WHERE IS THAT friend-SHIP TAKING YOU?

Relationships are God’s gifts to us in order for us to be able to fulfil purpose. Relationships are designed by God to add to us and to keep us sharpened and lighted on the way to Heaven. God gave David a man like Jonathan. God gave Daniel 3 wonderful and covenant friends; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And the presence of Daniel in their lives added to them; “Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon” (Dan. 2:49). They were fulfilling God’s original purpose and idea for friendship and relationships, where “Iron sharpeneth iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Prov. 27:17).

Even Paul had friends, and when he was in prison he sought the company of none others but his friends: “And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself” (Acts 27:3b).

Men are gifts from God to our destiny, helping us not to miss the way. It was Saul’s servant and companion that gave him an insight about Samuel and thus set Saul’s path towards becoming a king (1 Sam. 9:6-10). There was a time David was almost killed, but a companion/servant came and rescued him: “And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant...he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him” (1 Sam. 21:16-17).

We can go on and on and talk about the impact of positive relationship/friendship/companionship in our walk towards (eternal) destiny.

BUT, the devil seeing the good of relationships/friendship is using friendship/relationship to pull people to hell. Many have backslided because of people who came into their lives. Many who used to be on fire for God have gone solo because of certain friendship/relationship/partnership they had gone into. Many hitherto vocal voices for God’s kingdom have become silenced by the influence of (wrong and negative) relationships that came in.

“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20).

Any friendship that takes you away from God, that takes your heart away from God, and that reduces your time and commitment to God is a ship that is been driven by the devil and is aimed at crashing your destiny and eternity. Many by this way have made a shipwreck of their faith.

In life, we are all headed towards a destination. This is why we need certain ships to cross over and get to where God has ordained for us. And some of these ships are friend-SHIP, partner-SHIP, relation-SHIP, etc. Any ship that is loaded with worldliness, sinful pleasures, immorality, corruption will never last. It will crash here and without a place in eternity.

Friend, is there a ship you have entered and is sailing you away from God and Heaven? That friendship that is killing you softly; the relationship that has made you a slave to passions and sin...God is calling you to step out and return to where you missed it.

The last bus stop/terminal of every wrong “ship” cannot be Heaven. May God terminate every ungodly companion-SHIP in our lives in Jesus’ name.