THE ASSOCIATIONS YOU NEED IN 2019

Have you ever heard the story about the special egg? If not, i will epitomise it for you to have a fair knowledge of the subject. A farmer found a strange egg on his way to the house from the farm. He added the egg to the ones laid by his domestic fowl. After the period of incubation, all the eggs hatched and the farmer got day old chicks. The strange egg ,unknowingly, was that of an eagle. This eaglet remained in the farmers house, went out and came in, in  the company of the chicks. All of them grew up and the eagle still saw itself as a domestic fowl, until it saw its reflection in a water body. Upon seeing how different it was, it began to ask questions. This eagle could not fly beyond the roof of the house because of its perception regarding its identity. one day, it saw a bird flying high in the sky. This bird perch on a tree and the eagle realised they looked alike. From that day, the eagle renounced its identity as a domestic fowl and flew away to where it belonged.

This short story is all about association. In life, who you associate with determines who you become. The eagle associated itself with domestic fowls and indirectly, became a domestic fowl. You will never realise your full potentials until you link up with the right association. Many destinies have been crushed, whiles others transformed , because of the kind of association people found themselves in. It is through association that a poor guy, who married a rich lady became affluent. In a likewise scenario, a rich lady too became poor because she married a poor guy. Through association, great men were birthed, businesses were taken to the next level, ministries had exponential growth and people were even privileged to meet their life partners. Through the same association, great men were lowered to tatters, ministries never saw the break of a new dawn and businesses collapsed.

As you prepare to enter the new year, one major thing you have to be very cautious of is the kind of association you are going to enter. If this year was not all that glorious, i bet you to check the association you were in. If it was glorious, you may also have a similar testimony. The level you will attain in life is always determinant on the company you find yourself. Who do you walk with? Who do you take advice from? Who do you plan with? Who gives you directions in life?

The good book gives several examples of how lives were either transformed or destroyed as a result of association. Relax, tighten your seat belt as we cruise to an altitude of wonderful sceneries throughout scriptures. The forms of association you can find yourself in include;

 A FRIEND

Learn to choose your friends wisely as you enter the new year. Who you will become will depend on the company of friends you will move out with. Let this year give you experience. You saw that some of your friends were opportunists: they came to you only when they needed help. Avoid these people and stick to those who added value to you. Weights from these people will always bring you down. There is a point in life when you have to cast the Jonah´s into the sea. So far as these Jonah´s are in your boat, you will never know peace.

David had a solid association with a friend called Jonathan. Jonathan was able to reveal the schemes of his father to David and that saved the young lad´s life. There are people who will be willing to go the extra mile for you, not because of what you have or what you will have in life. These people will rebuke you when you go wrong and will never envy your progress. Jonathan never envied David when he realised David was to be king in the stead of his father, Saul.

“ And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.“

1 Samuel 18:1

“ But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.”

2 Samuel 13:3-6

A friend like Jonadab caused the destruction of the son of David. There are always friends who will give you wicked, ungodly and unholy counsel in life: this, you must avoid if you want to prolong your life and have a better 2019.

A HELPER

Irrespective of your class or level, there is the need for you to have a helper in life. A helper is someone that can push you ahead to arrive at your destination. Helpers are catalysts in life. 

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.“

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

The proud always thinks he can survive without anyones´s help. Irrespective of who you are, you need someone to help you. Some one knows more than you do. Somebody has been where you intend going. Someone has achieved what you are dreaming of. You need someone to offer a helping hand. When Saul found it difficult to locate the whereabouts of his father´s missing donkey´s, it took the counsel from a servant to make him get connected to his destiny. Saul was loking for missing donkeys, not knowing that he was the missing king. The servant was used as a tool to connect Saul to Samuel and that was a connection to Saul´s destiny.

"  And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.“

1 Samuel 9:5-6

Ruth saw that Naomi could not bear the burden of life alone. She could have left Naomi as Orpah did, but she knew that as she helped her in law,she will also receive her blessing. Helpers always never lack in life. As you have to associate yourself with a helper, you need to also endeavour to be one. You can never do it alone. Sampson needed a helper (the small boy) to lead him to the pillars upon which the building stood, when he wanted to destroy the Philistines for the last time. Christ needed helpers to roll the stone from the tomb of Lazarus. Naaman needed a helper to lead him to the prophet. He needed helpers to advise him concerning the directions the prophet gave. Helpers don´t always come in the form of influential people. This, you must take note of.

A MENTOR

Mentors are people we look up to along the way to our destinations. They hold the blueprint of life experience that we can look on to build ours. We learn from their mistakes, get inspired from their works and are elevated by their counsels. Any one who does not have a  mentor in life is a suspect. The road is too far that you need someone to guide you along the way. If you will be successful in the new year, you need to have a mentor. People are used to having many mentors in life. This end up making them confused. It is always good to learn from many people, but you have to make one your mentor or father.

"For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.“

 1 Corinthians 4:15

Elisha was doing well in business but he needed a mentor to show him what he was actually supposed to do in life. Joshua had to be mentored by Moses in order to be able to continue the journey from where Moses left. The disciples had to learn from Jesus Christ in order to continue the work of the ministry. A true son or mentee is always able to do the works that his mentor does.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

  John 14:12

Elisha believed in his mentor and he performed twice the number of miracles that Elijah performed in his entire ministry. Getting a mentor makes you focused. It offers you the opportunity to get direction and counsel in life. You need a mentor in your business, marriage, academics, profession etc. You always have an advantage whenever you have a mentor, because he guides you to avoid the mistakes he committed in life, ministry, marriage, career, business etc. 

Mentors can help you carry your vision. It does not matter whether you are of a higher social class than your mentor. It takes humility to recognise that someone you are older than, or of a higher social class, have what you don’t have. Joseph was a prisoner, a nobody, but Pharaoh saw that he was the person he needed in his life and kingdom. 

“ And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.”

Genesis 41:38-40

YOUR MAKER

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. “

Joshua 24:15

You can never attain those heights next year without God. The marriage can never come off, the business will not flourish and that plan will be fruitless if you exempt God from the equation. It is very true that success comes as a result of the application of principles. However, good success, void of any heart pressure, disappointment and evil attachments comes when you are connected to God.

 “ This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Joshua 1:8

 When you truly walk with God, you will see that He will always make a way for you. The turbulence of life will come, but it only takes those that walk with God to stand in the midst of that turbulence. Never be deceived. Never think that you don’t need God. Don’t think you don’t need anybody. You need your maker if you want to make it. Build your spiritual life and be serious with it as you are serious with your business. A false balance is always an abomination to God. Learn how to balance your business, marriage, academics, profession etc with your spiritual life.

“ And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."

  Daniel 11:32

It is always good to make resolutions for the new year. However, if you don’t know the types of association you need, you will plan to fail. Let us dream big, aim high and plan adequately for the new year. Let us be connected to the right people, join the right associations and obtain good success. Some relationships never saw marriage due to wrong associations, some contracts did not go through as a result of the wrong association. KNOW WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH AND ADVISE YOURSELF.

HAPPY NEW YEAR IN ADVANCE