The Company You Keep
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled:“Bad company corrupts good character.” (AMP) Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character
God is leading you into his perfect plan for your life BUT, if you are around the bad company, you will be misled- away from that plan. It will delay or even take you away from His divine plan. God has alot to say about who we hang around with. Please know that, even if you are saved, if you do not set rules and boundaries for your relationships, you can fall victim to being "corrupted".
GROUP QUESTION: Why does the scripture say “do not be misled or deceived”? Do you think Christians are misled and decieved in this topic?
2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV) 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
Please note that this isn’t just the people outside the church, this can also mean so called Christians inside the church. If you are with the wrong person or group, they can pull you under, and away from God. There is a reason why God is telling you, the believer, His child, His responsibility, NOT to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. What does this mean? Don’t be spending too much time with unbeliever, especially if it is by choice.
You might say, well they believe in God. It doesn’t matter what they say or claim about God. James 2:19 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without works is dead? Are they living for Him? Believe isnt just in intellectual observation its something that carries a weight in your heart that moves you to action to live a different life than the world. A real believer goes to church and seeks after the things of God and keeps his Word. The way the beliver lives is obviously different than how the world lives. Never go by what they say about themselves, you can tell by their fruits. The bible says the devil works in the sons of disobedience!!
This is what repentance is all about. We need to turn away from these old friends, old ways, sin, old habits and reach for Gods things. If we cant win them to Christ, its time to move on. There are many people out there who need Him. I know you care for them, but you cannot force them to love God, not even God can do that, its their choice. The best you can do, is pray for them and separate yourself from them before they pull you under and love them from a distance.
The people we allow in our lives are gateways to either darkness or light. There is no middle ground. If they do not worship God, love God, live for God, cut that yoke. God says if you are not for me you are against me.
Example of Abraham leaving his relatives to receive the promise of God.
Gen. 12:1-4 -The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” Heb. 11:8—In this first step of faith he only left one: his country. Therefore, he progressed only halfway to the land of his promised inheritance.
II. Step 2: Leaving Harran: Gen. 12:4–5; Acts 7:4—Through his father’s death, Abram was able to make the second release, from his father’s house. But he still had his kindred, Lot, with him.
Many of us want to get to the promised land, but we want to take father (our relatives, or relationships) with us and can only make it halfway and get stuck. What is father to you? It can be many different things from the past. Traditions, Habits, Associations, Relationships, Religion, Finances. The most common thing is our relationships or old friends. Don't take father along if you want to get to the promised land.
GROUP QUESTION: Have you ever had a close friend you had to separate from? How did you handle it?
What if I work around these people, or we have to be yoked. Stand your ground. Represent Jesus to them. Don’t be a closet Christian. You will have to explain a lot less of who you are if you let people know who you are with from the beginning.
Establish Boundaries - Be careful who you let in your life and how intimate you become with them. When you get to the border, you have to deal with border control. The borders of every country has armed guards. When you try to enter, they question you. What are you motives? Why are you coming in this country, what do you have with you?
1 Corinthians 5 (AMP) 9 I wrote you in my [previous] letter not to associate [closely and habitually] with unchaste (impure) people— 10 Not [meaning of course that you must] altogether shun the immoral people of this world, or the greedy graspers and cheats and thieves or idolaters, since otherwise you would need to get out of the world and human society altogether! 11 But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to any object that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue [railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber. [No] you must not so much as eat with such a person. 12 What [business] of mine is it and what right have I to judge outsiders? Is it not those inside [the church] upon whom you are to pass disciplinary judgment [passing censuring sentence on them as the facts require]? 13 God alone sits in judgment on those who are outside. Drive out that wicked one from among you [expel him from your church].
If you keep opening your heart up to a person who keeps poisoning your spirit to gossip, you're gonna end up in a trap based on those things. Your gonna have to confront. We'd like to avoid confrontation, nobody likes it, but it's necessary sometimes when you just want to pray away a situation. Let people know where you stand with God and you're not cool with what they are doing. If they can't take the hint, then tell them straight up.
GROUP QUESTION: Why do some Christians want to be liked be everyone?
Cultivate the right relationships, with Jesus and Fellow Believers. Do the Do’s.
1 John 1:7 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].
One provision of the precious blood of Jesus is cleansing. In this verse, there are three verbs in the continuing present tense: walk, fellowship, and cleanse. We must take note of that. If we continue walking in the light, we continue having fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us. It is very important to see that this is conditional. If we continue to walk in the light of God’s Word by obeying what it says, then the first result is that we have fellowship with one another. If we are not walking in the light, we will not have fellowship. And if we do not have fellowship, we are not walking in the light. But, if we walk in the light and have fellowship, then the blood of Jesus continually keeps us clean. When you do not have fellowship with other believers, that is evidence that you are walking in darkness.
The presence of a blessing can never be overlooked. Wisely look for where the blessings can be found and attach yourself firmly to blessed people. Labour to be associated with a Godly person!
ASSOCIATE WITH BLESSED PEOPLE
Association with blessed people is one of the easiest ways to prosper spiritually, mentally, socially and financially. When a person is super blessed, the blessings often spill over and affect those around him. The opposite of that is also true. If you are in a vehicle and someone is carrying drugs and you get pulled over by the police, guess who else goes to jail just for being there? Bad company carries a curse that will spill over and affect those who are around. Just as wealthy people often provide jobs for thousands of others, one blessed person can provide blessings for thousands under his leadership. Sometimes it is far more profitable to be associated with someone who has the obvious blessing of God on his life than to do anything else.
Laban, Jacob’s uncle, realised that his nephew had a peculiar blessing on his life. Most people would have found it difficult to accept that things were going well in their lives because of the presence of a young refugee. Who is there in your life whom God has blessed? A few droplets of the blessing on that person may earn you much more than you could ever do for yourself or get for yourself in thirty years of working hard.
GROUP QUESTION: Have you ever been blessed by associating with blessed people?
Potiphar, an Egyptian businessman, had his whole family being blessed because of the presence of Joseph. God’s eye was on Joseph and God’s blessing was on Joseph. Whether as a slave or as a prisoner, he experienced the blessings of God. It is time to recognize this eternal principle. One blessed person can provide so much for many people. Those who associated with Paul partook of his grace.
Philippians 1:7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, YE ALL ARE PARTAKERS OF MY GRACE.
Labour for the blessing that comes from associating with blessed people. Associating with blessed people causes you to partake of their grace. It is grace that makes things work out for blessed people. You will receive far more by your association with blessed people than by striving on your own for money. All through the Bible, we see examples of the blessing that comes through association. Three examples stand out:
1. Lot associating with Abraham. - Genesis 13:5 And LOT ALSO, which went with Abram, HAD FLOCKS, and herds, and tents. Lot had flocks, herds and tents because of his association with Abraham. Abraham is the one who was blessed. We always speak of the blessings of Abraham and not the blessings of Lot. Lot experienced the blessing of fruitfulness because of his association with Abraham. When he separated from Abraham, his whole life was destroyed in the city of Sodom. He became destitute and was “raped” by his daughters. Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt.
2. Laban associating with Jacob. - Genesis 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I HAVE LEARNED BY EXPERIENCE THAT THE LORD HATH BLESSED ME FOR THY SAKE. Laban also experienced a multiplication of all that he had when Jacob came to live with him.. Laban saw that God was blessing him because of Jacob. Many people are too proud to see and acknowledge that God is blessing them because of someone.
3. Potiphar associating with Joseph. - Genesis 39:3-6 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, THAT THE LORD BLESSED THE EGYPTIAN’S HOUSE FOR JOSEPH’S SAKE; AND THE BLESSING OF THE LORD WAS UPON ALL THAT HE HAD IN THE HOUSE, AND IN THE FIELD. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored.
Potiphar’s house was blessed greatly because of Joseph. Joseph’s presence in Potiphar’s house changed everything. Because Potiphar, a wicked unbeliever was associated with Joseph, God decided to bless Potiphar. Many blessings in the world are because of association. You may earn far more by seeking to be associated with a blessed person than seeking after a higher salary or better job. It is the blessing of the Lord that really changes lives.
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Who you stand next to matters, who you sit with matters. Just being around certain people can attract blessings or curses upon your life. When they found out Jonah was the reason for the troubles, they threw him overboard and ended up in the belly of a fish. When Achan secrettly stole a babylonian garment and was hiding it in a tent, it got many killed.
