Relationships are advantageous connections that are mutually beneficial to the parties involved. The easiest way to succeed in life is through relationships. Everything in life multiplies on the basis of relationships thus, multiplication demands and requires relationships.

Relationships are currency hence they can purchase things, people and conditions into our lives. Relationships are powerful and if you don’t have them, you will suffer. Relationships can be a source of income if you maintain them. There are results that you can have as a result of who you met—thus who hates you does not matter, but who likes you matters. You need relationship with God and men.

Biblical Examples

Genesis 12:1-5 — God called Abraham and Lot went with him and as a result, Lot was blessed as much as Abraham was.

Jonah 1:1-15 — Jonah’s disobedience caused the people who were in the boat with him to suffer.

Mark 4:37-41 — The presence of Jesus in the boat saved the disciples from the storm. If you can be blessed with association, you can also be cursed by association.

Matthew 4:18-20 — Peter and John’s association with Jesus turned them into superior versions of themselves.

Amos 3:3 — Two people cannot walk together unless they agree. Friendship and relationship is a harvest for the seed of friendliness.

Elisha received anointing from Elijah through relationship.

Three Kinds of Relationships

• General relationships: Connections with people you meet every day.
• Seasonal relationships: Ordained for a season, requiring discernment to maximize. Even uncomfortable environments may carry divine lessons.
• Destiny relationships: Relationships with prophecy on them. They require discernment to identify and honor.

Principles for Maintaining Quality Relationships

1. Avoid competitive jealousy – Envy and jealousy is something that is in us as humans. You avoid jealousy by knowing that you are a unique expression of God’s glory. (Proverbs 27:4, 14:30)
2. Avoid ill and evil speaking – such as gossip, backbiting. The difference between good conversation and ill speaking is the motive. If the motive is to tear people down, it’s evil speaking. (Titus 3:2, Proverbs 6:16-19)
3. Avoid offense – Offense is the ease at which you get irritated, agitated, angry or resentful. Offense destroyed John the Baptist.
4. Practice forgiveness – Forgiveness is a kind of giving. Practice to say “I am sorry”. Do not allow your spiritual growth put you in a place where you cannot say you are sorry. (Ephesians 4:32, Luke 6:37)
5. Have a high degree of tolerance – Tolerance means that you factor the limitation of others and live with it for it will happen again and again. (Colossians 3:12)
6. Be an active contributor – Do not be in a relationship where you are only receiving. Be selfless and contribution conscious.
7. Practice genuine love – Your love life is the clearest biblical index to measure maturity. (Proverbs 10:12, John 13:35, 1 John 4:20)

Prayer Points

• Lord, give me the stamina and discernment to endure relationships until that which was supposed to come to me from them comes.
• Father, in this season, bring to my life the strategic destiny people you have ordained for the next level of my destiny, and grant me the grace to maintain the relationships until they bless me.