While writing Friendship, Sister for a Journey, I asked a few of my friends to write their definition of friendship. This was one of my favorite quotes by one of my favorite people:
Sistering is when two women come together to share their hearts and lives and, when they depart from their time together, each one believes they were the one that got the greatest blessing. ~ Linda Williams
Linda is that wiser woman so many of us want to emulate. She has made sistering look easy. Although, I know it is not as easy as she makes it looks; it takes great commitment, loyalty and intentionality. But, we can learn from those that go ahead of us, walk as sisters next to us and pour into those that come behind us.
Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:12
Sisterhood, done right, can be one of the best parts of our lives as women but it must begin with your friendship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
The greatest ride is found in a three-seat tandem bike – You, your friend and God.
Recently, I discovered the illustration of befriending the Holy Spirit. This is what happened to me halfway into my years as a believer. Oh, yes, I received the Holy Spirit when I accepted Jesus into my life in 1983. He came to live in me, but I didn’t understand His power until years later… And now, I have words to describe the change that took place in my life: Befriending the Holy Spirit.
The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship (fellowship) of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.
2 Corinthians 13:14 (MSG)
This friendship/fellowship in the greek is Koinonia. Koinonia with the Holy Spirit gives us: power, teaches us to love, make us fruitful, bestows gifts and is our helper. Christ needed to go back to His Father, so that we could receive the Holy Spirit.
Have you thought about your friendship with the Holy Spirit?
OR maybe like me, in my early walk with God, you have not thought much about it.
And if, and only if, the Holy Spirit could be taken away from you, you may not even notice it. (This can not happen, it’s just a metaphor ,to get you thinking about your friendship with the Holy Spirit.)
When you join yourself to the Lord, you become one spirit with Him (1 Cor. 6:17) and you can know the depths of God (1 cor. 2:10).
How cool is that?
And as you develop this friendship with the Holy Spirit, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge become your footing and solid ground. And, as you stay connected to the vine (John 15) you will develop your walk and display a fruitful life.
You will be like an oak of righteousness of the Lord for the display of His splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)
Now…
Since you can have this koinonia (fellowship) with the Holy Spirit, Paul tells us in 1 John 1:3, to have that same fellowship with others.
As we build our relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, we can take that same friendship to help us build meaningful relations with our fellow friends.
Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more. 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10
Enjoy this journey called life.
You be the difference in your relationships and love beyond your own power through your Sistering.
Journeying with Him,
Jessie