The third essential next to the Word of God and Prayer for the Christian life is Fellowship. What is meant by `fellowship'? Webster's dictionary defines `fellowship' as Companionship, mutual sharing, and group of people with similar interests'. The word fellowship was derived from the Greek word, `Koinonia' which could be used in various manners – for example, in reference to marriage or business partnership or friendship, as well as magnanimous sharing. In short, we can have the Christian definition of fellowship as Caring, Sharing, Bearing and Praying for one another. True fellowship includes all these elements and more.

There is great strength in the Fellowship. It is the spiritual source of strength. Especially in the early Christian life,fellowship helps a lot. The Christian who is weak will get strengthened through the fellowship. If you keep a raw wood along with the burning wood in the fireplace, the raw wood also will burn. We cannot neglect fellowship. One of the reasons for going to the church is to get the required fellowship. Sadly, lot of mainline churches fail to provide the required fellowship to the people who come to worship. God has raised lot of Para-church organizations and they also provide the required fellowship to the believers where Church does not provide.

We are going to talk about having fellowship with three different groups.

First of all we have been asked to have fellowship with our Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Please turn with me to 1 Cor 1: 9 which says, `….by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our God'. Also please read I John 1: 3, `….and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His son Jesus Christ'. The fellowship with God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit start with you hearing God's knocking sound and opening the door of your heart and to allowing him to share room with God as mentioned in Rev 3:20 (….I will come into him and dine with him, and he with me). Also if you want to have continuous fellowship with God, you need to remain in Him as mentioned in 2 Cor 5:17 (Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation….). Taking part of Holy Communion is another form of associating yourself with Christ's body and blood, which are broken and shed for you and me. Another form of having fellowship with Christ is to suffer for His sake as mentioned in Phil 3: 10 (….that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being confirmed to His death). If you read the Bible you can find how lot of OT & NT men walked with God and had fellowship. To give you few examples, please read Gen 5:22 to know how Enoch walked with God and God became very close with him and God could not even wait till his death. So God took him to be with him before he faced his physical death. Please read Gen 6:9 to understand about how Noah's walked with God. We who live in the 21st century cannot say excuses for not having fellowship with God. We can have fellowship with God by talking to Him through prayer and by listening to Him by reading the Bible and by leading a life that pleases God. Are you having fellowship with God? If not set right the relationship and start having fellowship with God.

Secondly we need to have fellowship with our spouse (if married) and children (if we have). Also we can have fellowship with our parents if they are children of God. In the Garden of Eden, though Adam had fellowship directly with God, still God had to create Adam a Madam to be a better half to have true fellowship and life partnership. Our children should not see quarrels, misunderstandings, hot discussions and arguments instead be cherished by the fellowship of their parents and should be nourished by the true love of Godly parents.

The third type of fellowship is with children of God or body of believers. This can be through local church or through local fellowship or home groups. Bible says very clearly in I John 1:7 that we will have fellowship with one another only if we walk in the light as God is in the light. In other words, we cannot have fellowship with the body of Christ if we live in darkness by being in sinful life. If you read 2 Tim 2:22, Bible says that we are supposed to flee lusts and join the fellowship where people seek with the true and sincere heart. In other words, fellowship preserves you in falling into temptations. If we are disciples, we are supposed to love one another as mentioned in John 13:35. Also Romans 14:19 says, we are supposed to pursue the things, which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Fellowship provides mutual encouragement (Rom 1:12). Also Lord commands blessing through the fellowship (Ps 133). It is amazing that whenever we have fellowship with body of believers, God himself comes and joins our groups and listens to our conversions. Please read Mal 3:16, `Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them….' What a nice God we have. Are you neglecting the fellowship of believers? If so, please try to associate with some believing group.

A word of caution: we are not supposed to have fellowship with unbelievers as mentioned in 2 Cor 6:14, 15. Also we have to disassociate ourselves with the false brethren as mentioned in 2 Tim 3:6.

Some practical tips for having a good fellowship: Keep Christ as the center of fellowship, not food or games or any other things as the center of fellowship. Lot of Christian organizations and churches are failing in this area. We need to give importance for the word of God in the fellowship. Also we need to set apart some time for sharing and praying for each other. If required, we need to provide physical support and monetary help for the fellowship member. If one of your fellowship members looses her or his job, as a fellowship member we are supposed to help them in their job search. Some times we become more spiritual and forget the physical needs and other needs of the families within the fellowship.

Unity is very important in a fellowship. Preserver the unity. No one should be left alone in a fellowship. Avoid political discussions in the fellowship.

I still remember my childhood days. During that time we neither had telephone connections nor had Internet connections. During those days, people had correspondence with others through hand written letters. Now we are living in an ultra modern society with high-speed broadband connections, DSL connections, free unlimited long distance connections, free dialups and free e-mail services. Still we do not have time to connect with fellow believers. There are Christian chat rooms, which connects people for fellowship. There are lot of e-groups that connects people. Please do not skip having fellowship with God because of having fellowship with family and believing group. You cannot substitute.

Finally I would like to close with a saying from Leonard Ravenhill.

`Young lions hunt alone, Great Eagles fly alone, Great men of God walk alone, alone with God'

If God has talked to you through this message, please have regular time of fellowship with God, Family and body of believers.