Character
“A quality of Christianity”
Character is defined - The pattern of behavior or personality found in an individual or group; moral constitution
How a Christian deals with the circumstances of their life speaks of their character.
Crisis doesn’t necessarily make character, but it does reveal it.
Adversity in our lives is a crossroads where a person chooses one path – Character or Compromise.
Jesus was the ultimate example of character.
Every time we choose character, we grow more into the image of Christ.
Character is who you are when no one is looking.
Rom 5:1-4 dokime – Experience, Trustiness, Proof, integrity.
Phil 2:19-22 – same Greek word
4 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT CHARACTER
1. Character Is More Than Talk.
Anyone can say they have integrity but action is the true indicator.
Your character determines who you are.
People that always seem to be at war with themselves have a problem in their character.
James 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Prov 20:11 The character of even a child can be known by the way he acts-- whether what he does is pure and right.
"Your walk talks and your talk talks but your walk talks louder than your talk talks."
2. Talent Is A Gift, But Character Is A Choice.
There are a lot of things in our life that we have no control over – We don’t get to pick our parents, our upbringing, our talents, our IQ
But we do choose our character.
In fact, we create it – every time we make choices.
Deut 30:19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
Prov 1:28-30 (28) "Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. (29) Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, (30) They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.
Prov 3:31 Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways;
Will you choose the easy way or the right way?
3. Character Brings Lasting Success With People.
Lifestyle evangelism is all about relationships.
People do not trust those who have flawed characters.
Good character will open up doors for lasting relationships with those around you.
1Thes 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
2 Cor 6:3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
4. People Cannot Rise Above The Limitations Of Their Character.
Have you ever seen highly talented people fall apart when they reach a certain level of success?
The key to that phenomenon is character.
Success without a good foundation of character is bound for failure.
The 4 A’s – Arrogance, Aloneness, Adventure-seeking or Adultery.
BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF CHARACTER:
Joseph resisting Potiphar’s wife. - Gen 39:7-12
Paul – Acts 20: 22-24
BRING IT HOME
1. Search For The Cracks.
Look at every aspect of your life; Your relationship with God, your spouse, your children, your peers, your employer.
Identify short cuts and short comings in those aspects of your life and write them down.
Pray about each one.
2. Look For Patterns.
Examine your response to this search.
What patterns of weakness do you see.
These are character issues.
Ask God to deliver you from these patterns.
3.Face The Music.
The beginning of character repair is when you face your flaws, repent and deal with them.
This is why so many Christians never get delivered.
Repentance is a good thing
4. Rebuild.
Don’t stop by facing up to your actions.
Begin building a new future.
Keep praying against your weaknesses, Search the word about these areas, be accountable to someone in these areas.
“Martin Luther did a work that probably no one else in his highly gifted age could have done. He did it because he had the required combination of learning, insight, character, and faith. When under God the hour struck in 1517, the man for the hour was there. The Reformation that had been arrested so long could no longer be delayed.” - G. Bromiley
A man took his daughter to the carnival, and she immediately ran over to a booth and asked for cotton candy. As the attendant handed her a huge ball of it, the father asked, “Sweetheart, are you sure you can eat all of that?” “Don’t worry, Dad,” she answered, “I’m a lot bigger on the inside than on the outside.”
That’s what real character is – being bigger on the inside.
