Two Extremes

Pastor Jason Armold

• Revelation is of no value without the wisdom
and character to live it out.
• In the area of confronting intimidation, two
extremes that will throw a believer’s life out of
balance:
– Pursuing power
– False humility
 The Pursuit of Power
• Our pursuit should be a godly character.
• The life of Timothy: 2 Timothy 1:5-6 when I
call to remembrance the genuine faith that is
in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother
Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am
persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind
you to stir up the gift of God which is in you
through the laying on of my hands.
• Timothy’s faith was genuine. His heart was
pure. Philippians 2:19-22  But I trust in the Lord
Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also
may be encouraged when I know your state. For
I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely
care for your state. For all seek their own, not
the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you
know his proven character, that as a son with
his father he served with me in the gospel.
• Integrity is the foundation of Character
• The measure of a man’s character is what he
would do if he would never be found out.
• Integrity: meaning whole, complete entire.
• The Christian definition of integrity and the
world’s definition of integrity cannot co-exist.
The concept of integrity is that of basing one’s
actions on a consistent framework of principles.
• A Christian’s working definition of integrity – wholeness of
character, an uncompromising adherence to a code of
values, and consistency of word and deed; honesty without
compromise or corruption based squarely on the inerrant
Word of God.
• Our actions and thoughts are based on the Word of God,
giving us a framework (the Bible), and principles (given to
us in the Word of God).
• Psalm 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
         For I wait for You.
 Integrity is Disciplined Behavior
• Every day we make choices – what to do and how to
live. Our lives must reflect that we are governed by
a code of absolutes that we will not violate.
• “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose
for yourselves this day whom you will serve,
whether the gods which your fathers served that
were on the other side of the River, or the gods of
the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for
me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua
24:15
• But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn
back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will
go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people
shall be my people, and your God, my God.” Ruth 1:16

• We are what we choose, and behavior is a result of

choice.
• We must make an intellectual-emotional-spiritual
decision to function in a way that glorifies Christ and
brings the highest productivity to our lives.
 Integrity is Determined Behavior
• The key to integrity is to determine a sense of inner
directedness that does not yield to the pressures of the
age: that identifies with the highest rather than the
lowest; the best rather than the worst; the ideal rather
than the average; the excellent rather than the mediocre.
• It reaches for the deepest resources in Christ, stands up,
and says, “I’m taking charge of my behavior, I’m not going
to bend to the temptations and frustrations of the world.”
• “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am
not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am
persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to
Him until that Day.” 2 Timothy 1:12
Integrity is Demonstrated Behavior
• Integrity is a lifestyle characterized by the
indwelling of God’s Word.
It means having your act together and
exemplifying Jesus’ life in every circumstance.
“But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of
God is perfected in him. By this we know that
we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him
ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”
1 John 2:5-6
• The proof of our behavior is in the morality we
demonstrate.
• We must talk like Jesus, but more importantly we
must ACT like Him! In acting like Him, we demonstrate
His love.
• Timothy learned the secret of integrity with power.
This is extremely important as we go into battle with
the spirit of intimidation.
• As we pursue a godly character, we pursue God
Himself and the enemy cannot intimidate us.
 Confrontation
• Recognize the importance of pursuing God’s
character but stop there.
• Never venturing out into God’s gifting in their
lives because they are afraid.
• Avoid anything that involves confrontation,
perceiving it as a lack of love or Christian
character.
• “Peacekeepers” – Jesus never said “blessed are
the peacekeepers.”
• Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
• A peacekeeper avoids confrontation at any cost.
He will go to any length to preserve a false
sense of security for himself, which he mistakes
for peace.
• A peacemaker, on the other hand, will boldly
confront no matter what it may cost him
because he does not worry about himself.
• Motivated by love for God and the Truth. Only
under these conditions can true peace thrive.
• Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not
eating and drinking, but righteousness and
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• Peace does not come by lack of confrontation.
• Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the
Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven
suffers violence, and the violent take it by
force.
• There is violent opposition to the
advancement of God’s Kingdom.
• You can’t ignore it, it won’t go away!
• Jude 1:3  Beloved, while I was very diligent to
write to you concerning our common salvation, I
found it necessary to write to you exhorting you
to contend earnestly for the faith which was
once for all delivered to the saints.
• We can’t sit back and hope for the best.
Contend means to fight or wage battle.
Christianity is not an easy lifestyle!
• 2 Timothy 2:3-4 You therefore must endure hardship
as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in
warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life,
that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
• We are engaged in warfare. We must have a soldiers
attitude.
• Don’t back down from evil, overcome it with God’s
grace.
• Fear of confrontation makes you easy prey for
intimidation.