Lesson Outline for Feb 26, 2026
If you would like to receive ministry updates text ADVANCE to 888-495-0877
Website – https://advancefreedomministry.com
Goal – We become who we hang around
- We become who we hang around
- Ungodly counsel will distract, delay, disrupt, and/or destroying God’s purposes for us
- Have you, do you, are you – in company with ungodly people?
- Why do we reject wise and godly counsel?
- Who do you receive advice from, and why?
Hebrew and Greek Terms / Definitions
- Company #G3657 “homolia” an association of people, those in the same company, communication, evil / bad communication
- Counsel #H6098 “esa” – advice, advisement, counsel, to give purpose
The green is the author’s notations in the verses below. Bold text added for emphasis
Where and with whom do we spend our time
We become who we hang around
1 Cor 15:1-2, 33-34 ESV – “1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. … 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.”
Psa 1:1-3 ESV – “1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”
- How do you feel about separate yourself from “old self” and “old company”
- “Hold Fast” – Dutch sailor term – to hold firmly, often tattooed on fingers
- “Stand Fast” under pressure “hold the ground” / no retreat, persevere against the enemy
- Paul is telling the Corinth believers – don’t be deceived by twisting religions Jew and pagan – 1 Cor 15:12-22
- Are you in the right (righteous) company?
Don’t manage chronic toxicity
Don’t manage what you need to sever
2 Tim 3:2-5 ESV – “2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
- Who and what are you hanging around / partnering with
- Are you fellowship, communion and accord with ungodly relationships
Receive wise counsel
Your choice can reject God’s will for you and others under you
2 Sam 24:3-4 ESV – “3 But Joab said to the king, “May the LORD your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” 4 But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel.”
- Rejecting wise and righteous counsel brings us and our family strife
- Why do we do reject wise counsel?
Are you choosing what is right in your eyes?
Don’t provide for your flesh – your desires
Jdg 14:1-3 ESV – “1 Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”
Rom 13:14 ESV – “14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
Matt 16:22-23 ESV – “22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.“
- Is what is right in your eyes, aligned with what is right in God’s eyes?
- God’s “right” is always best for you and those you lead
- How do we “see” what’s right in God’s eyes – don’t reject or minimize the call on your life
- Are you storing up, providing for, preparing for – your fleshly desires
- Can hear when the enemy is trying to take you off God’s purposes for your life
Last thoughts and considerations
- Who is your wise counsel – ensure you have godly counsel in your life
- Is your mind – your eyes and ears – clouded by the “god of this world – ungodly thinking patterns
- Don’t stay tethered to ungodly counsel – cut it away
- Are you storing up provisions for your flesh by getting ungodly counsel
Additional verses for self-study
Gen 3:1 ESV – “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
- Do you know the truth
- Are you watching over your “territory” and protecting it
Rom 1:21-25 ESV – “21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
- Just because you believe it, doesn’t mean it’s true
- Check and see if you are following worldly wisdom
Gal 6:7 ESV – “7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
- Sow righteous seeds to reap righteousness
Jas 3:13-17 ESV – “13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”
Psa 119:169 ESV – “Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word!”
Prov 3:5-7, 21-22 ESV – “5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. … 21 My son, do not lose sight of these– keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.”
Prov 14:11-12 ESV – “11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
1 Kings 12:1-20 is a great case study on choosing ungodly / unwise counsel
1 Ki 12:1-20 ESV – “1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away. 6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'” 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. 20 And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only.”
