Link: 7 Types of People You Must Avoid
From BibleFix on YouTube
Released August 28, 2025
Not everyone close to you is from God. That’s a hard truth, but it’s one we cannot afford to ignore. Some people are blessings, others are assignments, and some are simply distractions meant to pull you away from your calling. That’s why today’s message is so important. I want to share with you seven types of people that God Himself warns us to avoid. And I encourage you to [read] until the very end, because number seven is the most dangerous of them all. It could be silently blocking your calling without you even realizing it. So let’s dive in.
1. The first type is the manipulator. These are people who appear loving on the outside but have hidden motives. They use flattery, guilt, or pressure to make you do what benefits them. Manipulators thrive when you ignore your boundaries. Samson’s downfall in Judges 16 is the perfect example. Delilah constantly pressed him to reveal the secret of his strength. At first, Samson resisted, but her persistence wore him down. The result: Samson lost his calling, his freedom, and his eyesight. A manipulator is not always obvious. Sometimes they disguise themselves as “friends who just want the best for you.” But in truth, their interest in you is tied to what they can gain. The Bible warns us in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwards are ravenous wolves.” Ask yourself: does this person respect my boundaries, or do they always push past them for their own gain? If the answer is the latter, you are dealing with a manipulator.
2. The second type is the jealous spirit. Jealousy is one of the oldest poisons in Scripture. Cain killed Abel out of jealousy. Saul tried to kill David out of jealousy. Jealousy is not just dislike; it’s silent resentment of your blessing. What makes jealousy dangerous is that it often hides under a smile. A jealous person may clap when you succeed, but deep inside they wish it was them. They are happy when you fail, and miserable when you thrive. Proverbs 27:4 says, “Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” Unlike anger [which] comes and goes, jealousy lingers. It grows. And if you’re not careful, jealous people will try to sabotage you, discourage you, or compete with you in destructive ways. A true friend celebrates your victories as if they were their own. If someone cannot rejoice when God blesses you, they are not meant to walk with you in your calling.
3. The third type is the time-waster. Time-wasters are not always evil, but they are dangerous because they pull you into fruitless cycles. They constantly distract you, fill your schedule with meaningless things, or demand your attention for issues that don’t matter. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:15-16, “Be careful how you live, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Every moment God gives us is precious. That means whoever we give our time to should help us grow closer to God, fulfill our purpose, or at the very least, refresh our soul. If a person constantly drains you with drama, endless phone calls, pointless arguments, or empty activities, they are wasting your time. And time is one of the few things you can never get back. Remember: the enemy doesn’t always destroy with big attacks. Sometimes he simply sends people who waste your years until you wake up and realize how much time has been stolen.
4. The fourth type is the [gossiper*]. A [gossiper] is someone who speaks when they should be silent. They may seem entertaining or even friendly, but their words carry destruction. Proverbs 16:28 says, “a [gossiper] separates close friends.” [Gossipers] thrive on information. They live to spread it, whether true or false. The problem is, the same mouth that speaks others to you will eventually speak against you to others. That is their nature. The Bible takes gossip seriously. Romans 1:29 lists gossip alongside sins like murder and idolatry. Why? Because gossip kills – [it kills] not the body, but reputations, trust, and relationships. Ask yourself: when I leave this person’s presence, do I feel uplifted or poisoned? Do they encourage me to pray for others? Or do they encourage me to judge others? If someone is constantly bringing other people’s business to your ears, they are slowly planting seeds of division in your heart. Don’t let a [gossiper] be your closest companion.
5. The fifth type is the user. Users are people who only stay as long as the benefits last. They don’t value you for who you are, but for what they can get from you. Jesus Himself encountered users. In John 6, after He fed the five thousand, the crowds followed Him eagerly. But when he started teaching about sacrifice and commitment, many turned back. Why? Because they were there for bread, not for truth. A user may call you a “friend,” but they disappear when you need them. They expect you to help them, but they are never available when the situation is reversed. This is not love; it’s exploitation. Proverbs 25:19 says, “Like a broken tooth or a lame foot, is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.” A user is unreliable. And if you rely on them, you will be disappointed every time. Choose instead to surround yourself with people who can give as well as receive, encourage as well as lean, and love you for who you are [and] not what you have.
6. The sixth type is the negative thinker. Negativity is contagious. It spreads faster than faith, if you let it. Negative thinkers will always see the problem but never the solution. They magnify obstacles and minimize opportunities. The clearest example is found in Numbers 13. When the twelve spies returned from exploring Canaan, ten said, “We can’t do it. The giants are too strong.” Only Joshua and Caleb said, “with God, we can.” The people chose to believe the ten, and their unbelief cost them forty years in the wilderness. A negative thinker will kill your faith if you keep listening. They’ll tell you your dream is too big, your prayer is too bold, your faith is unrealistic. But Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Surround yourself with people who speak faith, not fear; people who remind you of God’s promises instead of magnifying your problems.
7. The seventh type, and the most dangerous, is the unrepentant sinner. Now, we are all sinners saved by grace, but the difference is in repentance. A repentant person falls but gets back up. An unrepentant person knows the truth, rejects it, and influences others to do the same. 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns, “Do not be misled; bad company corrupts good character.” If you surround yourself with people who continually live in rebellion against God, their lifestyle will eventually affect yours. This doesn’t mean you stop loving them. It doesn’t mean you judge them harshly. Jesus spent time with sinners, but He never let their sin shape His walk. The danger comes when unrepentant people become your closest voices, because over time they will normalize disobedience in your life. Pray for them. Show them God’s love. But guard your calling, because if you are not careful, their rebellion will begin to look like your routine.
These seven types – manipulators, jealous spirits, time-wasters, gossipers, users, negative thinkers, and unrepentant sinners – are all clearly warned about in Scripture. God is not telling us to hate these people; He is telling us to exercise discernment. Jesus loved everyone; yet He chose His circle carefully. He ministered to multitudes, but He called only twelve disciples, and even within the twelve, He drew three closer than the rest. Why? Because not everyone is meant to have the same level of access to your life. So today, ask God for wisdom. Pray for discernment to recognize who is lifting you toward your calling, and who may be quietly pulling you away from it. And when God shows you, trust Him enough to let go, because protecting your calling sometimes means pruning your circle.
God bless you, and may He give you wisdom and strength in every relationship you walk in.
*The original word is "gossip." I changed it to "gossiper" to hopefully make it more understandable. I think of "gossip" as the act itself, and "gossiper" as the person who does the act.
Notes after sharing the transcription: More recently, I've come across several different Bible-based YouTube channels that give wisdom that we can apply to different areas of our lives that go beyond the question of salvation and other basic faith-related topics (sin, forgiveness, etc). In my own life, especially psychological wisdom eluded me until I entered the therapy world to learn how to do life, as I healed. It was great, but what I did eventually find was that even what I had received in that season didn't prepare me for how to handle certain areas of the real world. As such, I've had to re-learn quite a few things, and hopefully now am on a path where I'm able to follow the Bible regarding how to handle aspects of life that even at my current age are still new to me.
One area of weakness that pervaded up until recently was the type of people I gravitated toward. Because I still held out hope that I could hang out with the types of people that I grew up with (just that they're Christian (enough) and that they're more psychologically mature), I ended up repeating a lot of mistakes that I had made from childhood years. The only difference was I now had a support group with which I could process things and try to understand what in the world was going on (again).
Now, I'm at a point where I am actually willing to spend time with different people, and I'm starting to reap the benefits of this change. More of my key friends are steeped in the Bible than ever before (and not just "cultural Christians"), and with God's help I've reached what I believe and hope to be a critical mass of believers in my life to where, with my few friends who aren't, I am able to stand firm on the Word and not fear losing that friend. After all, I've already been through that with those that I thought had mattered the most, at the times in which I lost them.
One final thought: as a millennial, I grew up with the mentality of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). My high school years to a small degree, but moreso my college and young adult years were marked by this fear, this obsession of fitting in with a crowd, any crowd. As much as I wanted a woman in my life, I also wanted different circles of friends, including close friends as well as "common interest only" friends. I did get to experience some of those joys of fitting in with others and not missing out, but even then, those moments fleeted and didn't truly satisfy. Years later, after having experienced a series of toxic friendships and toxic situations, I'm finding that a blend of precious, Bible-steeped friends and solitude (i.e. more space to spend time with God and engage in work that I love to do) is far more satisfactory. Toxic people just aren't worth it. And while God calls us to forgive and love everyone, including praying for our enemies, I also believe He calls us to cull people out of our lives that are harmful for our walk with Him.
Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 1 Corinthians 15:33, NKJV
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1-2, NKJV
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