CALEB CUNNINGHAM: GOD'S EMPOWERING CHARACTERISTICS

God’s Empowering Characteristics

God must really think a lot of young people. The most important decisions of your life will be made between the ages of 15-25! Marriage, Money, Mission, Master. Satan, however, would like to throw you off course. Hence, some of the most destructive temptations are aimed at youth.

Maybe that is why King Solomon, in all his inspired wisdom, wrote long ago, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). You see, religion (Christianity and the worship of God) is not something that God requires of adults (mom and dad) alone. God requires that all people, young and old, worship Him. As Psalm 148:12-13 says, “Both young men and virgins; old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord…”

The decisions that you make at an early age will affect the course of your life.
Timothy’s decision “from a youth”
2 Timothy 2:14-15 – You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Jehoiakim’s decision (became king at 25 years, did evil in the sight of the Lord, killed Uriah the prophet)
Jeremiah 22:21 - “I spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said, ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your practice from your youth, that you have not obeyed My voice.

The characteristics that God looks for in a younger person are empowering. God’s characteristics are the ones that equip you for life: too handle pressure and stress, to handle accomplishments and success. God’s way is the good way.

The temptations that the devil dangles before you are destructive in nature. Sins of the youth can set a path of heartache and failure. One sin can destroy much good (Ecclesiastes 9:18). The fact of the matter is that you may do good most of the time, but few bad acts can make your life odorous. “Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor” (Ecclesiastes 10:1).

So each of us has a choice to make. If you’re still in your youth, then you have more choices and bigger choices to make. What are you currently choosing?

The empowering characteristics of God will help you have a life of power instead of weakness. Instead of life happening to you, you will happen to life. You will not be passive, weak, and fearful, but proactive, strong, and confident.
Proverbs 28:1 – The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

To know God’s empowering characteristics of youth I want us to consider some example in the Bible. These men are considered heroes of the Bible and are worthy of our consideration.

1. Joseph – Faith

Joseph was a young man of faith. We know that he was just seventeen years of age when he was taken from home in the valley of Hebron (Gen. 37:14) and sold as a slave to the Ishmaelites (Gen. 37:25). The Midianites took Joseph to Egypt, a foreign land, and sold him to Pharaoh’s captain of the body guard, Potiphar (Gen. 37:36).
Things would get worse before they got better for Joseph. He was accused of attempted rape and thrown into an Egyptian prison where he would be forgotten about.

How Joseph able to make it through life’s difficulties? More so, how was Joseph able to not only survive life but be very successful in life? Joseph’s faith in God gave him the strength.

You see, Joseph had a dream given to him by God. And in this dream Joseph would become a great man. Joseph believed that dream. He believed that if he was faithful to God, then God would bring it to pass.
Genesis 39:2 – The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man.
Genesis 39:21 – The Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him…
Genesis 39:23 – The Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper.

And Joseph knew that every success he had was the result of God:
“It is not in me; god will give…a favorable answer” (Gen. 41:16).
“The matter is determined by God, and god will quickly bring it about” (Gen. 41:32).

Even Pharaoh would ask, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” (Gen. 41:38).

If you want to be empowered by God for life, then be like Joseph and have a strong faith in God.

2. Samuel – Holiness

Samuel had a complete and total life of holiness to God. He was given into service to God while still and child (1 Sam. 1:24).

He was stationed at the house of the Lord in Shiloh (1 Sam. 1:24). The Bible says about him, “’As long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.’” And he worshiped the Lord there.” (1 Sam. 1:28).

“The boy ministered to the Lord before Eli the priest.” (1 Sam. 2:12).

“Now the boy Samuel was growing in stature and in favor both with the Lord and with men.” (1 Sam. 2:26).

And so the Lord called Samuel. He had lived a holy life unto the Lord. He had kept himself pure from the sins of Israel. Though his counterparts, Hophni and Phinehas were “worthless men” and “did not know the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:12), Samuel had kept himself holy unto the Lord. Though Hophni and Phinehas were cheating and stealing from people (1 Sam. 2:13-17) and committing fornication (1 Sam. 2:22), Samuel did follow their example to do evil, but separated himself in holiness to God.

And when all the people of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, wanted to hear a word from God, then went to Samuel because he “was confirmed as a prophet to the Lord” (1 Sam. 3:20).

What about you? Have you lived a holy life unto God? A pure life that is kept far from sin?
Psalm 119:9 – How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.
2 Timothy 2:22 - Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Sameul was a successful man because he was a holy man. He had more authority, more power, than the kings of Israel. He was a holy man.

3. David – Courage & Strength

With youth comes courage and strength. Our Armed Services in America and throughout the world are made up of younger people because we know the courage and strength of youth.
Proverbs 20:29 – The glory of young men is their strength…

In order to do well in life, you must develop your courage and strength for the right purposes. If your courage is used to throw caution to the wind, to ignore consequences, and for sinful purposes, then it can destroy your life and soul. But if your courage is used appropriately, in the right time and the right place for the right purposes, then you will be empowered by God.

If your youthful strength is used to do evil, to ignore your bodies design for healthy living, then you will pay for it when you get older. The people who follow Satan’s destructive temptations will be weak and fearful most of their lives. This is the natural results of sin. Consider the what God told the Israelites who live sinful lives:
Leviticus 26:36 – I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf will chase them, and even when no one is pursuing they will flee as though from the sword, and they will fall.

But if your strength is used for God, then you will be considered blessed by everyone who knows you.
1 John 2:14 – I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

David was a man who was strong and courageous. He’d killed a bear and a lion in his youth (1 Sam. 17:36). He’s famous for defeating the mighty Philistine giant named Goliath. This David did before he was even old enough to enlist in the Lord’s army. He defeated the Philistines in several military campaigns.

None of David’s enemies were able to kill him: Goliath, Saul, the Philistines, Absolom. Though they all tried, they all failed.

With so many enemies how was David able to remain strong and courageous? Because David trusted and obeyed God:
Before fighting Goliath, David said, “The battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47).
“David was prospering in all his ways for the Lord was with him” (1 Samuel 18:14).

Does that mean that David was never afraid? That he never had moments of stress? Of course not. On one occasion when David and his men had joined up with the Philistine armies, the Amalekites maid a raid on their home in Ziklag and stole their possessions and took their wives and children and servants and they burned their city with fire.
1 Samuel 30:4 – Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.
“David was greatly distressed” and “the people were embittered” (1 Sam. 30:6).

The key to success in difficult times is found in the last sentence of 1 Samuel 30:6, “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” He chased down those Amalekites, rescued his family, and secured their possessions. And he took all that the Amalekites had stolen from the villages they raided and sent them as gifts to all the cities he stayed in.

It was said of King David and his band of brothers, “They are mighty men and they are fierce, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field” (2 Sam. 17:8).

Sometimes instead of being mighty and fierce soldiers of God, we can become weak people pleasers who follow the crowds to do evil. Instead of being strong and brave in the face of temptation and peer pressure, we often become weak and fearful.

Like David, let us strengthen ourselves in the Lord. David’s last words to his son Solomon are fitting for all of us today: “As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, ‘I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord you God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn…” (1 Kings 2:1-3).

4. Solomon – Humility, see his prayer for wisdom, not a “know it all”

Sometimes with youth, as with age, there is a temptation to be arrogant. To be a “know-it-all”. There is a tendency to think that mom and dad don’t know what they’re talking about. But Solomon, in his youth showed great humility.
“Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrified and burned incense on the high places” (1 Kings 3:3).

When God told Solomon in a dream to “Ask what you wish me to give you” (1 Kings 3:5), it wasn’t for something selfish that Solomon asked (e.g. wealth, power, possessions). Listen to his reply:
Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people Yours?” (1 Kings 3:7-9)

Solomon’s humility pleased the Lord so much that he gave his a wise heart, and both riches and honor, and a long life (1 Kings 3:10-14).
As James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

He was not like his arrogant and foolish son Rehoboam, who was given the choice: Listen to the advice of his elders or listen to the advice of his friends? Rehoboam thought his friends knew more than his elders so he listened to his young men (1 Kings 12).
As a result he lost more than half of his kingdom (1 Kings 12:20).
He did evil in the sight of the Lord and worshiped idols (1 Kings 14:22-23).
Male cultic prostitutes became the craze of the land (1 Kings 14:24).
Until finally Rehoboam lost everything to the king of Egypt (1 Kings 14:25-26)

All because he was arrogant and thought his peers knew more than his parents.
Psalm 1:8 – Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching…

Conclusion

As we have seen, there are a lot of life-shaping choices that God has given to you, especially the youth. What you decide today will influence how you live tomorrow. And it will ultimately be a deciding factor in where you spend eternity.

You can choose the destructive lifestyle of sin. Or you can choose the empowering characteristics of God. To me this is a no-brainer. Life on earth is too short and eternity is too long to make the wrong choice. So make the right choice.