We have all heard the phrase show me your friends and I will show you who you are…much as we can not take it as complete facts, the saying has some truth to it.
The people you associate with define who you are, they mould your character for better, or for worse…
You can be in a company of a disobedient man…even a man of God and because of that you can almost lose your life case in point Jonah!
Jonah 1:4-6
⁴But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.⁵Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.⁶So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
Because of Jonah’s disobedience those that were in his company lost their merchandise
These merchants lost their livelihood because they were not able to discern the person they carried along with them.
So much so that while everyone was panicking Jonah was sleeping. The problem or the cause of your problem will always be the one at peace while you are facing a storm. Watch out for those around you when you’re going through turmoil and they are at peace. The only way you can get your peace back is if you throw them out
Jonah 1:15
So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Sometimes even servants of God can cause you to go astray. There are some associations that lead to death especially from those you have trusted
1 Kings 13:11-18
¹⁶And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:¹⁷For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.¹⁸He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
Time and time again we have been told to know God for ourselves. Do not let someone else know God for you. The young prophet heard an instruction from God and yet when the old prophet came to him, he put aside the WORD of God and followed the prophet. Isn’t that what many Christians are doing these days? They have laid aside the word a followed them that give them what they want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;⁴And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Beware who you associate with when you are weary even if they be servants of God, they can lead you to death.
Ruth 1:16
¹⁶And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:¹⁷Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.¹⁸When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
There are associations that usher you into a new destiny. Ruth a moabite was engrafted into a new destiny because she chose to stay by Naomi’s side. There will be people that come into your life and will be midwives to you, they will usher you into a new life but this can only be done is you stay by them and are willing to learn from them.
Joshua 10:6
And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.⁷So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.⁸And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
Because of one man Joshua, a nation was saved. The Gibeonites had made a covenant with Joshua to be Israel’s servants because they had heard of what great things the Lord had done for the Israelites (Joshua 9:9-10) However when the surrounding kings heard of this, they gathered and wanted to make war against the Gibeonites and war made they however when the Gibeonites called onto Joshua (who they had made a covenant with) for help, for the sake of Joshua, the Lord intervened and fought for Israel (not Gibeon).
It is very important who you make a covenant with. There is one Man Jesus that you can be in covenant with and everything will be well with you. Accept His love today and enjoy eternal life (the God life)
Prophetic Utterance:
When I move God moves
Me and God are the majority
I am in covenant with God…what can man do to me?
Guiding text:
Romans 5:17
For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)¹⁸Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.¹⁹For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.