Courage, Charisma And Character
Gtcotr/ws121003
It is not a person’s charisma that God commits to, but their character.
Key Scripture: Proverbs 20:6 ¶ Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? (NKJV)
Point # 220. Destiny is your opportunity to participate in God’s plan.
Point # 56. Destiny neither waits nor depends on any man.
When the Apostle Paul left Titus in Crete, he gave Titus instructions to ordain Elders in every city:
* If, the Apostle said, you can find any seasoned men who are above reproach, without skeletons in the closet … blameless.
Note: Much like the political parties of our day looking for a candidate to run for the federal judiciary or president or such.
He said:
* Titus look them over, survey their lives, families, behavioral patterns, interview others about them and question their motivations.
* The Apostle Paul understood the potential devastation awaiting men and women who are placed into favorable and powerful positions of life when their motives and appetites are unchecked and unproven. They may be found to only be faithful to themselves.
Lets look in:
Titus 1
7 For a bishop … (Let me stop here for a moment)
Bishop
episkopos ep-is’-kop-os
From two Greek Words:
Epi (ep-ee‘) denotes position over or above
Skopos (skop-os’) peering to focus on the distant mark, goal or end; scope (even where find the root for skeptic)
(KJV) bishop 6, overseer 1; 7
1) an overseer; superintendent; guardian or curator
1a) a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly
5 ¶ For this cause left I thee in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you:
6 ¶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of being wild or rebellious.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,
8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,
9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
10 For there are many who rebel against right teaching; they engage in useless talk and deceive people. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation.
11 They must be silenced. By their wrong teaching, they have already turned whole families away from the truth. Such teachers only want your money.
He realized the importance of placing a person in charge of others or over kingdom business. They must be more than just professionally qualified.
There are two basic qualification tests which only God can administer, while we only observe the tests results.
Luke 6:44 Every tree is known by his own fruit.
One test defines who we want to be.
The other test confirms who we really are.
Many people have a natural Charismatic personality.
* They are well liked
* They are outgoing and easy to talk to
* They are passionate and often very convincing
* They often gravitate toward positions of influence
* Adolph Hitler was charismatic
* Napoleon was charismatic
* Jim Jones was charismatic
* We are told that the antichrist and false prophet will be too
Numbers of people are courageous
* Fear is not a factor in their decision making process
* They are able to press on when others shrink back
* Personal loss does not rob them of motivation
* Resistance is an acceptable and manageable risk
* Failure is not a consideration
* The shores and fields of 1944 Europe and the Asian Pacific were filled with courageous men on both sides of the war.
You know the difference between bravery and courage:
My simple definition:
Point #226. It is a brave thing to set out in search of your enemies, however, courage is what you will need when you find them.
Many brave may march into battle, but only the courageous commit to victory or death.
Courage may be bravery put to the test.
I. The Two Tests
A. The Commitment Test
* Helps You Define Who You Want To Be
Note: The heat of hard times provide us golden molten moments.
* Some Potential Elements Of The Commitment Test
> Hardship
> Disappointment
> Lack
> Frustration
> Failure
B. The Character Test
* Reveals Who You Really Are
* Some Potential Elements Of The Character Test
> Blessings
> Victories
> Abundance
> Expectancy
> Success
Failure will test your commitment while success tests your character.
Many people pass the commitment test only to fail the test of character.
Deuteronomy 6 (NIV)
10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,
11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied,
12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
It can be dangerous to be satisfied, or to make satisfaction your primary goal.
* Proverbs 27:20 … the desires of man are never satisfied.
The Old Testament Prophets, from Moses to Malachi, encouraged the children of God to not forget God when things started going good.
For these reasons we are admonished to look for faithful people, people of principle, proven in character and not just people who are gifted, talented and charismatic.
II. The Apostle Paul’s Admonishment To His Son Timothy
2 Timothy 2
1 ¶ You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (NKJV)
The Last Phrase Of Verse 2:
KJV - the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
NIV - entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.
NLT - Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.
NAS95 - entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
III. What Have We Heard?
1. It takes more than talent, charisma or courage to be chosen and continually blessed by God.
2. Hard times, disappointments and failures will serve to test your commitment, while success, easy times and abundance will test your character.
3. Courage and Charisma may get you what you want, but without Character you cannot keep it.
5. The Commitment Test helps us define who we want to be, while The Character Test confirms who we really are.
May I ask?
What will your character test reveal about you?
