The concept of mentoring is replete in scripture, I refer to these mentoring relationships as power relationships. A Power relationship means you need someone to help you go from one season in your life to the next.
The reason many people never transition, is because they don't do what they need to do in the first season in order to advance to the next. They repeat the same mistakes over and over.
All good things flow through relationships
Relationships will bring you things you could “never” buy or earn. Power relationships open up things to you that can only be described as “favor”. If you know a person and they see your name on a stack of applications, your going to get some consideration….
“Dormant potential can be unlocked if you can get around the right person, someone else in your life can unlock things in you that you didn’t even know you had…”
A power relationship is Gods blessing for a transitional season.
In every transitional relationship, God gives us a person who will transition us, but if you miss that relationship you won’t transition.
Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27
In many instances these transitional relationships either prepare you for adversity or transition you through it and into your service after.
- Joseph: was sold into slavery at age 17 - Adversity (Genesis 37)
He becomes Overseer over Potiphar’s house (transition relationship) (Gen. 39) Accused of rape, thrown into prison (Adversity) (Gen. 39:21-22) he interprets Dreams for the Kings Baker and Butler (transition) (Gen. 40) Interprets dream for Pharaoh (Gen. 41)
Pharaoh sets Joseph ruler over all Egypt IMMEDIATELY (Power relationship) (Gen. 41)
- David: Jesse’s youngest son, (1 Sam 16) Samuel annoits David to be King (transition relationship) David Kills Lion and Bear (Adversity) (1 Sam 17:34-37) David Kills Goliath (transition) (1 Sam 17)
Saul tries to kill David (transition) (1 Sam 18,19) David becomes King of Judah (2 Sam 2:4) David and Gad (Power Relationship) (1 Chronicles 21:9, 2 Sam 24:11)
- Daniel: Captured by Nebuchadnezzar (Adversity) (Dan 1:1-7) Daniel interprets dream for Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 1:17, 2:1-5, 19-23) (Power Relationship) Daniel made ruler over Babylon (Dan 2:48, 6:1-3) Daniel was conspired against by jealous men (transition) thrown into lions den (Adversity) (Dan 6:16-23)
Daniel prospers during reign of Darius and Cyrus (Power relationship) Dan 6:28)
- Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-nego, prisoner of the King of Babylon (Adversity) (Dan 1:6) God gives them 10x wisdom and knowledge (Power Relationship) (Dan 1:20) Threatened over dream-(Adversity) Dan 2:1-5, Appointed Governors of Babylon (transition) (Dan 2:48-49), thrown into furnace (Adversity/transition) Dan 3:1-30
Faith changed a nation and the Kings heart (Power relationship) (Dan 3:30)
- Abraham had Melchizedek,
- Saul had Samuel
- Joshua had Moses
- Jesus had John the Baptist…
Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.”
400 years after Malachi’s prophesy, John the Baptist, took Jesus out of obscurity and transitioned Jesus ministry, John decreased so Jesus could increase. (John 3:27-36) (Matthew 3)
John 1:29-31
29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”
Paul who as a persecutor outside the church, needed Barnabas who was in the church to bridge the transition of his acceptance, and the most apropos example is Elijah and Elisha.
You must be willing to accept a Power Relationship to get anything out of it.
What we should get out of these relationships is perspective, there are people who are dysfunctional and can’t manage relationships and then there are those who speak to your future and not your past, you need to be around people who speak life to your life, who call to the highest you, speaking to your faith and not your fears….
A wrong relationship can delay your destiny
When the wrong people speak into your life, it is spiritual as well as carnal.
Its easy to not listen to people you don’t like, but the people you do like are the problem. The Holy Spirit tells you these people are off but you say I like this person and stay with it.
“You can’t be so concerned about good people leaving you that your not thinking about the bad people who are staying with you”
The enemy will send people into your life, who may be cool, or a lot of fun to be around, and they are not necessarily bad people, but them mixed with you is not a good thing.
Elisha and David never knew what was in them until Elisha encountered Elijah and David encountered Samuel, it took someone else to bring out their gifts.