“Pray for them.”
These were God’s words that He whispered in my ear to me today as I sat down in my prayer room at a church in the Miyakonojo, Miyazaki prefecture of Japan: “Pray for them.” I sought the answer I had been seeking for several months. ~”If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”~Matthew 21:38.~
God wants me to pray for them. Who might you ask yourself as you read this blog post that the Lord instructed me to pray for? My two best friends. If you have been reading and following this blog intently, I wrote a blog post a couple of months ago explaining that I got into an argument with my two best friends. I went to the International House of Prayer to pray to God for an answer as to how He wanted me to deal with my friends. “Love them,” He said. ~”Love your neighbor as yourself.”~Mark 12:31.~
God also told me this: “Forgive yourself and forgive them.” I did this immediately and the power of Jesus healed me. This process took five months. ~”And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”~Matthew 6:12.~
Five months. Five months is a long time. I had NO ONE to comfort me. NO ONE to talk to about how to handle the situation. NO ONE who understood me. NO ONE to go to for comfort. NO ONE, besides Almighty God. I learned that Jesus is my Best Friend: the Best Friend that anyone could have, ask, or receive. “May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.”~Psalm 119:76.~
I have known them for five years. Five years. That is a long time. We shared many fun, happy, and even sad times together. It was the worst time for me. I never imagined that we would go for this long without talking. It saddens me, but gives me more reason to fight for them through prayer. ~”Come near to God and he will come near to you.~James 4:8.~
Now, I can live out the freedom that is in Christ Jesus because His healing power set me free. Free. What is this free that you may ask me as you keep reading? Free from sin. Free from heartache. Free from bitter words, gossip, hatred, and the putrid thoughts of others. Free from these burdens because there is no burden in Jesus Christ. I don’t think of these things anymore because I focus my mind on Him. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. ~”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”~Matthew 11:28-29.~
It is this friendship that I find in Jesus Christ as I experience everlasting freedom in Him. His story is my story of how I drew close. Very close to Him. The closer I got to Him, the more I drew nearer to Him. There is no shame in Him. There is no guilt in Him. I am His beloved and not condemned. ~”All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal.”~Matthew 11:28-29.~
My best friends changed, but the love of Jesus remains the same. My best friends can love me or hate me, but the love of Jesus remains the same. My best friends can think I am crazy for writing this blog post (yes, even for writing this blog post—even if they are reading it), but God knows the pure intentions of my heart and that my motives are good. ~”The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”~1 Timothy 1:5.~
God also gave me a shocking word: “Let them go. I have them.”
God told me to let my two best friends go so that I can focus on His plans for my life, such as His ministry for me in Japan. He also gave me a final command: “Pray for them.”
Even if my two best friends never talk to me again, give me a phone call, love me, or hate me, I know that God has them in the palm of His hands. Painful, yes, but for the best. God’s best for me. His plans always work out for the best, even though I think that they may not.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.”~Romans 8:28~
I love my best friends. SO MUCH. But God loves them more. And I love Him more. And that is why I pray for their sake:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I love my two best friends. Please be with them. Reveal yourself to them as I serve You and the Japanese in Japan. Reveal who You are and the I AM That You have been to me to them these past 5 months. Free them from captivity and from the power of the enemy. May the Holy Spirit rain fire from Heaven and ascend like a dove just like Jesus did for His sake for me. Save them. Free them from captivity. Free them from sin. Free them from all of the powers of hell and from the powers of the enemy. May no weapon formed against them prevail. Forgive them for mistreating me. Forgive them for ignoring me and for ignoring You. Forgive them for shutting me out. Love them just as you love me. I trust and know that You have them just as You have me in Your ministry for me in Japan. May Your Holy Spirit fall on them. Open their eyes and ears now. Wake them up from sin so that the enemy falls back and does not consume them. Let them know that Jesus is the Only One who can save them from themselves and not self from self. Thank you for teaching me this lesson. May my story be a testimony of Your faithfulness from me to them. Free them now.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
God bless you beloved. Stay encouraged. 🙂
“And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”~Job 42:10~
Sarah's Walk With Jesus 