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Friends, greetings in Jesus Name! Today I will be sharing with you on what I title, “Who Is Your Friend?” Many years ago on campus, I had this close friend of mine who was on fire for the Lord – we were preaching the gospel together, from one campus to another, and organizing rural crusades in some parts of South Africa. As a matter of fact, he was a role model and a “no nonsense” fellow whose message centers on radical Christianity and Holiness. We both finished from the university and parted ways, then I returned back to Nigeria. Few years later we met when I travelled to Johannesburg, but I noticed his lifestyle, language, and passion for the things of God had changed. Later, I was in the U.S. and I sent him a mail via facebook to find out how he was doing. He told me he was fine but I wasn’t convinced. So, I probed further by asking him: Bro, how is your spiritual life? He replied me, “Thanks for the words Elvis. I am afraid to say that my flame is no longer burning my brother, I hope you won’t find that offensive.”

Then I encouraged him no matter the situation, he should never turn his back against God. Really, he did enough damage to the kingdom of darkness when we were on campus, so it shouldn’t be now to dine with the devil, and back out of faith in Christ. He is still a great friend, we are in touch, and I know the Lord has not given up on him, and neither will I give up in standing in the gap for him. This is exactly the words I told him just two years ago when we last met as I visited Johannesburg. But then, I began to question the Lord to know what really went wrong with my good friend? And the Lord replied me saying: Association! Many years ago, I watched a popular movie, “Sleeping With The Enemy”, then I realized how close someone could be with a friend who really is a viper seeking means to bite the life out of you. Who do you associate with? Who do you call your friend? In my place, there is an adage that, “What crumbles a house is at the base of the foundation”. Meaning, what kills a man is usually those around him. In fact, check many kidnappings that have taken place today in Nigeria; you will be shocked to discover that the perpetrators are usually the relatives or friends of the victim. There is a saying, “show me your friends and I will tell you who you are”.

Proverbs 13:20 says, “He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of company he keeps. Someone once said, “I told God to protect me from my enemies, and suddenly I started losing friends.” The friends you keep can make or mar your destiny. Like my friend, so many have been pulled out of faith by the devil and stopped them from fulfilling destiny in life – all due to one wrong relationship. The bible admonishes us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matt.10:16); and let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Cor.10:12). We have to be extremely careful of those we let into our lives. Remember, many have been left wounded, even killed as a result of doors opened to a wrong friendship into their lives. Be wise in choosing your friends today. Have a fantastic week. With love, Elvis!