Philippians 1:4-5 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
The Apostle Paul expressed his joy in believers’ fellowship. It is impossible for a New Testament believer to live faithfully or happily apart from other fellow believers. The believer who regularly is in the company of fellow saints, fulfilling responsibilities that fellowship requires, will inevitably experience divine joy.
Here are a few joys of fellowship:
- Joy in the fellowship of salvation. I remember well the day I received Christ. It was a powerful, life-changing experience. From that “first day,” I wanted to talk about it with someone else who had experienced the same thing. The only people that shared my experience were the people of God.
- Joy in the fellowship of faith. Faith is our looking to Jesus through the Word of God. The people of God are on a journey of faith together. They walk in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, the hope of heaven, and the escape of hell. What a joy it is to have a spiritual family with which to enjoy the journey!
- Joy in the fellowship of prayer. The prayer meeting is a distinguishing characteristic of Christ’s Church. We are a needy people, but we have a prayer-answering God. There is joy in sharing our hearts’ burdens with a praying people.
- Joy in the fellowship of love. At new birth, God gives us a care for fellow believers. 1 John 3:14a, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” Love among God’s people is manifested by caring, giving, and serving.
- Joy in the fellowship of co-laboring. Church members are yoked together with Christ in the work of the ministry. Precious memories and holy friendships are formed and built by serving the Lord. A great joy in life is shared when we do the Lord’s work together.
- Joy in the fellowship of separation from the world. A believer is to keep himself holy and unspotted from the world. Church is a place of accountability where we provoke one another to good works. (Heb. 10:24)
- Joy in the fellowship of spiritual warfare. We fight a common enemy together. The Church is not a club but the army of God on the move. By prayer, organized efforts, and personal sacrifice, we fulfill the Great Commission, marching against the gates of hell together. As Christian soldiers, our hearts are knit together in the heat of the battle . It’s a joy “to fight the good fight of faith” (I Tim. 6:12) with the best people on earth, God’s people.
“Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.” – C. H. Spurgeon