By Lanre Oloyede, Abuja
Relationships are quite pivotal to the quest of man to attaining greatness in life, Dr Femi Lanre-Oke, the Lead Pastor of Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministry, JPEMI has said.
According to him, every relationship represents a door that, when properly activated, can open avalanche of opportunities capable of launching one into greatness.
Dr. Lanre-Oke noted that the holy scripture is replete with plethora of cases of people who by virtue of their right associations fulfill their destinies and attained gigantic and larger than life status.
He however warned that as crucial as relationships are, wrong associations can rock the boat of destinies and shatter dreams of greatness in man as it can shut out opportunities and lead one to irrecoverable path of destruction.
In his sermon on Sunday May 14, 2023, the JPEMI Lead Pastor expounded on the importance and the crucial role relationships can play in the journey of man to attain greatness or fulfill destiny.
The erudite intelligentsia clergy averred that the quality of a man’s life cannot be greater than the quality of his first five ring of friends.
Dr. Lanre-Oke noted that relationship is both costly to gain and maintain.
He submitted that a wise man is aware that the quality of his life is proportional to that of those within his closiest circle, hence the need for one to wisely chose his or her close circle of friends.
The man of God advised his congregants to take a moment to list and reflect on the quality of lives of the five closiest individuals in their inner circle, stressing that if it doesn’t match what they desire, then they needed to change them.
Taking a cue from Proverbs 13:20 which states that “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”, Dr. Lanre-Oke emphasized that every association a man keeps certainly rubs off on the destiny of the individual whether positively or negatively.
He stated that a positive relationship will boost the fulfilment of destiny while a toxic or negative relationship is a snare to destiny.
To this end, the man of God enumerated the seven crucial toxic character traits that every man on a journey to greatness or destiny fulfilment must avoid.
He said: “There are some attitudes that cannot be negotiated in choosing relationships. The following are the relationship personalities to avoid on your pathway to greatness:
1. A PROFANE PERSON – Heb. 12: 8-19
A profane person is one who is careless about life, who doesn’t take life seriously, one who takes with levity the divine things of life. A profane person is someone who is going nowhere. He’s someone who disregards the anointing, someone who doesn’t value counsel.
They are more interested in what they can gain rather than what they can give or offer. They are people who care less about destiny. One who can trade tomorrow for the present, one who can trade the future for pottage or piece of bread like Esau.
2. AN ANGRY PERSON – Prov. 22:24-25
An angry person is one who is easily and always angry. They believe they are always right. They can destroy a relationship they have built over years in just a moment. He’s one who doesn’t care what happens when he’s angry. They can destroy in one minute what they have built in years. They want others to see them as the right person and wants their friends to be enemies to their enemies. They have a critic spirit. They have problem with everybody except themselves. They are very vengeful, they are only satisfied when they take revenge. They are controlling and domineering.
3. THE SCORNFUL – Ps. 1:1
A scornful man makes jest of holy things. They are mockers and jesters. They justify sin, they look for reasons to justify sin. They can say the Bible says you should take little alcohol for your health. They brag about evil things they do. They speak boldly of their negative exploits like sleeping with plenty women, drinking plenty bottles of beer. They make mockery of people who are above them.
4. THE PROUD – Ps. 40:4; Isa 2:12
They believe in their own ability alone. They consider every other person to be less than them. They believe their opinion is better than others. They love to be seen and honoured by others. They hate to be corrected or rebuked. A proud man doesn’t like to take no for an answer.
5.THE ENVIOUS OR JEALOUS – PS. 35:13
They are your closiest or favourites. They know so much about your dreams and intentions. They would not hesitate to use their knowledge of you to harm you. They are friendly but are hypocrites. They talk well of you in your presence but talk ill of you in your absence. They render assistance at convenience not as committed. They are irritated and angered by your success. They are betrayers. They are threatened by your growth no matter how small. They would betray or kill at the slightest opportunity. If at all you must have one, keep him or her at the outer court of your life.
6. A TALKATIVE – Prov. 10:19
They talk too much whether positively or negatively. They love to say everything they know or have done.
7. A VISIONLESS PERSON – Prov. 29:18
They lack Vision of where they are going in life. They will derail you because they are not going anywhere in life. They have no direction in life. They will waste your destiny.
Other negative relationships to avoid includes: A Pretender, a stingy person among others.
In the final analysis, Dr. Femi Lanre-Oke noted: “There is no way you can fulfill destiny without the gift of men. Your destiny is as colourful as the right men in your journey. The answer to every lack in your life is traceable to the presence of one true man at a time.
“Every man is a gift but could be a curse if taken to the holiest of holies when they were made for the outer court.
“Relationship is important but the right relationship placement is much more important.”
