When I was a young child, I wanted to be the man of the house. When my dad traveled he would “leave” me in charge. But you know as well as I do that just because I was “left” in charge, my 6 year old state was not going to harm anyone who would try and enter nor even probably stop them. But I was a “man” in my own eyes.

I see a lot of that. Just because you are chronologically “man age” or even have moments of being a man, being that man requires more than just words. One of those issues is the issue of character. I am not going to devote a lot of time to the word character other than to say this, when I speak of “good” character I am speaking of the traits that emulate God through His spirit.

There is a lot of things that do not emulate or replicate God’s character. Some might be strife, dissimulation or hatred.

As a prophetic voice I have seen the gifts do powerful things, especially in the area of prophecy. A prophetic word can change a life, open a door or move a nation. Misused through manipulation and deception it can do terrible damage.

The gift of prophecy is not sign of great character. Character is! Just because someone can perform miracles and see lives past, present and future does not give them character.

I think about this a lot. Last night while in a dream a man named Jared appeared to me. In Bible reference it means “he who descended” or “he who ruled”.  He asked me to let others know that character was to be strongly important in the coming days. To not allow people to get caught up in the miracle, but to also see the man. (I am not talking about not giving credit to Jesus.)

In my local church, we are a team. We walk together. There are many who do not think they fit on a team or in a building but just to walk about and “do the stuff” but the dream indicated to seek character as well. Godly character.

Maturity is the result of time. So is character and up bringing tied in with true understanding.

I sense we have just moved into a season that I will describe as “need to know”.  We need to know!

The second part of the dream was the instruction to not just give stuff and build dependence in the people on man. I am not talking about money though that could be part of it. Jared told me to equip above all else. I thought that was interesting. He indicated that we are once again seeing a people who are turning to reliance on man and not on God. A people who expect others to pray or prophesy or heal. They love “fish” but desire not to “fish”.

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

The desire of many leaders is to be the soul fisherman(No pun intended.) rather than lead others to learn to fish. The other side is the desire to have others fish for you. It is a character issue to cause others to be dependent on you. It is a character issue to “work” to maintain one’s dependence.

We are in a new season. One where maturity is being called forth and character to shine.

In the scriptures Jared was the second oldest man in age. I think the employment of wisdom is found in this.

One can not mature faster than the input of the Father, but one can work the steps of maturity in the day we call “now”. My 6 year old grandson can walk in maturity for a 6 year old an surpass others. He can develop a walk that creates and nurtures good character.

Let us not miss the “wow’s” of God nor let us turn from the need to walk in the dimension grace has provided for. We need both.