Stop Holding on to These People (God Removed Them)

Pastor Vladimir Savchuk of HungryGen Church in Washington state identifies eight categories of people seen in the Bible who will hold you back in your walk with God.

“Stop holding on to these people,” Savchuk says. “God is trying to remove them, and you’ve got to let them go.”

Find out which eight types of people he’s talking about in this 18-minute video.

Editor’s Note: The transcript that follows was automatically generated and lightly edited, so please be aware there could be typos or other small errors. The Stream is working toward a transcription service that does fast, accurate, and reliable work; thank you in advance for your patience!

00:00:00:02 – 00:00:24:11
Stop holding on to these people. God is trying to remove them and you got to let them go. Eight types of people that if you hold on to them, they will sabotage your destiny. Sometimes pruning is God’s way of preparing us for more fruit. As it happens with the vineyard, there are branches. They call them suckers. If you don’t prune them.

00:00:24:18 – 00:00:55:21
What’s going to happen is that they will take the sap and actually steal that sap from the branches that will bear fruit, and they will produce nothing but just a bunch of suckers and there are people in our lives, and I mean it respectfully. They are suckers. If you keep them very close in your life, and you keep on hoping for them to bring a blessing into your life, you will find yourself delayed, sometimes distracted, as well as sabotaged in your calling, and then your purpose.

00:00:55:26 – 00:01:17:02
Here are those eight people you need to stop holding on. You got to let them go. The first one is the betrayer. And that’s the Judas type. These are the people who betray your trust and loyalty for their gain. They often pretend to be close, but they actually work against you. Judas. He betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

00:01:17:05 – 00:01:48:06
Jesus released Judas, knowing his betrayal would fulfill God’s plan. In fact, in Psalms 41, verse nine, it says, even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me. The second person or the second type of people you need to release are the toxic companion. These are the Jonah type. These are the people who bring storms into your life because they’re running from God’s will in their life.

00:01:48:07 – 00:02:14:10
The sailors with Jonah faced a crazy storm. They actually had to let Jonah go by throwing him overboard. Sometimes peace will come into your life if you let go of people who bring chaos. First Corinthians 1533 it says, do not be misled, but company corrupts good character. The third type of people you got to let go of are the distractor.

00:02:14:13 – 00:02:45:18
This is the Delilah type. It’s the people who entice and distract you from your purpose. Often using manipulation and seduction. Delilah caused Samson to lose his strength in connection with God, holding on to such people will lead you into a spiritual calamity. In Proverbs 1330 it says, A companion of fools suffers harm. If you don’t let go of these people, they will take you down instead of up.

00:02:45:21 – 00:03:11:24
The fourth type of people you need to let go of are the doubters. These are the ten spice type. These are the people who discourage you from stepping into God’s promises because they focus on fear and obstacles. The ten spies. They discouraged Israel from entering the Promised Land. In fact, they caused Israel to wander in the wilderness and they brought bad report that caused them to disobey God.

00:03:11:26 – 00:03:38:17
And they were very bad people to have on your close circle. Their negativity caused an entire generation to miss out on God’s blessing. You know, in numbers 1424 it says, but my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly. These negative people who see a problem in every solution. The cup is always have empty. They carry the spirit of fear.

00:03:38:18 – 00:04:01:22
They carry this thing where they will sabotage your destiny because they kill your faith. They discourage you all the time. The fifth category of people that you need to let go of are the users. These are the prodigal friends type people who are only around for when they can gain something from you, but they leave you when times get tough.

00:04:01:24 – 00:04:27:04
It’s interesting when a prodigal son so called friends, they all disappeared as soon as he ran out of money. Some people don’t invest into your future and into your growth. They’re only there because you’re famous. They’re only there because they’re getting something out of you. The moment you hit a grind. The moment you come under attack, they wash their hands and they quickly disappear.

00:04:27:05 – 00:04:56:05
They do not want to be associated with you. They’re only with you when you’re on the top. And when you’re going down, they jump off. These are the people. They’re not for you. They’re just for themselves. And the Bible says in Proverbs 19 four is the wealth attracts many friends. But even the closest friend of the poor, a person deserts them, meaning these friends you get who are with you because you’re famous and you’re wealthy or you’re doing well.

00:04:56:07 – 00:05:16:28
They’re not real friends. They will leave you. And when they are not there with you, when you’re going through a difficult season, you got to be weary and you got to be concerned. This doesn’t mean you go cut them off right now, but just don’t put your trust in those kind of friends because they will disappoint you. The sixth one is the oppressor.

00:05:17:00 – 00:05:39:09
It’s the Pharaoh type. These are the people who refuse to let you grow. They keep you bound in unhealthy cycles and relationships, for they bent for their benefit. A lot of times they’re abusers. There are people who oppress you and cause you harm. They threaten you and they don’t let you get out. In fact, Pharaoh refused to release Israelites.

00:05:39:15 – 00:06:05:28
He kept them in slavery until God intervened. Sometimes God removes the oppressors to set you free. Some people are in these toxic, really, really bad, abusive relationships. And because they’re dependent under abusers for money or other things. It makes it almost impossible to get out and they need God’s intervention. Galatians five one it says, for it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

00:06:06:03 – 00:06:35:15
Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery. The seventh type of people, and these are very painful people to deal with, is the envious. It’s the soul type. It’s the people who don’t celebrate your success. Instead, they try to sabotage or compete with you out of jealousy. King Saul, he envied David and repeatedly tried to kill him because of David’s success in God’s favor.

00:06:35:15 – 00:07:10:14
On David’s life. James 316 it says, for where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice. If you have those people close to you, you don’t need them. Let them go. And the last category of people that you have to release don’t hold on to them. And that’s the limiters. Limiter is lot type people who may not be necessarily bad, but their presence holds you back from stepping into the fullness of God’s plan in your life.

00:07:10:14 – 00:07:51:03
And they do cause unnecessary strife and will limit your growth. In fact, Abraham and Lott separated after their herdsmen quarreled once Lott left. God revealed the full extent of his promise to Abraham. Sometimes releasing these people, even good ones, is necessary for clarity and progress. Some people say that word lott means veil, and it’s interesting that the Lord said to Abraham after Lott parted from him, look around from where you are, all the land you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.

00:07:51:03 – 00:08:20:11
Genesis 1314 and 15. Interesting. It was after Lott left that God says, lift up your eyes. Look around. It’s almost like he was the veil in his life. He wasn’t a bad guy. He just was a blind guy. Meaning he was blinding certain things in Abraham’s life. Now, some of you listening to this category of people, you’re like, man, I’m going to have no people in my life because all of them are limiters and oppressors and bag biters and doubters and seducers and etc..

00:08:20:14 – 00:08:41:01
And so I’m going to give you some practical advice right now, but one thing that I want to highlight is sometimes you have to walk away from this people. The sailors had to throw Jonah overboard. As we see that with Judas, Jesus had to let him go. And Judas left. As we see with Delilah, Samson didn’t let her go.

00:08:41:02 – 00:09:02:21
She took him down with Israelites. You know, they believe the report of ten spies. It cost him a lot. Prodigal son, you know, he experienced people leaving him. Well, he was not in a good place himself with Pharaoh. Pharaoh didn’t want to let Israel go. God had to intervene with David. He had to leave Saul. Saul didn’t necessarily drive him out.

00:09:02:22 – 00:09:25:07
David, for his own safety, had to distance himself from Saul. And with Abraham he chose to part way. So there are going to be times you’re going to have to part ways, and if you stay too long, there will be a casualty to you spiritually and maybe even in the area of your calling. And there are some cases where God will remove those people.

00:09:25:07 – 00:09:46:15
You’re going to have to let them go, and there are going to be moments where you are going to have to believe for intervention, for God to make things happen, because the situation that you’re in is just so complex and weird that you yourself almost cannot untangle yourself from that situation. And God will bring resolution. And in his time, freedom.

00:09:46:18 – 00:10:14:10
Now when God removes some of these people, it’s to protect you. As it happened with David. When God removes some of these people, it’s to propel you into your purpose, as it happened with Joseph. When God removes some of these people, it’s because some of them do not align with your future and journey like it happened. Even with Paul and Barnabas, they had a very sharp disagreement and God used that.

00:10:14:10 – 00:10:40:12
I don’t think God created that, but a God use that to have two missionary teams instead of one. So sometimes there are no alignment that is happening with a brother or sister, and we have to find a way to part ways, like pulled it with Barnabas, like Abraham did with Lord and others. And sometimes God is removing certain person out of your life because he’s planning to bring someone else.

00:10:40:14 – 00:11:05:16
Isaiah 43 1819 he says, forget the former things. Do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing, and now it will spring up. Do you not perceive it? I’m making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Jeremiah 2911 says, for I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future for things.

00:11:05:16 – 00:11:33:24
I want to leave with you on what to do when these people leave, or when you walk away from those relationships that you used to have. Number one, let them go. Don’t hold them back. If somebody is leaving your life, let them. Don’t chase them. Don’t be desperate. Don’t give them promises. And don’t try to hold on to someone who does not want to stay.

00:11:33:26 – 00:11:56:13
Secondly, grieve, but don’t hold a grudge. It’s hard when no matter how toxic somebody was, how bad they were. The history that you share, the the good times that you share, they, they bring some pain when they leave. Even if the person is moving on to what God has for them, like Jethro had to let Moses go.

00:11:56:15 – 00:12:17:04
There was no conflict there. But Moses had something else going on for him that the Lord was taking him. And Jethro had to let him go. You know, Laban had to let Jacob go because God was calling Jacob to something else. So sometimes it’s not always that they’re negative. Into your life, but you’re holding them back from what God has for them.

00:12:17:04 – 00:12:40:20
And and it’s going to be a grieving process. It’s okay to grieve. But when we grieve, we must not develop an offense. We must never develop anger, bitterness toward that person and just keep our heart free from grudge. Because if you keep rejection, if you keep bitterness and offense and unforgiveness in your heart towards them, why they left you, why they did what they did.

00:12:40:22 – 00:13:02:02
You know, the next thing that God’s going to bring into your life, you might contaminate that because you’re so obsessed and you’re so living in your past that you are not going to be able to embrace the future. It’s like until you let go of the ax. You’re not going to be able to step into your next. If you want to step into the next, you got to let go of your ax.

00:13:02:04 – 00:13:21:09
You know the Bible says, husband should cleave to his wife, but first he needs to leave. You know, we have to leave before we leave. And sometimes we gotta let go of the past so that we can embrace something new that God is bringing into our life. And then it’s painful. It’s not easy. You got to get pruned, and it feels like, man, I lost so much.

00:13:21:09 – 00:13:47:00
But in fact, you got positioned for more fruitfulness. Number three, stay hopeful because your future is not connected to those who left you, to those who betrayed you, to those who tried to sabotage you. Your future is connected to God. Your future is connected to your relationship with him. Sometimes when people leave, they make a very hurtful statements like, you will never make it without me.

00:13:47:03 – 00:14:12:11
You will see, you know how big deal I was in your life and and people overestimate their importance. I think we have to stay hopeful that God got us. We’re in the palm of his hand. Everything’s going to be alright. When Saul, you know, went rogue and started to disobey God, and Samuel wept for him. It was painful for Samuel.

00:14:12:14 – 00:14:30:03
And the Lord came to Samuel and said, how long are you going to weep? He said, you gotta let go. And then he says, fill your horn with oil and go and anoint the next king. He’s not going to be like Saul. The next person that I’m going to raise up will be. This will be the one that Jesus will be called the son of David.

00:14:30:03 – 00:14:51:04
He will be the King of Israel. He’s going to be the guy. And that’s how you have to see your future. When people leave, when people depart. When you have to let him go sometimes because it’s obvious you can stay with them. The enemy will plant seeds of failure. You’re not going to make it look, you know, you just lost them.

00:14:51:04 – 00:15:16:10
But some of those people were like scaffolding. They were there for a season and for a reason. And when the wall was built, the scaffolding comes down. Sometimes when, like Gideon, when people leave and your army is smaller, it’s not a time to retreat into self-pity, negativity, and defeat. It’s actually a time to advance. Trusting God that you got pruned, purified.

00:15:16:12 – 00:15:38:14
Cleansed. Step into your future. Don’t be afraid. You know, I’ve had this as a pastor where people would leave sometimes and and they would think that when they left, they to God’s blessing with them. And I’ve seen it so many times. They even said, you know, the church will make it without me. And they were so wrong. You know, the church kept growing that God kept doing this.

00:15:38:14 – 00:16:02:13
And the Lord taught me to be humble when they leave, not to think I’m a big deal or they’re big deal, but to trust in him through the pruning seasons and a lot of times they would come back. Which brings me to the last point. Keep the lights on. You know, sometimes they use that phrase, you know, keep the back porch light on, you know, or don’t burn the bridge sometimes, like Abraham with lot.

00:16:02:13 – 00:16:28:16
He lit a lot. Go. But Lord needed help down the road. And Abraham helped them. Some people, like Jethro, he let Moses go, but he didn’t burn the bridge because Jethro then became a blessing to Moses. So just because in one season of life, some of these people were not fruitful, they were not a blessing. In fact, they were a burden.

00:16:28:18 – 00:16:47:05
Don’t burn the bridge. If they want to, they can burn the bridge. But I’m not burning on my side. I am not destroying. I’m not taking the light off. I’m going to keep the light on. So in case maybe they get into something like Prodigal son. You know, he left his father, took the possessions, and eventually he came back.

00:16:47:12 – 00:17:09:16
The father kept the light on. He didn’t burn the bridge because there will be seasons. God will use you actually, to help some of those people. You know, Joseph got mistreated by his brothers. They rejected him. But Joseph kept the light on because the time came. They needed Joseph, and Joseph saved him. And so be that person. Be bigger.

00:17:09:18 – 00:17:27:29
Don’t dwell on the former things. Even if those people hurt you, there will be a time. Some of them will come back and repent, and actually, you will be able to help them. You might not, you know, lean on them 100% because you’ve learned your lesson to trust in God. But you can be a blessing to them because you’re a bigger person because of what you went through.

00:17:27:29 – 00:17:52:16
So I hope that you will learn through this to stop holding on to these people. God has removed them. Let them go. Hold on to God. His grace is in your life and then value people. He is granted you to have for a lifetime. Those friends, sometimes they’re very few. Hold on to the value them. Appreciate them and keep walking with them for the glory of God.

00:17:52:18 – 00:18:04:02
Thank you so much for watching this video. Hope this was blessing and encouraging. Let me know in the comments below what you learned today. Don’t comment no names. We don’t want them to see it right? But share your thoughts right below this video. God bless.