On Sunday morning, I had the privilege of spending some time with the Harvesters Church in Ibadan, and ministering in 2 of their services. It was an unexpected opportunity, but it felt very right in my spirit and mind, it was a great way to have spent my Sunday morning as I shared Gods revelation to me about relationships. I felt really blessed by the thoughts myself, and I’m positive that many people received wisdom and instruction to better position themselves.
Relationships are important, they are like Relation- Ships, they are ships that aid you towards a desired destination. Ships like most modes of transportation are useless without clear direction. Those who don’t know where they are going need no road maps, a relationship is a ship that via the opportunity to relate with another mortal, steers you towards your dreams. Friendship for friendships sake is a waste of time. If you don’t know where you are going, every company you keep is a wrong company. The first step in navigating into the right relationship is investing in the clarity of one’s vision. The first question that precedes great relationships is clarity of purpose! Before you begin to join yourself to any chariot, where you are going must first be sure!
Once your destination is clear and your sails are set, things will begin to work in your favor. It doesn’t matter where the wind is coming from or where it is going, the winds will ultimately serve your purpose once your sails are set. The picture of your future triggers a desire in your heart, this desire takes you to the place of prayer, and the moment your desire is expressed to the divine, your responsibility shifts from a mere seeker to someone who operates with ownership. As this becomes your reality, the universe begins to rearrange itself. Information and People begin to seek you to link you up with that which has been made available to you by your request. Relationships are answers to prayers, when your life is on the border of change, two things happen, you come into contact with amazing information, and you encounter new people. The comfort that you need, is with someone who required the same comfort in their own seasons. The clarity of your vision is directly proportional to the accuracy of your relationships.
With a clear vision as a fulfilled prerequisite, it is important to understand the types of relationships that are important to have as one navigates towards ones dreams.
1. Forerunner
The role of a forerunner is critical, this might be a biological father, mother or relative, or anyone that plays the role of going ahead of you to show you your future. Taking a case study from the life of Joseph, his father gives him a colourful robe representative of royalty and being special. Shortly after receiving this robe, Joseph begins to have dreams. The role of the forerunner is to inspire you and alert you of the greatness that resides in you. Josephs father continued to take note of the small things that Joseph was doing and keeping the records so that in the times when clarity blurs, Joseph has a rich history to lean on. The same type of thing happened with Jesus, this time it was Mary keeping the records. It was this same Mary that got his first miracle out of him. The forerunner is someone placed above you, who loves you deeply and is sensitive enough to sense that your life is not ordinary. These people inspire us.
2. Foes
Yes you read that correctly. Foes or Enemies are required roles in the life of anyone who will be successful. In a story I’m fond of telling, where the king decides to give his daughter’s hand in marriage to the person who demonstrates courage, the guy who finally jumps into the pool filled with crocodiles and successfully swam to the other side and married the daughter claimed one thing. He claimed that he was pushed! No normal person will jump into a pool of fasting crocodiles. The question I like to ask is, who pushed him? Was it his friend or his foe? The foe for sure, friends don’t push you, they hug you 
. You want to be successful? You need enemies, you need critics, you need adversaries. Opposing views and criticisms are extremely helpful, even when we shut them down, they affect us. They force us to regularly raise our standards, they motivate us to up our game, they inspire us to look for ways to block the holes that they so shamelessly expose. In the case study of Joseph. He was sold into slavery by his brothers who had become his foes, the Bible says they hated him. They sold him in their eyes into slavery, but God sent him ahead to save the nation of Israel. Would he ever have gotten to Egypt if all his brothers loved him and wanted him around them? No! Where your life is going is far, you need foes to push you along the right path. In the words of Jesus – “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you”. Foes are ultimately push you to purpose. Even in the story of Jesus, Jesus was driven to fulfill his purpose by the devil (his foe), while Peter (his friend) was trying to drag him back. Love those who hate you, and pray for those who despisefully use you!
3. Forgers
To forge is to form (metal, for example) by heating in a forge and beating or hammering into shape. Forgers are those people in your life who are neither your friends nor your foes, but have a role to play in your life that involves hammering you into shape. In the period of their reign over your life, if you are not perceptive, you do not like them very much. They are like superiors at work, seniors in school or someone whose authority you are under by not much of your direct choice. They are very demanding and very stressful, but they are forging you into shape and increasing your future market value. They are the family you stay with inbetween transition that force you to be neat, force you to come home early, force you to not be in the wrong relationship. You have a healthy fear for them, and you comply. In the life of Joseph, this was Potiphar. Joseph could dream and interprete dreams, but in Potiphar’s house, Joseph learnt administration. Without Potiphar, Joseph could have gotten to Pharoah’s palace and interpreted the dreams alone. There is a long shot from knowing what to do to knowing how to do it. The skill sets required for being a government critic is different from the skill sets of being an executive governor. Forgers heat and beat you to shape. They are essential in any life heading for greatness.
There are still a few more F’s and a few more relationship watch outs. When use is unknown, abuse is inevitable. I’ll be talking more about this soon, till then. Get clarity about your future, write it down and paint it out. Define your relationships, and let them serve their purpose in your life, and to all my foes out there, may you live long May you live long for the scriptures to be fulfilled that say – “you prepared a table before me (a six course meal -msg), in the presence of my enemies”
you know many times we get so worked up about our foes that we fail to see the good that can come out of their criticisms and hatred. i love the story of joseph, it says it all. great message!
Really very deep. I love the ‘Foes’ part. A lot of time we don’t see the need for enemies. But if they aren’t there to criticise or hate us, we won’t be pushed to turn to God for help or even have a relationship with Him.
Great piece. Super stories.
Somtyms we get so workd up abt our enemies. They r needed!
You know Jesus called Judas "Friend" at the very moment of betrayal? Think about that..
Hmm! Another masterpiece…
Forerunner: ''These people inspire us''. No wonder Bishop Oyedepo once said, ''if u dont have those who inspire u, u will soon expire'. U have been just that to me.
As per foes, couldn't have been said better.
May your fountain never run dry.
mmm!
Thanks
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It was indeed a great privilledge to have received directly from you at HCC sunday morning, it was in deed a mind blowing and power packed ministration. Shortly, I know you'll start getting calls of testimonies that preceeds the event. You are indeed a great blessing to our generation.
As usual, this is inspiring and definately a word in due season, I am very big on relationship and i believe we need a "relationship" for every next level, the person may be there for just a few hours, but those few hours may change the course of our destiny for good or bad, but my prayer is that its for good always. Joseph was set up for his journey to his destiny by an unnamed man that told him..i heard your brothers saying they were heading for Dothan, he would have gone back home when he did not see them initially, but that singular moment with that man, changed the course of his life.As for the foes, i always say that na who dey pursue person dey show am road!lol..so bring it on..Saul pursuing David made him know the land and terrain he would later rule over! The forgers stretch you and truly bring out the gold in you.God bless and inspire you the more..am still asking myself..whats my prophet to me..not a foe definately..lol..hahahahaha
God bless u and may he continually inspire u. U’ve been a blessing
Awesome piece, I celebrate the Forgers in my life, I hitherto called them my sandpaper, those God was using to get rid of my very rough edges!!
As for my foes..well..please don’t gnash your teeth when the glory comes, you played a part in the suffering Rom 8:18 style!
Fab piece my brother!
No relationship, No life. Know relationship, Know Life.
Life is created for relationshup. We are relational beings.
Just like you have classified. We need to define our relationships and know what each is meant to be.
Thanks for being one of my forerunners
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Thanks deolu. This is an insightful piece. I was graced to start a series in my church last sunday on d the topic. Understanding God’s purpose in relationships and I towed the path of specific xter relationships like Joseph n his brodas, Moses n jethro, david and jonathan’ ‘Mary n Elizabeth etc and how it relates to our types of friendship n Gods purpose. But you have broader dimension. God bless you sir. I believe this is a timely emphasis. This is major horn in our pathway to destiny. If God wants to bless he sends people. If devil want to destroys too he sends people. So we need wisdom to decipher. I need to meet you. May ur fountain of wisdom never run dry. Thanks. Deji alonge
Wow,
Thanks all for the fabulous comments.
Prophetess Bridget…
Yes oh… 1hr can make a lot of difference. Our own relationship must pass hours oh… I have something burning in my spirit for you oh. Feli Feli oh.
Detoun,
Thanks for stopping by, I like that… sandpaper, quite apt as well. Thanks.
Deji,
Hmmm… I’m available. Solid thoughts from you as well.
To think that Nokia is the one that organized an event that is making me write more frequently like this? Nokia, send the pictures oh… I want to write about that meeting
wow. inspiring one again.
Thanks fot the insights. een if your fountain dries, may you always fond people who will always forge you ahead
Cheers
I think you make some great points. I believe that every human being we come across, just as every experience we have in life, is intended to serve us for good; that includes our foes and challenges. If we see things as good, as servants for our growth and success then that is what they'll be. If we see our challenges and foes as negatives…then that is what they will be. It is our perspective that determines our truth.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Peace & Prosperity,
Dallas M Cyr
FRIENDSHIP 4 FRIENDSHIP SAKE IS WASTE OF TIME. Relationship that matters. It is said that every man needs 3 forms of relationships
1 someone ahead to learn from(mentor)
2 Someone by the side to run together so u could encourage each other {friend}
3 Someone beneath u whom u could inspire and teach what u hav learnt (successor)
DEOLU this piece of urs is a life inspiring word for a change of orientation to FRIENDING. [excuse my english] thank you.
FRIENDSHIP 4 FRIENDSHIP SAKE IS WASTE OF TIME. Relationship that matters. It is said that every man needs 3 forms of relationships
1 someone ahead to learn from(mentor)
2 Someone by the side to run together so u could encourage each other {friend}
3 Someone beneath u whom u could inspire and teach what u hav learnt (successor)
DEOLU this piece of urs is a life inspiring word for a change of orientation to FRIENDING. [excuse my english] thank you. Pls will u b willing 2 be one of the persons ahead of me
I will be most grateful to God if he will link me up with you so you could be one of the persons ahead of me.
1.}Trust:this is the most important factor in a relationship,without trust there cannot be a last longing relationship,because it is the bus-driver of any relationship
2.}Spending quality time with each other:the only thing that can propel your tought in a guy or in a lady whenever u guys are not together, is by spending quality time with each other whenever you guys are together. ‘the concept of desire is the pursuit of it’
3.}Advicing each other:when advices are given by partners to each other in relationship it goes a long way in each others heart
4.}Learn to forgive your partner:to keep a growing and flourishing relationship you need to always forgive your partner’s misdeed.
NOTE:forgiveness in a relationship is like adding ferterlizer to a humus soil.
5.}know your partner: partners in a relationships should try and know the likes and dislikes of their partner,so as to avoid clashes and relationship break ups.
ONE LOVE.
read more of this here :-
http://www.naijameets.com/profiles/blog/list?month=07&year=2009
Sir,please i really need your help and i’ll be happy if you can help me.i’ll be glad if we can talk via e-mail,this is my e-mail address:abiolaoyeneye@yahoo.com.Thanks a million,ur blessed
Yes my brother you are right. I got you right. Thanks