The Character of God
The multifaceted nature of God’s character toward believers is often exploited by the enemy due to our insufficient understanding of who God truly is. This lack of clarity about His character can lead to confusion regarding the recognition of His voice, making it difficult to follow the scriptural directive to heed only the voice of the Lord. It is my sincere hope that the following information enriches your journey toward drawing closer to the Father!
1. Love: The Bible teaches that God is love (1 John 4:8), and His love for His people is unconditional and sacrificial. Christians are assured of God’s unfailing love, which is demonstrated through the sending of Jesus Christ to offer salvation. As well as ongoing care and provision for believers through the Holy Spirit.
2. Grace and Mercy: God’s character is also marked by His grace and mercy. Christians believe that God extends His grace—His unmerited favor and kindness—toward them, offering forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Additionally, God’s mercy is evident in His compassion and willingness to forgive sins and show compassion to those who seek Him even when we do not deserve it. Grace is unmarried favor of God towards us and mercy is not getting what we deserve in the negative.
3. Faithfulness: Throughout the Bible, God is shown as faithful and true to His promises even when it takes time. God has a long standing history of working things through for our good and as Christians can rely on God’s steadfastness and trustworthiness. We can know that He remains constant and does not change due to our sin or any circumstance. This faithfulness is a source of comfort and assurance for us Gods children.
4. Compassion and Comfort: Throughout scripture God shows Himself to be compassionate and comforting for His people working all things for good even from the things that seem like no good can come from them. Look at Christs death on the cross for example. In times of struggle, grief, or difficulty, Christians can experience Gods comfort and compassion these intimate experiences provide strength and reassurance.
5. Just and Righteous: God’s character is also characterized by His justice and righteousness. As Christians, we believe that God is just and fair, and that He upholds moral order and truth adn personally embodies all these qualities perfectly. This gives us confidence that God will ultimately bring justice and make all things right not only for the human race but personally. The scriptures show this as a reality time and time again, this is what the believer should never give up hope in Him.
6. Fatherly Care: God is proven to be a loving and caring Father to His children in scripture. Because of this Christians have a strong reason to truly believe that God takes a personal interest in their lives, provides for their needs, and offers guidance and protection.
7. Sovereignty: Christians have every reason to believe in the sovereignty of God, because the Bible is riddled with evidence of it. Christians can have great confidence when acknowledging His absolute authority and control over all things. This understanding brings a tenderness to the relationship with Him because we can rest in HIs security and trust in God’s overarching plan for our lives and for the world.
8. Patience: God is patient and long-suffering with His people, providing them with opportunities for repentance, growth, and transformation. He invites His people to partner with Him in their sanctification journey, a journey that requires patience from the Lord and in HIs demonstration of His patient with His believers they learn to give it to others.(2 Peter 3:9; Romans 2:4).
9. Wisdom: God is infinitely wise, and Christians believe that they can trust in His wisdom, seeking His guidance and understanding in all aspects of life trusting that He is going to freely give it (Romans 11:33; James 1:5).
10. Provider: Christians believe that God is their ultimate provider, meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs according to His riches and generosity. We can have great confidence that He is going to meet our needs and that He has unlimited resources. Believing we are loved is a key aspect of us receiving His provision. (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:26-33).
11. Healer: God is known as a healer, offering spiritual and emotional restoration, as well as physical healing according to His will and purpose. Gods people and even those seeking Him receive healing as a means to show them His great love for them. Part of Christs death on the cross was to heal us, He wants us to get everything He paid for and that includes healing! (Exodus 15:26; Psalm 103:3).
12. Helper: The triune God, Father Son and Holy Spirit provides everything we need in life and christians can have confidence that when Christ ascended God sent His Holy Spirit who is our helper that lives inside of us. But also God is the God of Heaven Armies and He sends us back ups in our need. God and all His forces are present to help in times of trouble, offering strength, support, and comfort to His people (Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 13:6).
13. Teacher: Christians see that God sent Jesus to fill many rolls but one of His main rolls was as teacher so we can have great confidence that it is Gods desire to teach us and lead us through that teaching. Throughout scripture and today, God provides guidance and instruction to His people, teaching them His ways and revealing His truth through His Word and the Holy Spirit (Psalm 32:8; John 14:26).
14. Redeemer: Christians see Gods heart for redemption form the first book of the Bible. He demonstrated an immediate action plan to redeem nd cover the sins of people. Later this plan fully unfolded as Christ died for our sins and redeemed us form the curse of the law. God though Jesus is the redeemer of His people, offering freedom from sin and the promise of eternal life through the atoning work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Scriptures read during DJWJ session:
1. Love:
– “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
– “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
2. Grace and Mercy:
– “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)
– “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
3. Faithfulness:
– “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” (Deuteronomy 7:9)
– “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
4. Compassion and Comfort:
– “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
– “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13)
5. Just and Righteous:
– “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.” (Psalm 145:17)
– “For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.” (Psalm 11:7)
6. Fatherly Care:
– “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)
– “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.'” (Romans 8:15)
7. Sovereignty:
– “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11)
– “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” (Psalm 115:3)
8. Patience:
– “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter
9. Wisdom:
– “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)
– “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33)
10. Provider:
– “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
– “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
11. Healer:
– “He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.'” (Exodus 15:26)
– “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” (Jeremiah 17:14)
12. Helper:
– “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
– “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
13. Teacher:
– “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” (Psalm 32:8)
– “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
14. Redeemer:
– “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)
– “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)