Friends of His Presence

God is calling for a generation that fears Him; that honors Him. A generation that would listen to the King’s heartbeat that pulses for the salvation of souls. Only God’s friends can hear the heartbeat of Jesus as they walk into His chambers with thanksgiving. Jesus said in Matthew 11:12 (NKJV), “…the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” Therefore, only brave people who are willing to lay down their lives for the sake of others may become really close friends.

Having said that, I want to clarify that God’s desire is that anyone can become His friend. There is a very clear difference between a son and a friend. When we accept Christ, we become His children but not necessarily His friends. Friendship is something that speaks volumes of a person’s loyalty and integrity. It is God’s ultimate desire that when His heart beats, your heart would beat also, as we see in the Bible narration of King David’s three most intimate friends.

When his mighty men heard the petition, he cried out, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” (2 Sam. 23:15) These men did not doubt or hesitate in their hearts if they were to satisfy their king’s desire. Despite the fact that the Philistines guarded the well, they ran and organized the plot.

With my limited imagination, I wonder how this all played out; maybe one with a sword, another with a bucket and rope to draw the water and the third one fighting against the Philistines. This was no easy task, as they had to fight the enemies and perhaps get hurt in the process. In fact, when they returned to the king carrying the water, he refused to drink it, replying to them, “Is this not the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” (2 Sam. 23:17). He immediately poured out the water as an offering to God. These men were not fickle-hearted but rather they showed a great amount of courageousness and faithfulness to their king.

God yearns to see such friends in His courts, those who will know and execute His plans. Can you imagine the water changing into blood? Those men fought to satisfy the king’s request and present it before him. Certainly, the Father is seeking a generation of friends that fight for their cities, families and for their nations. Have you ever heard the vow that is often said in a wedding ceremony, “I promise I will be faithful in good times but also in bad times”?

Well, the very truth of this vow is formed in a deep friendship of two individuals who love each other and are willing to stick with each other in good or bad times. In fact, I dare say that a good marriage is really a great friendship. That’s why it is so wise and advisable for any couple to have a time of courting before they enter into the covenant of marriage.

It is the same with our God; He is looking for friends who are willing to leave everything behind for His purpose, who will be faithful to His presence on good and bad days. I know that some of you may be thinking that this is easier said than done. But in order to be part of the bride, we must form a deep friendship with our beloved Savior! That is the key to having access into His heart on a daily basis. Many can pray and ask for mercy but only a few may enter into His chambers. Many of you may be pondering, so what is the secret to being His friend? The answer is faithfulness and valiancy.

This is the hour, my friend, to take authority as a friend of God and rise up. Be sufficient only in His Word, obey God’s design for your life and acknowledge today that the heart of Jesus beats for souls. Those who, no matter what the price is about, will be willing to do whatever it takes and will try to execute God’s plan with no conditions. A generation that unconditionally serves God with fervent passion and who are willing to go the extra mile are those who will make the difference in this “desperate for change” society we live in.

As the mighty men of King David, who didn’t spare their lives and went into the mouth of the lion, so to speak, fought valiantly until they got the water from the well and ran back to the cave of Adullam, as the Scriptures says in 2 Samuel 23:14- 16, God wants to raise a generation of people that are walking in the power of His Word and, therefore, brave enough to conquer the stolen land and recover the lost treasures.

This is not a mandate for the faint of heart but for people who are hungry to have a great friendship with the King of kings and, therefore, know clearly the desires of His heart. Would you be one of those mighty men God is looking for? This delegation Jesus dreams of must have the spirit of an eagle and fly above the heights as eagles do. One of the things that I most admire about eagles is that when there is a storm, they fly higher in order to rise above the tempest.

In this same manner, it is time for the mighty men and women of God to arise and commence the most glorious flight of their lives; to fulfill the Father’s will, flying above their problems and circumstances. The prophet Isaiah refers to this allegory of the eagle when he said, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, and they will walk and not grow faint” (Isa. 40:31, NIV). {eoa}

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