Positive Benefits from having Godly Character

Jesus makes it clear that the Father wants us to be to be fruitful, and that fruitfulness glorifies the Father (John 15:1-8).

John 15:1–8 (NIV)

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you.

State:

You are clean (saved) because you have received the word (testimony) of Christ

Fruitfulness and salvation are two seperate things.

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Jesus says that fruitfulness comes from the Father’s pruning efforts in our lives

Peter tells us there is also another way we become fruitful, and that is by growth in godly character.

2 Peter 1:5–8 (NIV)

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive (unfruitful) in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So how can these Godly characteristics possibly determine fruitfulness?

E.g. When I was offended in my first church, I wanted to quit – and my heart left the church, though I hadn’t left physically.

If the Lord hadn’t helped me grow in the godly character traits of forgiveness and perseverance, I wouldn’t have reaped the fruit I did over the 22 years at Southland, because my heart would have left again and again.

It would have left each time I was offended by others!

Godly character affects the outcome of our prayers

James begins by saying that we often don’t have what we need, because we don’t ask

James 4:2–3 NIV

2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

State: Why are you asking God for something?

What is the real motive

Ministry resources

Promotion at work

Financial increase

Ecclesiastes 4:4 NIV

4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

State:

How many Church leaders and pastors are trying to replicate someone elses success

State: Envy is a pretty serious issue

James 3:16 NIV

16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Peter, offers another illustration of how a lack of character (righteousness or holiness), can negatively affect our prayers.

1 Peter 3:7 (NIV) Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

How we treat others (character) matters: it affects the outcome of our prayers!

James says righteousness (character, holiness) affects our prayers!

James 5:16 (NIV) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Righteous: a person characterized by righteous actions and morals

State: We get to know what Christ has given us as his children

We learn that we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit

We take our scriptures that promise what we want to happen and pray them like they are some kind of magic wand

There is more to a prayer than repeating a promise

Character is part of what gives us spiritual authority

Godly character keeps us from falling away from the faith

2 Peter 1:5-10 (NIV) For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7  and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

goes on to say

10  Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall ….

If someone has fallen away from the faith…or…has fallen into sinful bondage.

They have missed one of Peter’s character issues

Many believers think that you say a prayer of faith and just go on living like you wish.

We’re commanded to grow in the fruit of the Spirit and in godly character

If our faith doesn’t result in changed behavior, then James says that our faith is actually DEAD!

James 2:17 (NIV) In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Paul says the same …

Acts 26:20 (NIV) I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

If you are truly born again, three things will happen:

You will grow more and more in good works; and less and less in bad works

You will hate your sin and be broken over it – it will bother you

You will desire godly character even if you don’t have it yet. And you’ll be motivated to get it

Character really matters!

Godly character qualifies us for ministry

The divine sequence for the calling of a man or woman to ministry goes something like this:

God chooses someone to ministry long before he or she is even conceived

God eventually calls the one he chose

God then equips that person with the necessary spiritual gifts to fulfill this unique calling

God sends the one He has chosen, called and equipped

But somewhere between choosing and sending, something else happens –

God remakes the character of the one He has chosen

The choosing, calling, equipping and sending are God’s work alone.

However, the remaking of our character has much to do with us!

Moses started as an impatient - angry-violent man (killed egyptian)

The remaking of Moses, resulted in a very long and successful ministry

Don’t be surprised by how long it takes for God to break through our flesh to change our soul.

Moses’ relapse:

Numbers 20:8–12 (NIV)

8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” 9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

State: Godly character is a necessity in leadership.

The People were angry because of where he lead them

It got him angry

Apparently, he not only lashed out at the rock, he also said some rash things that really displeased the Lord as well!

Psalm 106:32-33 (NIV) By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them; 33 for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips.

The Holy Spirit is warning us

you better grow in self-control, so that in the heat of the moment you don’t disqualify yourself!

Israel’s priest Eli

also was disqualified from further ministry, because he tolerated the brazen wickedness, sexual immorality and blasphemy of his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who served as priests under their father.

Here’s what God said to Samuel concerning Eli,

1 Samuel 3:13 (ESV) And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them.

State: What are we tolerating that we should be intervening into?

Sixth: Godly character reveals Christ to others

2 Corinthians 4:10-11 (NIV) We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

To respond properly to trials and suffering requires supernatural strength and power – the power of the risen Christ!

When unbelievers observe a believer patiently, humbly and joyfully persevering through deep trials and suffering, it opens their eyes to Jesus Christ.