AFTER YOU PRAY, DON'T UNDERMINE YOUR CHARACTER

♦PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR GOOD,AND WHEN WE PRAY WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPEN.

♥James5:16b NLT
16 .....The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

⚫PEOPLE HAVE THIS PREDISPOSITION THAT THEY CAN JUST KEEP PRAYING AND LIVING ANYONE, AND STILL EXPECT TO PRAY AND SEE WONDERFUL MANIFESTATIONS.

-There is a Character that Should Go with our Prayer Life and it is Called the "CHARACTER OF CHRIST".
-This Character ALways Guarantees Prayer Results and Does affect Positively Every other Areas of our Lives.

♦According to Thomas Jefferson,the third President of the United States,he said: “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude and Character from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude and a Terrible Character."

-PEOPLE self-sabotage themselves by seeking spiritual solutions to character-deficit issues. They look around at everybody as suspects for their predicaments when their greatest demons lurks within them- "THEIR CHARACTER-DEFICIT PROBLEM"

-What we often call our destiny is truly our character, and since that character can change, then destiny can be altered. Your Character will Determine how your destiny Turn Out.

♥Philippians 4:6 KJV
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

-IN EVERYTHING WE SHOULD PRAY,but is it Saying PRAYER is All We have to Do and Leave Everything Else Undone?

-OUR Prayer Life and Character Should not be Separable but intertwined together.
-Prayer and Character Should Go Together, because your Prayer Content Reflects the Nature of the God you are TALKING TO.

♥Galatians 4:19 KJV
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

-Focus is Everything,and as We Focus on the Attributes of CHRIST IN US,His Character will Be Reflected through Us.
-In Praying, we Should be Focusing on the WORD OF THE CHRIST that Reveals to Us the "CHARACTER OF CHRIST"
-Any Prayer Fruits Produced by Character is Enjoyable.

♥Colossians 3:16 KJV
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

-According to Dutch Sheets,he said that: “Prayer is not a check request asking for things from God; it is a deposit slip- a way of depositing God’s character into our bankrupt souls.”

-Also,British writer and politician, Thomas Macaulay (1800-1859), said: “The measure of a man’s character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out.”

⚫ITS So True that WHAT WOULD ULTIMATELY DESTROY A MAN GOING TO HIGH PLACES IN LIFE is not really the enemies that are waiting for him there, BUT THE CHARACTER THAT FOLLOWED HIM THERE.

-We Should not Overzealously Turn on our Spiritual Prayer Life and Turn off our Character by Taking for Granted our Daily Conduct,Attitude Manner of Living and how We Relate with People.

-Don't take your character for granted and think it Does not Matter.Your Flawed Character will Eventually affect your Effectiveness in Prayer.

♥1 Corinthians 15:33
[33]Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.

-Most People are not Really Saying it,but Looking at the Way they Live their Life,they are invariably Saying "I DON'T CARE HOW I LIVE MY LIFE,AS LONG AS I CAN STILL PRAY AND GET WHAT I WANT FROM GOD,AND NOTHING SPOIL"

-Even though the Riches of God's Grace Has Already made Available All you Need in this Life,your Flawed Corrupt Character and Misbehavior will Give Access to the Devil to Hurt you, Hinder and Frustrate You from RECEIVING What is Already yours in it's Full Manifestation or Even Totally Cut you off the Blessings of God.

-Your Character is a Reflection of what you are Allowing and Permitting in your Life to Be your Experience.Character is Like the Substance of your Experiences in Life.

♥Matthew 18:18amp.
[18]Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.

-You Ought to Take your Character into your Prayer Life so you Can Draw out and Receive All that the Character and Virtue of God Has Already Provided for you IN CHRIST.

-We have Over spiritualized Everything, that we neglect the place of character and our relationship with people.
-Many are actually ‘heavenly’ bound, but with no earthly relevance because of the way they are Functioning out of Character to the Ways of CHRIST.

♥Philippians 1:27amp.
[27]Only be sure as citizens so to conduct yourselves [that] your manner of life [will be] worthy of the good news (the Gospel) of Christ, so that whether I [do] come and see you or am absent, I may hear this of you: that you are standing firm in united spirit and purpose, striving side by side and contending with a single mind for the faith of the glad tidings (the Gospel).

-Another Flip Side to this,is that You can speak with spiritual eloquence, pray in public and maintain a holy appearance, but it is your behavior and character when No one is Looking to Sing your Praises that will actually trigger the manifestation of all that God has already Provided for you.

-To Experience the Manifestation and the Reality of the Blessings of God on this Earth,we Should Endeavor to Treat People Right with Respect and Courtesy.

♥1 Peter 3:8-9amp.
[8]Finally, all [of you] should be of one and the same mind (united in spirit), sympathizing [with one another], loving [each other] as brethren [of one household], compassionate and courteous (tenderhearted and humble).
[9]Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating), but on the contrary blessing [praying for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly pitying and loving them]. FOR KNOW THAT TO THIS YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED, THAT YOU MAY YOURSELVES INHERIT A BLESSING [from God–that you may obtain a blessing as heirs, BRINGING WELFARE AND HAPPINESS AND PROTECTION].

-The Shunammite Woman Received her Long awaited Desire manifested unto her by Her Prayers and Her Respectful Hospitable Disposition to Prophet Elijah in 2nKing4:
-She Obviously had a Good Relationship going on with Her Husband that was built on mutual Love and Respect.She was not Getting worked up with her husband over their Childless State.
-They maintained a Good Character Disposition that Created the Right Atmosphere for their Deepest Heartfelt Desire to Manifest.

♥1 Peter 3:7amp.
[7]In the same way you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God's unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]

♦Many times, we pray, fast and bind demons that are not Actively Bordering Us or Hindering Us, when our real problem is our CHARACTER DEFECT.
-Many have insulted and Treated with Disdain people that were divinely placed and orchestrated to help them fulfil their destiny.

♥Hebrews 13:2 KJV
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

-Always Endeavor to Treat people with respect and Courtesy despite their Social Class. Never look down on anybody. God can use anyone to change your story and impact your life Positively.

♥James 2:2-4 KJV
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
[3] And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
[4] Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

-Abigail Van Buren said: “The best index to a person’s character is how he treats people who can’t do him any good, and how he treats people who can’t fight back.”

-You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him. The way we treat people we think can’t help or hurt us, like housekeepers, waiters, and secretaries, tells more about our character than how we treat people we think are important.

⚫How do you treat and Relate with people on a Daily Basis?

♦One of the most impressive architectural feats and the greatest military defence project in history is the Great Wall of China. In 1987, UNESCO designated the Great Wall a World Heritage site, and a popular controversial claim that emerged in the 20th century holds that it is the only man-made structure that is visible from space.

-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 of penetrating or climbing over the wall, because each time, they bribed the guards and came through the doors.

-The Chinese built the wall, but forgot the character- 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, but it has actually been a good reminder to the Chinese of the superiority of human character.

-The Chinese realised much later that the best defence against the enemy is not a fortified wall, but a fortified character. Thus, the building of human character comes before building of anything else.

-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 you. No matter where you place prayers and how much you Pray, character still matters.
-The greatest fraud in life is religion without character. A man without character is recklessly alive.

⚫William Shakespeare captured it succinctly when he said: “The fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”
- Peter Schutz, the former chief executive officer of Porsche said: “HIRE CHARACTER; TRAIN SKILLS.”

♦ Back in the days when Germany was divided, a huge wall separated East and West Berlin.

-One day, some people in East Berlin took a truck load of garbage and dumped it on the West Berlin side.

-The people of West Berlin could have done the same thing, but they didn't. Instead they took a truck load of canned goods, bread, milk and other provisions, and neatly stacked it on the East Berlin side.

-On top of this stack they placed the sign: “EACH GIVES WHAT HE HAS"

-How So true! YOU CAN ONLY GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE.

⚫ WHAT DO YOU HAVE INSIDE OF YOU?
-Is it hate,Bitterness, Resentment or love?
-Is it Violence,Strife, Contentions or peace?
-Is it Spiritual Death or Spiritual life?
-Is it the Character of CHRIST to Build or the Flawed Character of Satan to Destroy?

-We Can Only GIVE WHAT WE HAVE AND WE CAN ONLY ATTRACT WHO WE ARE.
-WE ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS,AND WHEN WE PRAY,GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS AND HE DELIGHTS IN OUR PRAYERS.

♥Proverbs 15:8 KJV
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord : but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

-As Righteous Children of God,born of the Very Nature of God and Character,we ought to be Doers and Followers of that which is Good in Accordance with God's Character.

♥1 Peter 3:12-13,18 KJV
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. [13] And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

-Your Conduct, Manner of Life and Character is Very Important and Touches Every other Areas of your Life

-MY FINAL WORD of ENCOURAGEMENT to you is to ALWAYS Be CONSCIOUS and AWARE of "WHO YOU ARE,AND TO ALWAYS PRAY AND ACT LIKE WHO YOU ARE"

-When things Look Impossible,Always Think Love,Pray in Love,Speak and Act in Love.

⚫YOU ARE A CHILD OF LOVE, BORN BY THE SPIRIT OF LOVE TO PRAY TO A GOD WHO IS LOVE,AND LOVE NEVER FAILS.

-Thank you Heavenly Father,for the mind and Character of CHRIST is Cultivated and Developed in me to Influence my Prayer Life and Transform Every Areas of my Life in JESUS MIGHTY NAME.Amen.

ENJOY A HARVESTFUL YEAR

BE BLESSED AND PROSPER.