Fresh Fire Devotional

“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked’ Luke 6:35

Just be nice, as simple as that! This is the fifth step to growing relational roots. In 1Sam.30:10-20, David saw an Egyptian man that was sick and had been left to die for three days. At that time David had lost his wives, children, everything he had. So he should really have no time for such an Egyptian man Read the rest of this entry →

‘Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David told him what his father was planning…’ 1Sam. 19:1-2b

Your first step in growing relational roots is to qualify your relationships. It is based on the Spirit guided groupings that you know how to go about growing roots in various relationships. T.D. Jakes in his message highlighted three categories of relationships, which are very powerful. And I have added a fourth one based on the African consciousness of spiritual warfare. Every one in your life falls into one of these four categories, you need to discern them and relate properly.

Confidants are people that are for you. Your confidants are loyal to you as a person. With your confidant you do not need to explain your reason for specific actions. Whereas with people who are not your confidants, you need justify every step you take. Your confidants may not really understand your vision, they may not understand what you are doing, and they may actually think you are crazy but they are still for you. We all need people like this in our lives. Your confidant is the closest relationship you will ever have. It is the relationship you should treasure the most. Erroneously a lot of us think our confidants are those we tell our secrets to. The truth is that some of us have told our secrets to our enemies without knowing. Your secrets should be with your confidant. Your confidants are for you no matter what.

Constituents are not necessary for you but they are for what you are for. The reason they are with you is because of where you are going. The day you change direction, their direction will also change. Unfortunately many of us have grown to love our constituents and we erroneously think they are confidants. This is why we get bruised and wounded when they choose to part ways with us. Your constituents are not really for you; they are for what you are for. And as long as it can benefit them, they will stay with you. The moment it stops being of benefit to them, they will check out.

Prayer: Precious Spirit of God I ask for the grace to discern accurately the people around me. Guide me as I grow relational roots in this season, in Jesus Name.

‘All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer’ Acts 2:42

Community is so powerful and it is important for us to grow roots in the following areas:

• We need to grow roots in our communal relationships. In other words, grow relational roots with anyone that is in your community both physical and virtual.
• We need to grow roots in our friendships.
• We need to grow roots in our family relationships.
• We need to grow roots in our covenant relationships. There are some relationships that are covenant relationships that God brought you into. You need to grow roots with the people you have a covenant relationship with.
• We need to grow roots in our relationship with God.

We need to deliberately grow roots in these five areas. Everything that you see today was done deliberately. Nothing happens by chance. So your life too has to be deliberate. You have to be deliberate about your relationships, about the people that you listen to, and about the people you allow your roots to grow in. You cannot just let your roots grow in any relationship, for the relationships you allow your roots grow in, you have to be very deliberate. The first thing you need to do to grow relational roots is to qualify your relationships. Which is why you need the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that knows the heart of man. So ask the Holy Spirit who people are and He will tell you directly or indirectly.

I was listening to a message a while ago by T.D. Jakes and he mentioned three categories of relationships which are very powerful. Over the next few days we will be learning how to qualify our relationships with help from the Holy Spirit. However starting today, begin to praise, worship, pray, develop friendships, and grow roots deliberately.

Prayer:  Father, I ask that by Your Spirit, You teach me what I need to be deliberate about and how I need to go about being deliberate in my life daily, in Jesus Name.

‘Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help…’ Ecc.4:9-10a

‘A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer’ Ecc. 4:12a. The friends you bounce things off determine the things that are watered in you. It is what is watered in our lives that will grow. Similarly, it is the friends you bounce things off that will Read the rest of this entry →