Last week we addressed some practical ways to prepare for what is coming to America, and also to many nations of the world. Here, we begin with the most important: strengthening our foundation in the Word of God and our love for The Word Himself. We will continue to address this in different ways that will be increasingly important. However, one of the basic elements is very practical: in times of such conflict as we are facing, friends are far more valuable than any other commodity or resource.

         For this reason, we should invest far more in relationships than in any other provision we’re considering. Of course, the most important friend we could ever have is God. He wants to be our friend even more than we want to be His friend. As I warned about previously, God is more addictive than any drug, and the more we draw close to Him, the more we will want Him. No one is more attractive than the one who is getting closer to God. As we do this, we become contagious so that others will draw closer to us as we draw close to Him. So what are we going to do with them?

         We should never use people for selfish motives, especially God’s people. We want to use ourselves to serve them. We are only a leader if people are following us, but if people are drawn to us because we are drawing closer to God, we are a leader, like it or not. So where are we going to lead them?

         First and foremost we lead them to God, not to ourselves. We must help them become His disciples, not ours. Jesus wants to be the Head of every man, and He wants a direct relationship with all of His people. Perhaps the greatest example we have of New Covenant ministry is John the Baptist. His whole purpose was to prepare the way for The Lord—to point to Him as the Lamb of God and compel even his own disciples to follow Him. Then, John delighted to decrease as the ministry of Jesus increased.

         This is not about building a big network for ourselves, but rather building one for Him. True friends of the bridegroom never try to insert themselves between the bride and the bridegroom. The more we are devoted to this relationship between The Lord and His bride, the more anointing He can trust us with and the more people will be drawn to it. In the future, even the best methods and strategies for church growth will look pale compared to the anointing that will come to those who have the John the Baptist devotion. John did not dress for power, and he set up his ministry in literally the lowest place on earth. Yet, he was so anointed that he did not have to go to the people; they came to him. That is the kind of anointing coming ministries will have. As Leonard Ravenhill used to tell us, “You don’t have to advertise a fire.”

         So if we want to be one of these, we must keep in mind that the people are not coming because of us, but because of the anointing that draws them to The Lord. As long as we keep true to this, they will come. If we deviate from this and use the people for our own purposes, or our own ministries, they will stop coming.

         Years ago, I had a vision of a young shepherd that was so caught up in his worship of The Lord that he did not notice how many people had gathered around him. When he did notice and turned to the people, they started to scatter. When he turned back to The Lord, they gathered again. One of King David’s great sins was numbering the people, which was the result of him putting too much attention and faith in how many people he had. Bad mistake!

         The great commandments that Jesus said fulfilled the whole Law is loving God and loving one another. As Peter Lord used to say, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing,” and the main thing is loving God. We must love people too, but if we start esteeming them and giving them more attention than we are giving God, we will stumble like King David. The price David payed was losing many of the people. We will pay the same if we fall to this.

         In Hebrews 9, we are told that the priests are “continually entering the Holy Place performing the divine service.” The true priests of God will spend more time ministering to The Lord in the Holy Place than they will ministering to the people in the Outer Court. Ministry to the people is important, but it is never the most important part of our calling.

         There is a new breed of ministry coming that will build on the only Foundation that will stand—Jesus Himself. They will build on true friendship with God and His people first, not just on organizations, strategies, personalities, or entertainment. That is what true koinonia is built on: loving God first and loving one another as we should. This is what the first-century church tasted of, and it was so compelling that even the non-believers held them in high esteem. The true church is the ultimate society that can be experienced on earth.

         So how do we prepare for this and become part of it? Start by seeking fresh manna first thing every day. Get addicted to God and you will soon get others addicted to Him as well. Start getting together to feed one another’s addiction to Him. Koinonia will happen. Let what grows grow organically, based on love for God and the love for one another.

         Guard against letting koinonia becoming an idol that eclipses love of God. Resolve to grow deeper in sound, biblical truth, and help guard one another from the thief that will surely come to try to steal what is happening with you. Resolve that together you will stand up, look up, and rejoice! We cannot experience a greater life here than this.