2 Cor. 6:14-18A
Toxic Relationships
H Lee Clay
The term "toxic" is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as meaning, "Of, relating to, or caused by a toxin or other poison". The American Heritage Dictionary goes on to define the word
"relationship" as, "The condition or fact of being related; connection or association."So, if we were to connect the term "Toxic Relationship" and examine it’s meaning in a definitive kind of way as a joint term, the meaning might read like this."The condition of being poisoned by a particular connection or association."
If there is anything that can hurt or harm us physically, psychologically or emotionally it is toxins that can get inside of you or on you and destroy your health and ultimately your life. Why, because "toxins" or poison. And in like manner, toxic relationships can harm your life by destabilizing your peace of mind, undermining your vision and killing your joy because toxic relationships poison your life!
I’ve done a little studying on toxins and I’ve learned a few things.
And they are:
1. Toxins are Abrasive: Anything that is abrasive
gradually "wears something away". (Elaborate)
2. Toxins are "Corrosive". Anything corrosive
gradually "eats or melts something away" (acid)
If a relationship is healthy and everything but
toxic it should result in the fruit of:
1. Progress (Every round ought to go higher and
higher)
2. Productivity (Fruitful)
3. Prosperity (Growth)
If a relationship is unhealthy and toxic it will
generally reveal itself as such by the fruit of:
1. Stagnation (No progress or growth)
2. Degradation (to be reduced; going down)
3. Deflation (To come into a lower level of
value “self-esteem or self value“)
In the text, the Word of God instructs those who are connected to God and His Light to come out from among from among them and their darkness.He tells me to come out of relationships that are harmful to my relationship with Him and that are harmful to myself.
My enemies are not only “external” but they are also “internal”. There is always a constant that is occupying my life and that is the battle that rages inside of me. Paul declares in Romans 7, “I don’t understand myself at all, in my flesh, etc”.
A great source of much of the grief that comes to my life comes as a result of many of the dumb choices that I make. I have to come to a point as to where I am willing to admit that much of the toxic poison that gets into the system of my own existence comes out of my own spirit.
There is some stuff that is going on in my life that God is not pleased with. It’s because of my connection to people that I have no business being connected to. And at the same time there is grief that has visited my life that grieves God of which the source is not people on the outside of me, but demons that have attached themselves to my spirit.
Not only do I need to respond through faith and obedience to God’s Word to, “come out from amongst them” but I also need some stuff in my spirit “to come up out of me”! Because a lot of the hell that I’m catching in my life comes to me as a result of the things that are going on inside of my spirit.
In the text we find a Word from the Lord that show us three things that can bring deliverance and prosperity into the lives of those who would walk in faith and obedience .
1. Separate yourself. 2 Cor. 6:14-15 “Be ye not
unequally yoked ( Greek :“heterozugeo”, to have
fellowship with one who is not an equal) together
with unbelievers (those who reject truth) : for
what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light
with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with
Belial?.”
Dr. Eugene Peterson declares through the “Message Bible” this text from the Greek using today’s English, “ Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership, that’s war. Is light best friends with darkness? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil. Do trust and mistrust hold hands?”
2. See yourself the way that God sees you:
v.16, “And what agreement hath the temple of God
with idols? for ye are the temple of the living
God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people.”
God is saying here in the Message Bible “leave the corruption and the compromise, leave it for good. Don’t link up with those who will pollute you, I want you all for myself.”
3. Sanctify yourself. 2 Cor. 6:17-18. “Wherefore come
out from among them, and be ye separate
(Greek,“aphorizo; to mark off from others by
boundaries, to limit, to exclude as disreputable)
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing
(Greek, “akathartos “ unclean in thought and life;
and I will receive you, (Greek, “to receive
kindly, to treat with favour
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be
my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
(Joshua 3:5) “And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
4. Save yourself. 2 Cor. 17B and 18 quotes God as
promising, " and I will receive you, (Greek, “to
receive kindly, to treat with favour”).
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my
sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
The Lord says that there is a way out of your life
being or remaining toxic.The Lord says that there is a way out of your soul being or remaining sick or poisoned by the scourges of depression, despair and defeat.The Word of God says that there is a way out. Your life does not have to remain stuck in the state of negativity, stagnation, degradation, depression, decline and decay.Once you make up your mind that you want out of the toxicity of relationship with that which has poisoned your life; hijacked your peace and detoured you in destiny;Once you make up your mind that you want real love, real peace, real joy, real happiness and real prosperity.
That’s when you’ll recognize that you’ve got to “COME OUT TO COME IN”.
Come out of my sadness to come into His joy.
Come out of my darkness to come into His light.
Come out of my distress to come into His peace.
Come out of my hell to come into His heaven.
He’s got something better for you. But you’ve got to COME OUT!Diana Ross prophesied in a song some time ago, “I’M COMING OUT”
Is there anybody here …. That will help me lift Him up?
Is there anybody here… that will help me praise Him in the dance?
Is there anybody here … that will help me praise Him with the instruments?
Is there anybody here… that will help me praise Him with my hands?
Is there anybody here… that will help me praise Him with my offering?
Is there anybody here…that will help me praise Him with my lips? HE’S WORTHY OF ALL OF THE PRAISE!
LIVING HE LOVED ME. DYING HE SAVED ME. BURIED, HE CARRIED ALL OF MY SINS FAR AWAY. BUT RISING, HE JUSTIFIED AND FREED ME FOREVER, ONE DAY HE’S COMING BACK. OH, WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY.
That’s why God is calling us to Himself by declaring
through a commandment given to and through the Apostle to "come out from amongst them". It’s toxic in there.
TOXINS IN THE WORLD! TOXINS IN THE FAMILY! TOXINS IN THE SOUL!
I’M COMING OUT!
