Topic: The company you keep
Text: 1 Cor. 5:11, Proverbs 13:20
Preacher: Pastor Davies Otonye

Man is a social being, God created us not to live in Isolation but to associate. We are best as humans when we mix and associate with people. However, even as we have the privilege to mix with people, the company that we keep and those that we mix ourselves with has a weighty implication for our person, personality, for our lives, now and in the future.

Who and what we spend time with, defines our person: What we keep company with, defines what we are exposed to; what we are exposed to determines what influences us. what you listen to determines the input in your life and the output that will come out of your life.

What you keep company with, transform and defines you. For example, the music you listen to becomes your unconscious song. The movies that you watch determines your responses to social situations. You become the books that you read. It is the books that you read, that defines the content that you have.

If you keep company with the word of God, it will transform you. The more you keep company with the word of God, the more you become like Christ. Prov. 22:24-25 “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go. Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul”, 1 Cor. 5:11 “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat”. The bible has said this because association brings about influence. If you are keeping company with a fornicator, you are on your way to committing fornication. Indeed, the company you keep is very important.

Who you keep company with, inputs contents in your life and defines your life.

Wisdom we need to apply in determining the company we keep
Eccl. 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” If this be your whole duty as a man, your purpose in life will be to keep company with those that will enable you to fulfil this mission that God as place in your hand.

Biblical Example of what happened to people because of the company they kept
i Amnon – 2 Sam. 13:1-12
ii. Rehoboam, 1 kings12:1-14

The crux of the matter is this; is the company you’re currently keeping bring glory to God? Proverbs 13:20

Lessons to learn when choosing company

1. Surround yourself with those on the same mission as you are
2. Keep company with those who will continue to inspire you to your betterment. Proverbs 13:20
3. Only those you keep company with, has the ability to influence you because they have access to your ear.
4. Surround yourself with those that share the same values with you. Values drive decisions and choices. As a Christian, if your bosom friend is an unbeliever, you are at risk of losing your salvation.
5. Your bosom friend should not be people that don’t have the same value with you. Amos 3:3
6. Over time, you will look like the people you keep company with
7. Your enlightenment depends on the company you keep. The company you keep, determines your perspective as a person
8. You can tell where you are going to, by the company you keep

Conclusion
you will be judged by the company you keep, keep company only with people who uplifts you. Your tomorrow is a function of the company you keep today. I acknowledge that it is good to keep company as a human being, but it is better be alone with Jesus than to be in a bad company.

Prayer Points:
Father Lord, pull me out from every ungodly company I’m keeping
Father Lord, release me from every relationship that will not profit my journey to heaven