Jesus Squad

Jesus Squad

A Christian must understand the importance of fellowship

As a child, my parents always hounded me with the Bible verse “Don’t be deceived, bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). This is very true, but when we are young, we think we can be friends with just anyone and not be influenced! This is false. Either you influence or are influenced! It’s one or the other!

Jesus had many options, but chose few to be close to Him

Let’s use Jesus as an example: He had 70 disciples whom he sent out 2 by 2 to cast out demons, heal the sick, preach the word and raise the dead, it was a commission-centered relationship, based on the Great Commission! He kept 12 disciples closer to Him; He ate His last Supper with them (Matthew 26:20) and shared the in-depth meaning of parables with them, so He was closer to the 12 compared to the 70. Then out of the 12, He picked 3.

Peter, James, and John

At the Mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17: 1-9), these three saw Jesus for who He truly was when Elijah and Moses appeared to Him, and He asked them not to reveal what they saw to anyone. They were privileged to see a side of Jesus that the rest of the 9 disciples never got to see. Jesus also called these three aside to pray with Him in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26: 37). He categorized revelations even among His followers.

Then there was John, whom the Lord entrusted with His mother, whom He loved, understanding that John would treat His mother with the same love and tenderness that He did! This shows the trust and bond between Jesus and John. He could trust him with His mother!

Choose your squad the way Jesus did

Use the same formula in your life (trust + bond + spiritual discernment). Don’t show or share every aspect of your life with all who are your friends/acquaintances; learn how to categorize these friends. Learn from Jesus by the help of the Holy Spirit; talk to the Lord about each friend and ask for wisdom in categorizing them. Please understand, however, that this does not mean you will not love all your friends. This is important to remember, because whether they are in the 70, 12, or the 3, Jesus loved them all and so should you!

The close friends a Christian ought to keep must be those who hold each other in prayer. Fellowship is key. We must belong and fellowship with others in the light. The early Christians understood the importance of fellowship. Unity with fellow believers makes us stronger. Acts 2:42 says, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

The devil doesn’t want us to have fellowship

Just like a lion attacks the weakest and isolated in a herd, in a very similar way the devil seeks to isolate us from the protection of fellowship! One of the key indicators of an attack is when you stop fellowshipping with other Christians! We must become an active part of our local church fellowship and also ensure we have close friends who are in the faith, so we can be each other’s keepers. Lastly, always be of the mindset to give more than to receive from every fellowship that you are part of. 

Source: https://www.christianlearning.com/squadgoals-jesus-squad/