DIGGING DEEP NO 1013 – December 5, 2023                        Prayer and Character

Prayer is an act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. An act of communication by humans with the holy God and Character is the mental and moral qualities distinctive to the individual seeking the holy God. It is the way the person thinks, feels, and behaves: someone’s personality. 1Samuel 13:14;Acts 13:22

Can Prayer Override Character? No matter how much we pray our character must line up with God’s Word in order to get good results. It is pitiable how people self-sabotage themselves by seeking spiritual solutions to character-deficit issues. They look around at everybody as suspects of their predicaments when their greatest demons lurk within them – their character. What we often call our destiny is truly our character, and since that character can change, then destiny can be altered. 1 Samuel 13:9; 15:23-28

Is prayer EVERYTHING? It is true according to the Scriptures that we should pray about all things and at all times. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 But we still have the responsibility to develop Christ-like character as well.

Most people believe that we can pray ourselves to success and get away with virtually anything if we become a stickler to some prayer routines. There is no amount of spiritual penance that can substitute for Character. We need both Prayer and Good character. We don’t just pray and hope things change. There is a God part and a human part. We are participants in the Gospel and not just bystanders. What would ultimately destroy a man going to high places in life is not really the enemies that are waiting for him there, nor the amount of prayer he offers but the character that follows him there.

Most Christians take character for granted, while overzealously tuning on into their spiritual mode. Prayer shows who you believe in, while Godly character points to whose child, follower, or disciple you are. The Apostle Peter stated in his epistle that by His divine power, God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. 2 Peter 1:3 There are really no excuses for the exhibition of bad character. Christians are disciples of Christ and have received the new nature fashioned after God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 That new nature should influence our character.  That is the defining factor. People often Pray for miracles to happen but Christ-like living causes miracles to happen because it involves living daily in the supernatural, displaying a Christlike character.

Our blessings will come through human beings. God will use humans to bless us. We need to work on developing good relationships with fellow humans. God works through relationships. For us to receive we must work on our Character. We have become so spiritually in tune through prayers that we neglect the place of character and our relationship with people. We can speak with spiritual eloquence, pray in public, and maintain a holy appearance, but it is our behavior and character that will actually trigger the manifestation of all that God has for us. We must learn to treat people with courtesy, respect our spiritual leaders Acts 23:1-5 and give honor to elders.

Examples of how Prayer and Good Character release blessings

1-Jesus Christ: In one of his speeches in John 14:30 Jesus said “The Prince of the world is coming, and he has nothing to use against me” There is ongoing spiritual warfare. The devil is going to and fro like a roaring lion seeking whom to prey on. A bad character releases a scent that attracts the devil and his hordes of evil spirit. Bad characters magnetize evil. It is a potent weapon the forces of evil will use against erring Christians. Bad character is counterproductive. It frustrates the grace of God, short-circuits the anointing that destroys yokes and hinders, and terminates progress. Some of us have insulted people who were divinely placed to help us, and we may even not be on speaking terms with our destiny helpers because of some assumed slight. We need to deal with our identity issues and become Christlike in our characters. Naaman dealt with his identity crises and got the miracle he needed 2Kings 5:1-14.

The Bible states in Philippians 2:5-11 “……. made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” Another translation says “He emptied Himself”. Can you even begin to imagine what that means? The King of Glory Himself became nobody to make somebody of us humans. Display of an exemplary character. No wonder he prays, and God listens.

Some of us are still suffering, not because we lack talents or do not pray enough: But because we lack good manners or Godly character. Good talents may attract attention, but bad characters will negate it. Even if one is talented, but has bad character traits, those talents will be unprofitable because no person wants to associate with a disrespectful, insensitive, egoistic and uncontrollable person no matter how talented he or she is. Good character is required to sustain the attention talent attracts when we have prayed.

We must learn to treat people with Courtesy. 

2- The Shunammite woman must have been praying for a child all through her life. By being hospitable to a man of God, she eventually got her much-awaited miracle. It wasn’t only prayer that opened the door for her; it was her character also. Assuming she wasn’t hospitable, she would have missed a critical miracle. Many times, we pray, fast and bind demons that don’t exist when our real demons are just our greatly flawed character. Many have insulted people that were divinely placed and orchestrated to help them fulfill their destiny. Some people are keeping malice with their destiny helpers.

3-Coupled with Courtesy, treat people with Respect and be hospitable. The promise of a son to Abraham was reconfirmed and came to fulfillment because of his hospitable character. Genesis 18:1-10

4- Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.

Although Mary was a Virgin, there were lots of virgins in Israel at that time. But Mary’s Godly character traits singled her out for the favor of birthing the Savior of the world. God has high standards. He expects exemplary conduct from His children. The goal of every Christian should be to become like Jesus Christ in Prayer, worship, character, and service. In humility, we should serve others and do good deeds. We must reset our minds. Upgrade our attitude. We should start by placing value on human beings, and be appreciative. respect people. put value on relationships. We should not despise people, we must be courteous, we must be kind and we must be humble thereby exhibiting good character.

One of the most impressive architectural feats and the greatest military defense project in history is the Great Wall of China. In 1987, UNESCO designated the Great Wall a World Heritage site. Originally conceived by Emperor Qin Shi Huang (c. 259-210 B.C.) in the 3rd Century B.C. as a means of preventing incursions from Mongolians and barbarian nomads into the Chinese Empire, the wall is one of the most extensive construction projects ever completed. History has it that when the ancient Chinese decided to live in peace, they made the Great Wall of China; they thought no one could climb it due to its height. During the first 100 years of its existence, the Chinese were invaded thrice and every time, the hordes of enemy infantry had no need to penetrate or climb over the wall, because each time, they bribed the guards and came through the doors.

The Chinese built the wall but forgot the character i.e. building of the wall guards. Though the Great Wall has over the years become a powerful symbol of the country’s enduring strength and spirit, it has actually been a good reminder to the Chinese of the superiority of human character. How many people and homes had been invaded, looted, and devastated by the enemy through the bribery of ego, self-indulgence, insincerity, and unfaithfulness? The scriptures say.” while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares into the harvest and go their way”. Matthew 13:25

The Chinese realized much later that the best defense against the enemy is not a fortified wall, but a fortified character. Thus, the building of human character is very important.

Prayer is great but it is not EVERYTHING. Prayer goes with Good CHARACTER. Build relationships, build your family, and don’t ever forget that God will always use man. Be mindful of your words and how you speak to people. Work seriously on your character and attitude towards life.

I want to say emphatically that character is not optional; it is sacrosanct to the future that God has planned for us and our home. No matter where you place prayers, character matters. The greatest fraud in life is religion without character. A man without character is recklessly alive.

Prayer goes with character. William Shakespeare captured it succinctly when he said: “The fault is not in our stars but in ourselves.” i.e. in our Character. We pray, God listens but without Christlike character, we may not receive.

Prayer cannot override Godly character but rather it will enhance it, Therefore, Pray always and then press towards the goal by applying Godly character and biblical principles.