There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24(NLT)
True friends make the world go round. They build you up and stick closer to you than a brother in troubled times. We are meant to be them and we are made to have them. They don’t always come easy. They are rare and are specially bred. They are made with tough skin that accommodates your mistakes, and they are loyal at heart. They stick with you as you grow in life and they stand by you as you go through life. True friends urge you on, help you up, and overlook your errors, and they keep you going in life.
True friendship is that with which Jonathan displayed towards David. It was not a friendship established on a surface level. It was a deeper level kind of friendship based on companionship, honesty, transparency, patience, mutual respect and loyalty. Their friendship was not a friendship based on the number of activities they did together or the number of favours they rendered to each other. It was beyond what they could get from each other. It was based on a special bond of loyalty and mutual respect for each other.
True friends are there on the Christian journey with you, travelling with you as you seek the Lord for your life. They are there to uphold you in your faith, and together, you can walk with purpose and fulfil your destiny. To have a true friend, you ought to have been one to somebody else. A friend of mine has such a true friend. They often joke together that they were meant to be twins from the womb, but something happened, and one of them missed the train, causing their split up into different families. Thankfully, they’ve found each other on Earth, and they are inseparable.
True friendship is what Ruth displays to her Mother-in-law, Naomi. Ruth would not leave Naomi in her darkest time in spite of her personal troubles. She was a young widow who chose to comfort an older widow. She chose to weep with Naomi, to go on a long journey with her, endure with her, be patient with her and eventually rejoice with her. Ruth did not abandon Naomi because of the age gap or the societal class between them; instead, she was persistent, consistent, loyal, respectful, transparent and humble.
The Lord’s original intent is for a true and genuine relationship amongst his creation. Such friendship should be geared towards one purpose in mind: to glorify God in all we do, to commune with God in spirit and truth, and to love one another with the love of Christ. The Lord’s intention is that we maintain not only good relationships but also godly ones. The Lord created human beings to influence each other positively, not negatively, so that we could grow together in Christ-likeness and not child-likeness. To build good memories with one another, to share pleasant experiences with each other and not for the horrible things we sometimes do to each other.
Should you be seeking for that true and godly friendships, make the following declarations and pray them into your life through the word of God and see what the Lord will do for you.
Make a Declaration of faith with me today for true friendship
Monday
I declare that true and godly friends are added unto me as I walk in the ways of God and make the kingdom of God my priority in life. I will seek to walk in righteousness, peace with all men and with joy in the holy spirit; happy, godly, righteous, honourable and true friends are added unto me. We walk together in righteousness, in peace, and we are joyful in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 6:33)
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Tuesday
I declare that I am blessed with happy, fortunate, loyal, true and godly friends because I set my heart on God, and he sets his love upon me. I am blessed, happy, and fortunate to have God-fearing, Christ-like friends. We delight ourselves in the law of the Lord day and night, and in return, the Lord prospers our ways (Psalm 1)
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Wednesday
I acknowledge the Lord in all my ways, and He lines up godly companions for me. He will fulfil His purpose for me and perfect all that concerns me. He orders my steps, and he directs my path in the way of righteousness. He makes my ways prosperous, and he favours me with true friends as long as I am committed to doing his will.(Proverbs 3:6)
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Thursday
I declare that henceforth, I am no longer a companion of fools. I will stay away from angry people, backbiters, and gossip, for God does not delight in them. Instead, I will stay with the wise, and their wisdom will rub off on me, and I become wise also. I seek and search for true, godly friends, and the Lord orders my steps. Henceforth I attract friends who have the fear of God, who loves the Lord and obeys him in all he commands me today so that I can also grow in the love of God and in the fearof the holy one(Proverbs 13:20).
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Friday
I love the Lord with all my heart, my mind and my soul. I love his children also, as the Lord commanded me. I extend myself to the Lord’s children around me. Henceforth, I will deal with the Lord’s children with patience, in kindness and in gentleness for as long as the Lord gives me grace. I will show the love of Christ to the loveless and be a companion to the lonely (Mark 12:30-31)
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Saturday
I speak peace to my friends, and they receive peace in their hearts. I declare that they are truthful in their friendships/relationships, they are loyal, and they find honour before the Lord. May we honour and reverence God together in our lives, speaking peace to one another and reaping our rewards in righteousness (James 3:18)
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Sunday
I declare that I am a good friend, godly, and loyal to my friends. And so are my friends also to me
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