[17] “Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. [18] He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. [19] During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven” — Daniel 2:17 - 19 NIV
Do you have like-minded friends in Christ? I think every believer should ask himself this question. Which people, especially of the same sex (male/female), can you share your life with and seek help without them leaking information to others?
I’ve been in the ministry for a few years (at the time of this writing), and I’ve witnessed several other ministers who struggle with depression. They go out and preach the Word powerfully. But when situations come, they don’t know who to turn to.
You see, church is a community where people should not just attend but also belong. Real like-minded good friends in this evil world can only be found in the local church, not in schools, classrooms or even workplaces.
Daniel was a great prophet. Even though he was so busy performing duties in King Nebuchadnezzar’s service, he had three like-minded ministers, namely Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azariah (Abednego), in his life. Scripture doesn’t tell us that they walked together or communicated frequently because even in those times, there weren’t phones and the internet like today. I think they barely met physically, even though the connection was there.
However, when an issue came up – that is, King Nebuchadnezzar issued a decree to kill all the wise men of Babylon, he spoke to them to plead for mercy from God to reveal the dream the king wanted the wise men to say and interpret (see Daniel 2:18).
That same night, God revealed the mystery to Daniel in a vision. And during the next day, he spoke to the king about that dream and interpreted it, saving his life as well as his friends’ from premature death. That is an example of how ministers should collaborate.
The body of Christ is One, not organisations and churches. Ministry isn’t a business where people struggle for competition. No! It’s a network where God works in diverse ways to save the lost and disciple people in Christ.
It’s costly to be a stand-alone minister. Have friends, especially those who’re not part of your organisation. I mean, like-minded believers you can call to receive counsel from and probably be accountable to; so that you’ll not struggle to get help when the need arises, especially in prayer and finances.
You’re a blessing.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for the immense grace upon my life. Give me like-minded friends in the ministry I can get help from whenever I need it. In the name of Jesus. Amen!
Devotional Code: KGD – 2023 – 333
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