Written by Bennie Mostert
Neither Dawid nor Moses was a flawless man, yet of both of them we read: “David the man of God… “ (Neh.12:24); “Moses the man of God…” (2 Chron.30:16). Moses committed murder (killing an Egyptian) and at one point he was so much filled with pride and anger, that God said he will not allow Moses to enter the Promised land. Dawid also committed murder and had an adulterous affair.
No man can be flawless. We are all humans. We make mistakes and we commit sin.
To be a man of God is something that happens in the heart of a person. The question is: What is in your heart? What is flowing from your heart?
Carefully consider the following Scriptures and test your heart.
A godly, divine presence.
1 Sam. 9:6 – But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honour; all that he says comes true.”
Samuel is called a man of God in this verse. Why did people see him as a man of God, and what was the result of that? In the days of Samuel, people who were priests were called “a man of God”. What made Samuel different? Why did his servant say to Saul they must go to “the man of God”?
Is this godly, divine (supernatural) presence that we see in the life of Samuel, also true of your life? Is it visible? Ask the Holy Spirit to change you into a man of God, into the image of Christ.
Would God approve of your words?
2 Kings 1:12 – But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
Ask God to make you increasingly a man of God through the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.
What did Elijah say was to be the test to know whether or not he is a man of God? What was the result of Elijah’s words?
Do you speak like a man of God? What are the content and results of your words? Do your words build up or are they destructive? Are your words a blessing to people or are they curses?
Would God approve of your words – what you say and how you say it?
What needs to change?
2 Kings 4:9 – And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I know that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way.”
Why did this woman say to her husband that she knew Elisha, the man who often visited them, was a man of God? Maybe because she observed the way he lived.
Will people who observe your life be able to come to the conclusion that you are a man of God? What do you think needs to change in your life to make this true of you?
Flee and pursue.
1 Timothy 6:11 – But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
There are two things that you will always see in the life of a man of God: Firstly, he will often run away from things that can defile him. A man of God will not fiddle with sin or try to be strong in the midst of sin. He will flee from sin and doubtful things. Secondly, as this passage indicates, there are certain things that a man of God should relentlessly pursue . Which things are you pursuing?
Which things are you running from? Which things are you pursuing? Only you will know, because it happens in your heart. Cleanse yourself from filth and pursue holiness and godliness.
Equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:17 – …that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
A man of God is someone who strives to be sufficiently equipped to do good works – are you making progress in that direction? Are you focused and deliberately equipping yourself to do good works? God will point out definite areas where you can help others if you ask him.
What good works are you doing? Taking stock of your efforts to do good, has nothing to do with being hypocritical. God says we need to be sufficiently equipped to do good works.
Humility and self-forgetfulness.
One more remark
Do not try to be a man of God so that you can be important or so that you can say that you are a man of God. It might bring you honour for a short while, but not to God. If you are truly a man of God, others will say it and the Holy Spirit will confirm it. Pray to be a man of God so that God may be glorified.
Two of the main secrets of being a man of God is a deeper growth into humility and self-forgetfulness.
