaching out to God, so that they know that they are not alone in their journey. We can encourage and spur each other on to persevere by not looking at the circumstances or bad reports. We can remind each other to stand in faith on the promise that God has given us, especially our friends who are going through a difficult time and weak in their faith.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

How do we apply this with our friends? We might have friends who have a need, friends who have lost their jobs, friends who are starting new businesses or friends going through a crisis. One way to journey with them is to ask them if they have received a word from God. It is difficult to stand in faith without a word from God. Once they have a word from God, then stand in faith with them! We agree with their faith just like the four friends agreed with the decision of their paralyzed friend!

Faith is established on God’s promise and a personal word from Him. It is believing that you have received once God has spoken to you personally although you have not seen or experience it yet. It is not based on a prophetic utterance of a speaker although this can be a confirmation. Faith is also not established by asking for a sign.

If you are going through a difficult or uncertain time, what is the word God has given you? Don’t isolate yourself but find a group of faith-filled friends and share it with them so that they can stand in faith on that promise with you. In turn, you could stand in faith with them during their time of need. We can be confident that God is in our midst when two or three are gathered together and a threefold cord is not easily broken when we are all in faith together! 

Sermon Series: Faith-Filled Friends