The Character of a Person Who Sincerely Follows the Lord

2 Kings 18:1-8

Character Traits

I. (18:5) Trust in the Lord

2 Kings 18:5 “He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.”

Trust in the Lord must be wholehearted trust, meaning we mustn’t have one foot in the world and the other in the faith

Deny self

Count the cost of our sin(s)

Count the cost of our selfish desires

Count the cost of our plans & our will

Take up our cross

Follow Christ

Trust in the Lord is to trust in His

Word

Goodness

Faithfulness

Promises

II. (18:6) Holding Fast to the Lord (standing firm/fast-Gal 5:1)

2 Kings 18:6 “For he held fast to the Lord...”

III. (18:6) Convicted to Continual Obedience

2 Kings 18:6 “...he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.”

“Did not depart”

“kept”

The Results of these Character Traits

I. (18:7) Promise of the Lord's Presence

Positionally (salvation) and Progressively (in sanctification)

(O/T Perspective) Exodus 13:20–22 “So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.”

(N/T Reality)

John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

II. (18:7) We bear more and more Spiritual fruit—more heavy-laden Spiritual fruit

2 Kings 18:7 “...he prospered wherever he went....”

III. (18:7) We stave off and overcome trials/temptations more and more

2 Kings 18:7 “...And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.”

IV. (18:8) We put to death more and more of the idols and deeds of our flesh in our lives

2 Kings 18:8 “He subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.”

*Deuteronomy 7:21–22 “You shall not be terrified of them; for the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you. And the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you little by little; you will be unable to destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.”

*Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

*Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”