“Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe” Acts 14:20 (KJV).
Every creature of God crave for love. People thrive more in an atmosphere of love. It creates joy and happiness and enables people to be their best and give their best service. A tensed atmosphere full of rancor, strife and hatred is not conducive for human development. It is very unhealthy not only to the physical body but it poisons the soul and the spirit.
When the people of Lycaonia saw the miracles performed by Paul they supposed them to be their gods and wanted to offer sacrifice to them as a fellowship with their god. Certain Jew from Antioch persuaded them and having stone Paul drew him out of the city supposing he had died. As Paul was left there lifeless, the disciples stood round about him in fellowship, surrounding him with love, this love filled atmosphere helped to revive Paul; he arose and went into the city.
There is tremendous power in the fellowship of the brethren, the love filled atmosphere, the
co-operate anointing, the faith which works by love and the care of the brethren is a great warmth and strength to the lukewarm and the weak. In such atmosphere, the physically weak can be strengthened, the depressed and the discouraged can be encouraged and the downcast can be lifted up. Paul was surrounded by love so he revived because iron sharpens iron.
On the contrary, today, we are surrounded by critics, mockers and gossips. Instead of encouraging the weak, we add to their pains by attacking and running down their spirit and moral. We dampen the spirit of the depressed instead of quickening their spirit. The word of God admonishes us to restore those overtaken in a fault and bear one another’s burden. This is the spirit of fellowship. We should encourage one another daily and strengthen the weak.
PRAYER: Lord help me not to forsake the fellowship of the brethren.
Rev. Vincent Diolu