Character Benefits
Foundation Statement: What’s on the line if we
don’t develop in character?
Developing in character qualifies you for the greater. Staying underdeveloped in character has
kept us unqualified to receive the greater.
I.
God doesn’t reward
rebellion; God rewards character (Jeremiah 17:10)
A. In the New Testament we
know that God has already given and the system is set up in a way that
you can’t receive (access) what He’s given without character
1.
It’s
not God in Heaven waiting for you to do something right & then throwing you
a bone; that would be u earning the reward & the reward wouldn’t be by
grace
a. All of these promises
were given as act of grace, so you can’t do anything to earn what God has given
because he has given it by grace
2.
Character
is a key component in you gaining access to what God has already given to you
a. The system is set up so
that you cannot get to what God has already given without the component of
character being in place
b. The system is set up like
this, u can be born again, but born-again people who walk in a low level of
character will not access greater things laid up for them
3.
The
system is not set up where you can continue to rebel against what God said
(being a person of low character) and then see all of these good things that
God has for you come to pass in your life
B. If the system wasn’t set
up like that and you could receive what God has given to you without character
being in place, then what you received from Him would end up hurting you
1.
Galatians
4:1-2
a. Child – Refers to a
child too young to talk; a minor spiritually and intellectually immature and
not ready for the privileges and responsibilities of adulthood
b. The time appointed of the
Father for you to have what’s already yours is the time where your character
has developed to the point that you can be trusted with it
2.
Character
is the proof that you can handle the manifestation of the greater
a. 2 Peter 1:5 – Add
to your faith character
3.
Proverbs
1:32 – A fool’s prosperity will destroy him
a. God’s not going to be
apart of yours destruction because he’s not the destroyer
II. You’ll never enjoy the greater if you don’t qualify for it
with character
A. Being underdeveloped in
character has kept us from the greater reward
1.
Proverbs
28:20 – You can be born again and right with God, but if you’re not
faithful you cannot abound in blessings
2.
Hebrews
11:6 – You can be born again and right with God, but if you don’t walk in
the character of diligence you will not get the reward
3.
Hebrews
6:12 – You can be born again and right with God, but if you don’t walk in
the character of faith and patience you won’t inherit the promises
B. Being underdeveloped in
character keeps us from the greater assignment-Lk
19:17
1.
God
loves you and you’re right with him, but he can’t trust you with the greater
assignment when you haven’t been a person of character with the one he gave you
now; Promotion doesn’t come to people who don’t walk in character
2.
Job
8:7
a. No matter what God has
given you to do and no matter how small it is, you treat it like it’s the most
important thing on this planet and you be a person of character with that thing
b. Many people never get to
the great increase because they weren’t a person of character in the small
c. God is looking for people
who will be faithful with the small because those are the ones He can trust
with the great (Luke 16:10)
d. Be busy being a person of
character in the “small” things
1)
For
the longest time we’ve thought we ready for the great thing when we haven’t
even been a person of character in the “small” thing
3.
Character
is the proof that you can handle the greater assignment
C. Being underdeveloped in
character has kept us from the greater anointing
1.
The
power we walk in will only be as great as the character that we’ve developed
2.
The
anointing level will rise as the character level rises
3.
You
are as much like Jesus in power as you are like him in character
4.
Character
is the proof that you can handle the greater anointing