Garwood Presbyterian Church

Your Character Is the Key

Exodus 33:7-11, Joshua 1:6-11, Galatians 5:22-25

1. The #1 Ingredient to Becoming a Great Leader Is Character
   1. Because that is who you are, and whether people want to be around you.
   2. Because your character determines how you relate to people and whether they want you to be their leader.
2. The Key to Your Character Is Your Relationship With the Lord
   1. If you are a Christian, you have a tremendous advantage in becoming a great leader because you have God's Spirit within you helping you to improve your character.
   2. If you are a Christian, you also will follow God's Word, which will help you improve your character and leadership ability.
3. Joshua as a Great Godly Leader
   1. Joshua had a very close relationship to God. See Exodus 33:7-11 and Numbers 27:18.
   2. Therefore, Joshua trusted God when He told him to lead His people into the Promised Land. See Joshua 1:6-11. Joshua went on to being Israel's leader until he died.
   3. We also see in Joshua 1:6-11 how the Word of God will make us a successful leader.
   4. We also see in Joshua 1:6-11 the first of four key character qualities that one must have in order to become a great leader - confidence and a positive attitude.
      1. Joshua gained this from his relationship with God & the encouragement God gave him.
      2. We can also be confident and have a positive attitude from our relationship with God and the encouragement He gives us. See "Who I Am" and read it and believe it.
4. The Other Three Key Character Qualities to Becoming a Great Leader
   1. All three can be found in Galatians 5:22-25 as part of the result of God's Spirit working in our life as a Christian.
      1. Therefore, they can be developed in our life, and we can become a better leader.

   2. Galatians 5:22-25Secular Concept

      LoveCaring

      FaithfulnessReliable and Trustworthy

      Gentleness = HumblenessLearn-Ability

   3. The joy mentioned in Galatians 5:22-25 would also be a great quality in a leader.
   4. The peace mentioned in Galatians 5:22-25 would be another great quality in a leader.
   5. So, if you have this fruit of the Spirit in you as a Christian, you will be a better leader.
5. Love as a Leadership Quality
   1. Research shows that the best bosses care about their people and let them know this.
6. Faithfullness = Reliability as a Leadership Quality
   1. Research shows that a leader must be reliable and trustworthy.
      1. If they are not, they will never be accepted as a leader.
   2. Since reliability is the same spiritual quality as faithfulness, it can be developed as part of the fruit of the Spirit by Christians.
7. Learn-Ability as a Leadership Quality
   1. This means that you admit your mistakes, learn from them, and become a better leader because of them, instead of defending yourself, making excuses, and blaming others.
   2. This is the Biblical quality of repentance that comes from humility, which is the same Greek word for gentleness in Galatians 5:22-25, and, therefore can also be developed.

Conclusion: As a Christian, you have every advantage of developing the #1 quality of character that lays the foundation for you becoming a great leader.