Character Studies
Andrew Wommack – Charis Bible College IN
Test Review/Class Recap
Lesson 1 – The Life of Moses (Part 1)
Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness by his own choice. It was not God’s plan for Moses to spend those years in the wilderness. The Lord had prophesized to Abram in Genesis 15:13 that his descendants will be strangers in a land and will serve and be afflicted 400 years.
Because of Moses’ prematurity, it cost the Israelites an addition 30 years of bondage and Moses 40 years in the wilderness. See Exodus 12:40.
MINISTERS: It is not enough to simply know God’s plan, but it is as equally as important to know God’s timing.
Moses knew that God was going to use him before the burning bush experience. It was in the 390th year (premature), that Moses killed the Egyptian to try to bring the deliverance to pass. Moses’ disobedience (too much confidence in himself) cause Israel 30 years of extra bondage.
MINISTERS NOTES:
1) We can’t always see the outcome of our decisions.
2) We can do more with less time if we do it God’s way.
3) It takes time to prepare the person for ministry. For example: It took David 13 years of preparation, Paul 14 years of preparation, Joseph 22 years of preparation, Moses 40 years of preparation (Moses could have been prepared in 10 years).
Lesson 2 – The Life of Moses (Part 2)
Exodus 4 - Moses carried a rod that symbolized his life.
God ordered Moses to pick up the snake by its tail. God had a purpose for telling Moses to pick up the serpent by the tail because he wanted to see if Moses would do things God’s way and to see if he would do anything the Lord asked. This was Moses’ wilderness final exam: Moses proved his total submission to God. Moses was no longer in control of himself.
Exodus 4:17 - “The rod of God” represents God’s authority and power.
MINISTERS: We are only usable when we come to the end of ourselves. Ministers must perfectly balance of myself I can do nothing (John 15:5), but having the “rod of God” and using it as He instructs: I have His power and I have His ability.
Numbers 20 – The Lord dealt very harshly with Moses when he hit the rock to bring forth water instead of speaking to it as head had been instructed because the Lord saw Moses’ “self-will” manifesting again and He had to subdue it.
Moses lost his dependency on God! Previously Moses’ “self-will” caused the Israelites 30 additional years in bondage. God judge Moses to keep him from costing Israel more time in the desert.
MINISTERS NOTES:
1) God WILL get His people where He needs them to be.
2) We will never get over (to a place) where our flesh is NOT a factor!
Lesson 3 – The Life of Abraham (Part 1)
Genesis 12:1-8 - Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran and headed into the land of Canaan. God commands Abram to leave. Abram partially obedient because he takes family member Lot with him.
Genesis 12:9-20 - Abraham lies to Pharoah about wife Sarah. Pharoah is plagued even though Abraham is wrong. God works based upon covenant.
Genesis 13 - Abraham and Lot separate. Abraham allowed Lot to pick the land of his choice because he knew he was blessed. The promise of God is revealed in steps, as you obey, the promise becomes clearer.
Genesis 14 - Abraham defeated the kings with 318 men to help out Lot. Abraham gave all the spoils back to the King of Sodom because Abraham wanted no man to be able to say he made Abraham rich. Abraham completely trusted in God's provision.
MINISTER NOTES:
1) You don't have to be perfect for God to use you (Abram partial obedience, lied about Sarah).
2) God's love for us is independent of our action (God loves the sinner). God loves us because of our faith; God is a respecter of faith.
3) Keeping it balanced: Our blessings is not tied to our good works, but taking the blessing for granted gives Satan inroads.
Lesson 4 – The Life of Abraham (Part 2)
Romans 4:16-22 - Abraham was 100 years old when Romans 4:19 speaks of him being strong in faith. We don't have a faith problem, we have an unbelief problem. Abraham staggered not at the problem through unbelief. Abraham was not a man of great faith, as much as he was a small man of unbelief.
Faith and unbelief both come from hearing. When we are fully persuaded, we can't be talked out of it.
Abraham never wavered in his faith from the time God called him until the time he saw God’s promise of a son come to pass. Your focus on God determines your results. It is hard to believe God when you consider the circumstances. Whatever you ponder, consider, think upon you will become softened to; whatever you don't ponder, consider, think upon, you will become hard to.
Abraham had two sons Ishmael and Isaac. Isaac was the promised son.
Abraham never quit meditating on the promise even after Isaac arrived. Abraham had no doubt when told to offer Isaac.
Hebrews 11:19 speaks about Abraham taking the promised son to Mt. Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice. Abraham was thinking that God would raise Isaac from the dead not that God would provide the lamb in the thicket for the sacrifice. The most important factor in Abraham’s strong faith was that he was focused and he was single minded on God’s promise.
Lesson 5 – The Life of Joseph (Part 1)
Genesis 37 - Joseph spoke his dream at age 17 to his brothers. Joseph's mistake was that of immaturity. Genesis 39 - Joseph sold again to Potiphar. Genesis 39:2 speaks of Joseph being a prosperous, successful man even though Joseph was in the house of his master the Egyptian (a naked slave on the auction block).
MINISTERS: We have to see ourselves prosperous even though we might be currently naked.
Genesis 39:8,9 Joseph did not commit adultery with Potiphar's wife because of his personal relationship with God; Joseph had a fear of God.
MINISTERS: Please note: Joseph never defends himself; he had total dependence on God. Joseph was faithful and put in jail for it.
Lesson 6 – The Life of Joseph (Part 2)
Genesis 37 - Joseph was put in prison and God was with him.
Everyone faces trials; God is still with you no matter what your current circumstances look like.
What you do in hard times will determine the level of success in good times.
Nothing from without can stop you; Only what is from within can hinder you.
Brighten up the corner where you are, Joseph changed the atmosphere of the prison. He thought it was weird to see sad people in the prison. Genesis 40:7
Joseph by age:
At age 17 - Joseph had his dream
At age 30 - Joseph was made ruler (prime minister) over Egypt
At age 39 - Joseph revealed himself to his brothers / his brothers finally bow to him.
MINISTERS: Please note: Joseph had the authority to make his brothers bow but he waited nine years for God's timing.
The greatest test of your relationship with God is prosperity.
Lesson 7 – The Life of David (Part 1)
Saul, according to I Samuel 13:13, was God’s first choice to have an eternal kingdom over Israel. David, God's second choice ended up having an eternal kingdom over Israel.
MINISTERS: Even if we are not the heir apparent, God can use us mightily (stay with God).
David accepted responsibility for his own actions (Psalms 51:4). Saul blamed others. Blaming others is a leadership killer.
Lesson 8 – The Life of David (Part 2)
David was a God pleaser, not a man pleaser. Saul compromised based upon people. Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare.
David evaluated a big opportunity/cause base upon covenant. I Samuel 17:36, David refers to Goliath as "this uncircumcised Philistine" because David evaluated the situation through God's word not according to the flesh. Goliath did NOT have a covenant with God as David did.
David’s foundation of faith had already been established in smaller events (God had help him). David experienced God's help when he killed the lion and a bear on the back side of the desert when the wild animals tried to steal his father's sheep.
The number one reason why people are not able to kill the Goliath's in their life is because they have NOT proven God in the smaller tests of life or they have NOT been faithful in the smaller things when no is watching.
Goliath midgets wait until the big challenges come (and the world's watching), but they have NOT been faithful in small thing first.