G2842Greek: κοινωνία
Transliteration: koinōnía
Pronunciation: koy-nohn-ee'-ah
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Description: from κοινωνός(G2844); partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction:
Translation: (to) communicate(-ation), communion, (contri-)distribution, fellowship.
We established last time that it is important we fellowship with the spirit; to share life together with the spirit. To have a companionship relationship with the spirit
Today, we look at Koinonia with one another
1John.1.1 - [We are writing] about the Word of Life [in] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our [own] eyes, Whom we have gazed upon [for ourselves] and have touched with our [own] hands.
In this first verse, John first established that they had had fellowship with Christ they had shared life with the one who existed from the beginning.
1John.1.3 - What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [which is a distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah).
One thing is evident here, the disciples enjoyed fellowship with Christ. They had something intimate with the living one and it was sweeeeeeeet. And here is the thing about this sweet fellowship, you can't keep it to yourself. You want to share. That's really what fellowship means, to share together. You just want to share in this experience with others too.
1John.1.7 - But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].
If we say we walk in the light, fellowship comes naturally to us. We want to be with other believers. Those who walk in the light enjoy fellowship with other believers.
If we are finding it difficult to relate with other believers, give it small time, you will find that person walking in darkness.
I personally have noticed when fellowship is reduced (church, friends etc), fellowship with the spirit can easily be affected too. And before you know it, you are sinning.
If we really live and walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another
Any believer that loves isolation is most likely not walking in the light
Remember that first, we fellowship with the spirit.
The Holy spirit is in every believer, thus standing as a common factor between us all.
Remi has the Holy Spirit, Bola has the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is Remi intersect Bola
Remi n Bola
The magnet drag automatically happens.
For every believer that fellowships with God, there is a magnet dragging you to other believers around because of the spirit in them which is a common factor
1 Corinthians 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
For the body is not one member but many. We are "legion"
There is nothing like isolation or me or alone in this walk. If we are truly part of the body of Christ, there is no standing alone.
Can the ear stand on its own and claim to be a body? No! It has to join with other members: eyes, nose, legs, hands etc.
Let's look at the very beginning of the body of Christ and the entrance of the spirit
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
They were all together in one place, in one accord. Here is the establishment of the church, togetherness, a sharing together. Such a perfect entrance for the spirit as this is His mission, to share God's mind and will to us
This was the very foundation of the church
The believers spent their time listening to the teaching of the apostles. They shared everything with each other. They ate together and prayed together. The believers shared a common purpose, and every day they spent much of their time together in the Temple area. They also ate together in their homes. They were happy to share their food and ate with joyful hearts. The believers praised God and were respected by all the people. More and more people were being saved every day, and the Lord was adding them to their group.
Acts 2:42, 46-47 ERV
The believers had a common purpose so they united over it. They spent time together, shared their belongings too. And the bible recorded that more people were added to them
As we fellowship, there is an expansion
Now here's a mistake most people make, we assume that going to church is fellowship. While this is the start, it is not all that it means. Fellowship is way more intimate
We are not just church members, we are intimate members of the body of Christ.
It's possible that we gather together and stand against each other. Fellowship is sharing together, communion, intimate friendship.This is what we are meant to share
The same way we give our all to the Spirit In total abandonment, we do same with the body of Christ. And this fellowship is not just a mark attendance thing.
Acts 2:42 says the apostles devoted themselves to fellowship. Without devotion, there cannot be unity
Let me go back to the Spirit as this is our template.
I am devoted to fellowship with the spirit. He reveals God's mind to me intimately. I am unified in thoughts and mind with God as fellowship increases
Let's fix this with the body of Christ.
We devote ourselves to fellowship with the body of christ (not just marking attendance), there's a unification that happens in this place. Look at some churches, you will see that the members think alike.
Even if Pastor has not preached, their response aligns.
And this is found majorly in devote membership. Devotion brings a unification among us, even in the things of the spirit. In fact, especially in the things of the spirit.
Remember the spirit is our common factor
And what does unification does? It births more believers. It's also in fellowship that we learn to love others better.
Are you having issues with a fellow believer? Or they keep getting on your nerves? Find your way into their space, just fellowship with them for 2 weeks to 1 month. Don't go to fight or trash anything o
Even if its just 15 min daily.
"Hello Bro Toye, are you free? Let's study the word together briefly and pray"
If you feel the same way about them after 1 month, come and collect all the money in my account.
In fellowship, you know the mind of God abi. As you fellowship with them in spirit, you get to know God's mind towards that "annoying believer"
God's mind towards us is always sweet. Scripture says His thoughts towards us are of good and not evil.
And like we said the last time, God rubs off on us in fellowship. You begin to inherit His mind about these people. And everything just changes
You see them a new way, exactly as God sees them. And you love them in this way.
Probably, you want to ask "Remi, but people go to church and keep malice/fight etc". Well, church attendance doesn't equal fellowship
Even in marriage, if a couple is having issues and resentment is setting in, it's fine, just fellowship.
Don't come trying to make God point out who is right or wrong. Just focus on God, the both of you. Do this for a while and you will see God pointing out new things to you about that annoying partner.
Fellowship helps us to stand firm in Faith
Ecclesiastes 4:9 It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth.
Ecclesiastes 4:10 And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough!
Ecclesiastes 4:11 Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.
In this movement, we never walk alone
Stop trying to do this God walk alone, stop it. It's exhausting. You can't keep up
It is better for us to do this with other believers.
There is something special about standing in agreement with other believers and the only way we stand is in the spirit: Fellowship
It is easier to fall when we are walking alone. I don't know if we've noticed this pattern with people that fall from the faith
They usually first start with. "I can worship God alone in my house. I don't need to go to church"
They stop church, stop praying, start questioning things and stop believing. The devil has a goal, his target is our lives and he knows our lives are safely hidden in Christ by faith
So he finds ways to make us stop believing:
Let me use an analogy.
We are 119 on the group abi. We are gathered together in one nice island, let's say Bali 😉Then one big strong guy comes and tries to take Samson away. Even if the guy is very strong, because we are much, we will fight. And there is high chance we will overcome him, cos of our strength in numbers. What the devil does is push the person he wants out of a support group. Nobody to fight back
We see that the devil himself knows he doesn't have strength. He uses lies to get what he wants and deceive us to do his dirty job for him.
There is so much strength in our number as the body of Christ. So much. Don't think you are strong alone. You won't last on your own. Stay with the pack!
25 This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing, because we need each other! In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning. Heb 10: 25 TPT
Churches are not meeting physically. This world we sojourn in is not as we used to know it, but please This is not the time to pull away.
More than ever, we need each other. Attend your church services online. Don't be tweeting or watching BBN while pastor is preaching.
Pay attention as you'd in a physical setting. We can't meet in 100s or 50s but we can gather in 10s or 5s.
Hang out with people from your church (not to gossip about others o), just fellowship together. If you cannot hangout physically, God has given us wisdom for a time like this, connect online.
Little Exercise
Please I'd like us all to do this. Reach out to someone that has been pulling away from the gathering of saints. Don't talk about their pulling away (might make them defensive). Just tell them you called to just pray as they came to mind. Pray with them and gist about the word. Do so for a couple of days/weeks. We can drop feedback here as time goes on.
If you don't know anyone that pulled out, you can reach out to normal members too.
It is God's will that we fellowship intimately. Also note that this intimate fellowship does not mean you should go and fall in love with that brother/sister o 😭😭😭. That's not what God sent me o (but if God wills that it happens that way too, nice 😁)
Just note that the focus is Christ. The spirit points us to Christ. In helping us to love one another better, He is helping us live our new life which is Christ's
Fellowship births love, forgiveness, strength and encouragement. It is a prerequisite for survival. And for those that have stopped fellowshipping as they used to because of some ills in the church. Maybe you've been hurt by someone in the church.
It could even have been consistent. I know this feeling. I have been here
And I tell you, one of the greatest things God did was help me stay in the body of Christ and love regardless. Things changed after a while
If you are in this space and hurting or know anyone who is, we have a message on CHURCH HURT. It's been helpful for so many of us that have been here too.
And if you have questions or need to talk, please reach out to me privately via sermons.wordalive@gmail.com. I'm available
Again, God doesn't want us in isolation. He wants all of us together
Stay with the pack!
God bless you all
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