(1 Cor. 13:4,5 NIV)
Every child of God—from leaders on down—needs to develop the character of an armorbearer, because the character of an armorbearer is the character of Christ. I believe the Church really needs teaching in this area right now. We have learned a lot about faith, prosperity, healing, and intercession, but I feel we must place more emphasis on character development. God’s power is hindered when we walk after the flesh and not by the spirit. People get hurt and the ministry suffers.
I would like to share some steps that I believe will be beneficial to follow in your effort to develop the spirit of a true God-called armorbearer.
Step 1. Free yourself from pride. Evidences of pride include:
- an independent spirit (refusal to look to God or others for help),
- failure to admit mistakes,
- a lack of a teachable spirit,
- a rebellious attitude toward those in authority,
- a proud countenance,
- self-centered conversation,
- intolerance toward the mistakes of others, and
- a bossy attitude.
Step 2: Free yourself from anger. Evidences of anger include:
- temper tantrums (at any age);
- an angry reaction to supposed injustice;
- expressed frustration over unchangeable circumstances;
- grumbling, murmuring, and complaining; and
- extreme sensitivity and touchiness.
Pride and anger have no place in your life as an armorbearer, but the antidote is the love of God, which is shed abroad in your heart. (Rom. 5:5.) Make a quality decision to grow in humility and love and godly character. Then you will be developing the true spirit of an armorbearer.
- Look up and study the following verses to see what God has to say about pride and anger: James 1:20; James 4:6,10; Proverbs 13:10; Proverbs 14:17; Proverbs 16:18,32; Proverbs 22:24,25; and Proverbs 29:23.
- Everyone deals with pride and anger on some level, but if it seems to be a stronghold in your life, ask God to reveal the root cause.
- Do you suffer from self-hatred or a poor self-image?
- Did you grow up in a shame-based home?
- Were you criticized or expected to be perfect?
- Are you performance oriented? Do you hide behind your works?
- On some level do you believe God expects you to be perfect and that it is not okay to make mistakes?
- Have you suffered a tremendous injustice?
- Ask the Holy Spirit to expose any other contributing factors.
- If you answered yes to any of these, I encourage you to meditate on verses about God’s great love and acceptance of you—even when you fail. Ask God to heal your wounds. You don’t have to hide behind your performance with Him. He appreciates what you do, but He loves you because you are you.
Father, I repent of any pride or anger that I have given place to, for they are so opposite of the character of Christ. Since I am Your child, they have no place in me. There may be factors that have contributed to my tendency to be proud or angry, but I ask that Your love flush them out from the roots and heal any wounds in my soul. Help me to walk in Your love which is patient, kind, and doesn’t think more highly of itself than it ought. Heal anyone I have hurt, and love others through me. Amen.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Terry has served as senior associate minister of a thriving congregation for over 23 years with over 40 years of experience in local church ministry. He is currently the senior pastor of Impact Church in Sherwood, Arkansas. Terry has authored four books. On the bestselling list, these books have motivated thousands of Christians to stand with their leaders in faithful service, helping them to fulfill God's purpose for their lives.
Terry is the Founder and President of Focus on the Harvest, Inc. He's traveled extensively, awakening believers to this strategic generation. Through his God-given passion, believers are ignited to discover their gifts and callings, commit to the vision of their local church, and focus on the harvest of souls throughout their city, state, nation, and world.
Terry holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southwestern University, where he met his wife, Kim. They've been married for over 40 years and have three children; McCall, Alex, and McKenna.
In May 2008, Terry and Kim began Impact Church, a dynamic and growing, multicultural body of believers in Sherwood, AR. We believe that Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship. God loves each person individually. He desires everyone to know him personally.