FRIENDSHIP

Praise the Lord, Chosen Women!

I greet you all with the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! I ask you to visit the "Events" page for important announcements about the postponement of the 2011 Chosen Women Conference. And now, our message entitled, "Friendship."
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This morning I was reading a bit about the covenant friendship between David and Jonathan in I Samuel 20. Friendship has been a topic in the forefront of my spirit all week.

Friendship is addressed often in the Word of God. Proverbs 18:24 speaks of a friend that sticks closer than a brother. I believe Jesus to be that Friend. Yet, God will allow other friendships to exist in our lives. In fact, He instructed us in how to cultivate them; by first showing ourselves friendly.

Sometimes friendships come into existence for the purpose of sharpening and reproving us. The person to whom God connects us sometimes pushes us to be better. My husband often terms it 'provoking us to Godly jealousy.' He talks about them having an excellency of spirit that makes us go harder after God. That can be a great thing!

I have also learned that friendship can come for the purpose of healing us in places that we did not know we needed healing. I saw Oprah Winfrey cry as she spoke of her long-time friend Gayle King as 'the mother she never had,' and in other glowing terms. God can bring healing to us through friendships. His love for us is often demonstrated through the words, kindness, and embraces of others.

I did not know that I needed a particular healing through friendship until it happened. My life in ministry seems to require a constant turnover of people. They come and they go. It took a while for me to stop taking that personally, and to realize that some people are around me seasonally for a spiritual and usually prophetic purpose.

Yet God saw fit to bring a sister-friend into my life who has demonstrated that David and Jonathan kind of friendship. Many of us have had a Saul in our lives. You know what I mean. When that person who should be a loving, supporting mentor-father-mother foolishly lets jealousy and anger escort them into the realm of hatred towards you.

Instead of them allowing a beautiful God union of strength and support to grow and mutually benefit you, they kill it. And they kill the union because they are unwilling to live up to the standards that the friendship requires. You ever been the David to that type of Saul? Have you ever been the Saul? Moving on . . .

I've had a Saul-David experience in my life. Once I was pushed out, my Saul began to hurl his javelin of insult and backbiting towards me. But this sister-friend refused to accept it. She began to question "Saul" just as Jonathan did as he sat at the feast of his father. "What has she done to you? Hasn't she been faithful and good?" My sister-friend recognized that I had done nothing; and she spoke up for me in my absence.

She saw that I was being attacked because this Saul could not stomach my stand for holiness. He did not think it took all of that. He became concerned about the people thinking well of me. His answer to his fears was to concoct lies and to forbid them to talk to me. He hurled his javelin trying to kill me -- or at least kill my name and reputation. And in many ways his mission was accomplished. But my friend -- my Jonathan -- would not go along with the plan.

Saul offered her a position to go against me. She would not take it. He offered to put her up in HIS pulpit to go against me. She said, "No." She told him, "You speak against her and treat her poorly and she did nothing wrong. In time you will do the same to me if I go along with you."

Most people do not have the character to say no to the Saul and to stand with the David. To stand with the David is to stand in the less popular position. You might have to hide out in caves if you go along with the David. To stand with the David means you will likely experience some of the same attacks that he experiences. David's soldiers became the enemies of Saul too. But when it all boils down to it to go with David is to go with God.

If you have been in this position do not hate the followers of Saul who went against you. They are weak; pray for them. They are going to need it when Saul turns on them.

Most people do not have the integrity to stand for right. Most people let the Saul put them in his man-made positions. Most people let Saul give them man-made or at least man-timed titles and ordinations instead of waiting on God.

I am glad that my friend said, "No." It seemed to bring healing from the hurt of javelins thrown by Saul and his followers. Funny thing is I did not even know they had affected me -- but God knew. So glad to be free! And to my big sister, thank you for being a friend.

In Service for the Master,

Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell