The Power of Fellowship.
Acts 2:41-42 KJV
41
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42
KJV:And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Fellowship is a friendly association,especially with people who share the same goals and interests. God created man for Fellowship.
Genesis 3:9 'And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?'
This is a call for fellowship.God was actually seeking fellowship with man when he made this statement. More so,when God created the first man,he said it is not good for man to be alone and said 'I will make a helper suitable for him'.
Many aspects of our lives, spiritually and physically,depend on being together with other people especially believers to encourage, teach,serve and share life experiences together.
Fellowship is one part of Christianity that God doesn't joke with at all. He values fellowship so much that His sole aim of creating man was so that he could have fellowship and Communion with him.
Why is fellowship so important?
1)Fellowship helps believers to encourage one another: Acts 2:42.no man is an island. we all learn from each other and through fellowship and by sharing our experiences with one another we can learn from each other's mistakes and correct ourselves and avoid certain of such mistakes in future,but without fellowship, you have no one to share such experiences with you so you just move on with life knowing nothing about such situations and then end up falling into the same temptation that destroyed others. Through fellowship we would be able to avoid this.
2)John 13:35
'By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,if you love one another.'
The love shared amongst believers can influence the unsaved soul to come to Jesus Christ.
The Bible says that we are compassed about by a great cloud of witnesses.They are watching and looking at us daily.
At Antioch,the disciples were called Christian's because the behaved so much like JESUS CHRIST.They did everything together.It wasn't the miracles that made people notice that they've being with JESUS.It was their togetherness.
3)It brings joy and refreshing to the soul.
Psalm 133
'KJV:Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2
KJV:It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3
KJV:As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
If you're downtrodden, discouraged, depressed and down casted,look for a lively place where believers gather to fellowship together with one another and with the Holy Ghost.
Fellowship is also a very important part of discipleship as you can't claim to disciple anybody from an angle of 90.Discipleship requires closeness and closeness is achieved through fellowship.
Ingredients of good fellowship
If fellowship must take place,then those fellowshiping must share the same belief,faith, conviction, purpose and hope.The Holy Spirit must be the chief host and His presence must be well honored.The must be agape love shared amongst the worshippers for God would not strive where there is hatred and absence of love:not lust.If you are a part of any fellowship where these are absent or not common,then you are in the wrong place.RELOCATE!!!!!!
Fellowship is an essential part of both spiritual, physical and mental growth.No one can grow in isolation.Look out and seek today for God fearing people and develop fellowship with.