The Victory Voice

The ABC’s of Christian Character - Part 9 of 9

By Bro. Cheek | June 17, 2010

Table of contents for The ABCs of Christian Character

The ABC’S of
Christian Character
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Part Nine of Nine

By Pastor Robert L. Cheek Jr.
Victory Baptist Church

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Tonight we will conclude our study on the ABC’s of Christian Character. This is our ninth message on Christian character. We have considered A-U so far, which were:

Attentiveness, Blamelessness, Contriteness, Diligence, Expectation, Faith, Giving, Humility, Integrity, Joy, Kindness, Love, Ministering, Nourishment, Obedience, Peace, Questioning, Rejoicing, Sincerity, Teachability and Unity. Let’s pick up with V and the word Victory.

V. Victory is a Christian Character Trait

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

The word “therefore” in verse 58 means because. Because we have the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, we should be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding. Those words describe a life of victory in Christ. Living victoriously is a Christian character trait.

We all have battles and the Bible teaches that we will suffer as a Christian. But as you know, every battle has a victor and a victim. God wants us to be the victors!

2 Timothy 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
2 Timothy 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Many times, the deciding factor in fighting our battles centers around our own reluctance to claim the victory. In other words, we could be victorious if we would trust the Lord and claim the victory.
Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Romans 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do you remember the answer that the three Hebrew children gave to the king?

Daniel 3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Daniel 3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Let me ask you something. What on earth can you do to somebody with that kind of attitude and faith? Victory is as much an attitude as it is a condition.

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

We ought to have faith in the Lord that He will give us the victory over any problem, any trial, any sin and any circumstance of life.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We may not be able to see how or to know when God will give victory, but Christian character knows that He eventually will!

W. Witnessing is a Christian Character Trait

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Acts 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

When Saul of Tarsus persecuted the early church, that just sent out all the more to witness and preach for Jesus. Some Christians are naturally gifted with the ability to talk to people, while others are more reserved and shy. But did you notice in the gifts that God gave to the church, that there isn’t any mention of the gift of witnessing?

The reason is because witnessing is not a gift, it is a duty and a command.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Somebody said, “When God commands us to do something, He also equips us to do it.” That is so true. Even the most ignorant Christian can witness.

Romans 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

There are lots of ways to witness. We can give our testimony to someone. We can pass out tracts. We can invite folks to church, which let’s them know we are a Christian. We can talk about Jesus. But really, our life ought to radiate Christ. He ought to be such a natural part of our life that without even trying, people know we are saved and love the Lord.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

X. X-ray Vision is a Christian Character Trait

X-ray vision is supposed to mean that you can see beyond what is on the outside. There is a two-fold meaning in x-ray vision. First, it has to do with God examining the life of the Christian. On this point, Christian character desires for God to search our hearts. It is when we do not want God to search our hearts, that we are not right with Him.

Psalms 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Psalms 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

These are the words of a child of God that desires that God would examine him. Our character ought to be such that we hide nothing from God and desire to hide nothing from God.

The second meaning to x-ray vision is that the Christian examines himself or herself. Not only does the Christian desire God to examine, but they themselves examine themselves. Self-examination is a Christian character trait.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

This verse has to do with salvation. We ought to make sure we are saved. Have you ever wondered how a person makes sure they are saved? It’s not like you can open your wallet or purse and pull out a ticket to heaven. So how do we make sure we are saved?

We do this by first rehearsing the Bible way to heaven. The Bible says that we must believe the Gospel. Have we done that? The Bible says we must repent to be saved. Have we done that? The Bible says we must receive Christ as our Lord. Have we done that? If we have, and truly from our hearts we can say that there is no other God and no other salvation but by Jesus Christ, then we can know that we are saved.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

To say is to mean with all your heart. A person cannot truly 100% believe that Jesus is the Lord, with all of the understanding of salvation and who Jesus is, without being a child of God. Remember what Jesus told Peter?

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

I know I am saved because I have examined myself: my mind, my thoughts, my beliefs, my knowledge, and my faith, and I have concluded that they all line up with what the Bible teaches about salvation. If I am not saved, there is no way to be saved because I have done what the Bible says.

But not only in the matter of salvation, we must also examine our daily lives to make sure we are right with God.

1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1 Corinthians 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
1 Corinthians 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
1 Corinthians 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1 Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1 John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

We are talking about x-ray vision. It’s a Christian character trait.

Y. Yearning is a Christian Character Trait

Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

This point has to do with the Christian desire to see Jesus and to be with him. Christian character longs for Christ.

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

The Psalmist said:

Psalms 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Paul said:

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
Philippians 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

John said:

Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

What do you say? Do you want to see Jesus? Do you long to see Him? Hey, it’s only natural that children desire to see their parents. We are His children and we desire to see Him. It’s part of our character, or at least it should be.

Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

Let’s look at the last letter and our last point in this series on Christian Character.

Z. Zeal is a Christian Character Trait

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

The Bible teaches that God is jealous. I think God wants us to serve Him with just as much zeal as we served the devil before we got saved. In fact, we ought to go beyond that in our service to God.

Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Colossians 4:13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

All Christians should be zealous. Zealous to serve God; zealous to live right; even zealous to repent when we sin.

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Besides the personal benefits from being zealous for God, we must never forget that our zeal encourages others to be zealous.

2 Corinthians 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

Has your zeal provoked many? I would say it has. Your zeal and my zeal has provoked those around us to either consider Christ or reject Christ. What kind of zeal do we have? Is it the kind that makes for Christian character or carnal character?

We have considered 26 Christian character traits in this study on the ABC’s of Christian character. I wonder how many are a part of our character and how many need to be.

Let’s pray.

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