Alexander The Great was an unyielding conqueror who by the age of 32 amassed the greatest empire the world had ever seen. At the core of his military strategy, Alexander employed three primary elements: the archers, the infantry, and the cavalry. Tactically, the infantry has changed the least over the years. Each man is still responsible for the man beside him, the two of them are responsible to their unit, and the unit is responsible to the whole. Individually and collectively, depending upon the training and determination of the other, they march forward, pushing the enemy backward, protecting one another with each assault from the enemy's arsenal, gaining victory with each step, conquering with each sector taken, succeeding with each act of courage, and celebrating triumph through relentless interdependence.

Today's modern military has sophisticated weaponry like Alexander couldn't imagine in his wildest dreams. And yet one thing hasn't changed in the slightest: The interdependence that made Alexander's army invincible is still relentlessly disciplined into the psyche of every recruit who puts on a military uniform. The man on your right looks out for you, you look out for the man on your left, and he looks out for the man on his left while depending on the man to his right. You fight together, share together, march together, depend upon each other, and if called upon to do so, you die together. Men depending upon trustworthy men who will guard their weaknesses and march with them toward a shared victory is still an unbeatable combination.

Developing friendships of this sort isn't going to happen by Saturday night. Trustworthy relationships are often forged in the foundry of difficulty and the relentlessness of time. But this simply points definitively to the importance of close friendships.

As you begin to trust your Heavenly Father to supply warriors of this caliber in your life, you must tap Him as the source of your true strength and not forget your security fundamentally resides in Christ. It is only from this vantage point you can muster the courage to lay your heart on the table and see where your Father is leading the relationship.

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is friendship. But don't let that deter you. Friendship is essential and God will provide! Trust your Heavenly Father first. Tell Him about your needs and pour your heart out to Him. Share your struggles and doubts and victories and confidences with Him. In His time, He will provide exactly what you need. According to Philippians 4:19, He is honor-bound to do so: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”