As I spoke with a friend of mine today, these three words came to me “Character Building Time”. Three words that I would say are relevant to the season that we are now in. It doesn’t escape any sensible thinking person that we are living in really desperate and wicked times.

The bible speaks of this very thing in 2 Timothy 3 (MSG).

“Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.”

I do not know about you but it really is not difficult to look around and identify every single aspect of the verse above in the world that exists today.

This takes me back to the matter at hand;  the times we are living in now are such that if we are not careful, we who would like to walk the straight and narrow path can get caught up in the misdemeanor of this world and in so doing become easily misled. This is precisely the reason for our focus to be character building which will strengthen us and allow us to stand when faced with temptation or life’s difficulties.

We are at a point where we have to use every means available to “stand” when life becomes overwhelming.

The bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (MSG).

“The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.”

He Bible also speaks to us being given authority in Luke 10:19 (TLB)

“and I have given you authority over all the power of the Enemy, and to walk among serpents and scorpions and to crush them. Nothing shall injure you!”

So really, we have what we need to stand when life gets rough with us, it is now up to us to use what we have to build the kind of character that will allow us to stand against everything that tries to tear us down.

• Building our character relates to separating ourselves, knowing ourselves and using all we have been given to stand and not fall.
• Building our characters requires disciplined focus on who and what matters and not leaving ourselves open to any thoughts contrary to God’s truth within us.
• Character building determines whether we die or live eternally.

This morning I was awaken from my sleep by something that I was unsure of.  I remember feeling out of sorts and immediately knew my reason for being awake was not because I had to pray, but for a reason that felt rather sinister. Did I go back to bed? I surely did not but I immediately spoke the truth about my knowledge of God over my family.

Character building requires us to use the word of God to constantly cause renewal of our minds and hearts. Character building helps to keep us on His path and also to facilitate us standing.

What will you do today? Will you not use all that you have been equipped with to stay focused? Will you not do what you have to do so you will stand against all odds and at the end of the day be rewarded with eternal life?

I encourage all of us to take this message seriously, it is for all of us as we engage in a war that can knock us down if we fail to use everything we have been given. 

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