· He builds his home on the Bible.
· He quietly rears his children in honesty and godliness.
· He pays his debts as promptly as possible.
· He supports his family.
· He stands upon strong convictions.
· He faithfully worships God in his church.
· He serves God in the marketplace.
· He helps his neighbors.

HE PRAYS GOOD PRAYERS DAILY.

· Lord, make me a loving husband.
· Lord, make me a godly father.
· Lord, make me a faithful churchman.
· Lord, make me a good example in the marketplace.
· Lord, make me a faithful citizen.
· Lord, use me as your witness and servant.

HE IS WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE.
Too many people never really comprehend the price that is exacted from those who follow the Nazarene. To call Jesus "Lord" implies that He has the headship of your life, that you are committed as a bondslave to Him. We should not make that kind of commitment lightly.

· Never ashamed of Christ.
· Treats little people like big people.
· Prays over his meals publicly.
· Never compromises his testimony.
· He would rather fight than switch.

HE REFUSES TO BE A QUITTER.
God never called anyone to be a quitter. The word retreat should not be in the Christian's vocabulary. The only way is upward and onward for the Lord; and if you are not moving upward and onward, you are backsliding.

In that hour when you have a crisis experience with God, and you decide once and forever that you will follow Him, material considerations will never enter your thoughts. When that kind of a commitment is made, you must deny yourself, die to self, take up your cross, and follow Him. The spiritual man never gives up. He does not faint. While others falter, stop, lick their wounds, cry, and wallow in self-pity, he keeps on trusting God, not allowing Satan to get him sidetracked. God is looking for men and women who will say, "We can; we must; we will!"


HE KNOWS HE IS BEING WATCHED.
Without question, we as Christians are under surveillance.
Hebrews 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

HE DOESN’T LIVE IN THE PAST.
Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
In order to persevere in serving God successfully, you must forget those failures which are behind you.

HE REFUSES TO ACCEPT DEFEAT AND FAILURE.
Proverbs 24:16, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
The person who wins the battle is the one who is knocked down nine times but gets up every time. He is the one who will not accept defeat, who will never learn to sound retreat, who will never turn back. He continually goes upward and onward, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against him.

HE IS NOT ALWAYS THE MOST TALENTED.
It is not the super-talented who turn this world upside down; it is the super-dedicated. You have been given a Divine mandate, and God will always enable you to do what He commands you to do. The command is to give the Gospel to everyone in the world. God will make it possible for us to reach the world if we will be obedient to the light He has given us and walk through the doors He has opened.


HE IS ALWAYS FOCUSED ON HIS CALLING.
If God's servant will see nothing but the goal line, will accept nothing but victory, will pay any price, will suffer any hurt and hardship, and will refuse to be discouraged or disheartened, he or she will win; because they are charged with the power of God's Holy Spirit.


HE IS NOT AFRAID OF OPPOSITION.
I Corinthians 16:9, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”
There are many wide open doors, but there are also many adversaries. God has not called us to popularity, or to rate high in the polls. God has called us to be faithful, to preach His truth, His Gospel, whatever the cost may be. God fills with His Spirit those who learn how to fast and pray, who seek His face, and who receive renewal from Him.


HE WILL MAINTAIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER.
I think the most important thing in a Christian's life is to stay in the spiritual position where he can be used of God. If you are not being used of God, you are missing the delight of your life.

If you live long enough as a Christian, you will be disappointed by a lot of people you held in high regard. You will be mistreated; things will go wrong for you. Your little world will collapse around you a few times; many things will bring you discouragement. The only way to keep on living without losing your zeal and your vibrant, glowing testimony is to have a personal, daily renewed relationship with Christ through His Word and through prayer.

The difference between mediocrity and greatness in God's vineyard is always vision.

If we attempt great things for God and expect great things from God, God will make great things happen.

HE WILL REJECT DISCOURAGEMENT.
When you are discouraged you are of no value to God, to your family, to your employer, to society, or to yourself. You do not determine a man's greatness by his talent or by his wealth as the world does, but rather by
what it takes to discourage him.

HE IS ALWAYS A REALIST.
1. He knows that the Christian life is often painful and difficult.

Spurgeon said "God is too good to be unkind, too wise to be mistaken, and when you cannot trace His hand, you can always trust His heart."

Churchill said “Success in life is often nothing more than going from one failure to the next with undiminished enthusiasm”.

2. He never allows age to be a hindrance, whether young or old.

3. He avoids mental weariness.

4. He refuses physical weariness.

5. He understands that financial pressures are ever with us.

6. He learns to live under emotional control while circumstances are seemingly out of control.

7. He is unflappable. He maintains stability in crises.

8. He knows how to stand alone. Robert Murray McCheyne said "What a man is, he is alone on his knees before God, and no more".

9. He knows that prolonged darkness is debilitating.

HE LIVES WITH ETERNITY IN VIEW.
Paul, outside Jesus Himself, was the greatest man
of God ever on this earth. We all know his life
story with his trials, physical sufferings, and
strong discipline. At the end of his life he said,

II Timothy 4:7-8, “I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them that love his appearing.”