Right-Standing vs. Character Development
FOUNDATION
STATEMENT: Developing in the
character of God does not make you the righteousness of God. You are the righteousness of God by
faith. Developing in the character
of God qualifies you for promotion in the Kingdom of God and enables you to do
bigger things for God in the Earth. – Romans 3:20 (AMP)
I.
Character development
A. We’ve got to be honest
with ourselves and understand that no greater power is going to be seen, until
great character is developed
B. In 2009 if you’ll develop
in the character of mine, then in 2010 you’ll walk in the power to win. You’ll win in politics, you’ll win in
education, and you’ll win in media.
You’ll win like you’ve never won before and you’ll win in areas that
you’ve never won before.
II. When we talk about developing in character we are not talking
about your right standing with God.
A. When you develop in
character you’re not developing in your right-standing with God
1.
You
can’t develop in you’re right standing with God because they day you got born
again you were made the righteousness of God with Jesus righteousness and that
day you were as right with God as you’ll have be
B. There is no connection
between character development and your right-standing with the Father [Romans
3:20 (AMP)]
1.
20-The
function of the law is to reveal to us what is wrong so that we can, repent,
and develop in character
a. The law is that not there
to make us right with God
2.
22-You
become the righteousness of God by faith, not by works of character
3.
24-We
are made righteous freely, meaning that we don’t have to work for it 2 earn it
4.
26-God
is the justifier of him that believes in Jesus, not him that has developed in
character or done a bunch of right things
5.
27-The
law of character works doesn’t make you right with God the law of faith makes
you right with God
a. You can’t boast about
being the righteousness of God because you didn’t do anything but receive
6.
28
(KJ/AMP) -You are right with God by faith without developing in character and
doing the deeds of the law
7.
30-Whether
your circumcised or uncircumcised it’s going to require faith for you to be
made righteous
8.
31-We
don’t just throw the law out and not do any of it because we’re right with God;
because we are the righteousness of God we do right things that are in line
with the Word of God
a. Because we are the
righteousness of God, we know have the ability to do right and develop in that
character
C. You’ll never have a full
revelation of the love of God without having a clear understanding of your
righteousness or your right standing before the Father.
1.
Righteousness
is the Father’s love toward us in full manifestation. It displays God’s love
for his children in ways that go beyond human thinking.
2.
Righteousness
is God saying my love for you is unconditional and its forever. It’s God being
patient and God being kind. It’s God being on our side no matter what. It’s God
being for us. It’s God backing us. It’s God never leaving us. It’s God
encouraging us, strengthening us, and helping us even when we’ve disobeyed Him.
It’s God holding our hand saying to us, “fear not, I’m with you.” It is love
never failing, love never ceasing, and love never ending. It’s God looking you
right the face and saying son, there’s nothing on this Earth that will keep me
from loving you. There’s nothing that you can ever do to get me to stop loving
you. My love for you always is and always will be. You’ll always be right with
me and you can always come to me. I’m your Father and you’re my son and you
don’t ever have to hesitate to come to me when you’re in need.
D. Developing in character
does not make you any more right with God than a person who is born-again and
underdeveloped in character
1.
Developing
in character is not going to lead to God loving you more and not developing in
character is not going to lead to God loving you less.
2.
If
you are born again you are the righteousness of God and God loves you as much
as he loves Jesus.