Is “this is just my personality” true for a disciple of Jesus? Here is the difference between your personality and discipleship – and how personality tests fit in.
(Acts 17:11: Please learn to do your own Bible studies like this one – here.)
My Personality and Being a Disciple of Jesus
The difference between your personality and discipleship according to the 4 gospels and Jesus’ truth and identity for every Christian (Galatians 2:20, Luke 14:33).
And in that mix, what about the many personality tests found out there – also in the Christian world?
First, Before We Really Get Started
A good foundational question to ask yourself is: Have I had a mentor – a master who, like Jesus, in a healthy, powerful, wise, and fruit bearing way showed and is still showing me how to heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead and lead people to faith, prophesy, baptize people in the Holy Spirit and baptize people in water – one on one in small settings, larger settings, and huge settings?
And what if that mentor said – follow me, imitate me, and they even literally laid down their life for you to save you out of their love for you – and said: you must do the same to save others, die to yourself and comfort and preferences?
If not – then, that is what the 12 Apostles and the 70 “others” had. And that helps us break free of self-imposed limitations – or even demonically imposed limitations. I encourage you to seek such a mentor or mentors – and know that you are, yourself, called to be such a mentor for others.
You already have One Mentor, who is not just your mentor, but your Master and God – your intimate Lover, and very best Friend. We must always, first, follow Him – and Him alone – first.
Second – Deliverance
Even though you have been a Christian for a while, have you personally gone through a full deliverance session with experienced anointed, Holy Spirit led deliverance ministers?
If not – then there could be demons hiding (they love to and try to hide), who are influencing you in your thoughts, trying to limit you, take your boldness away, take your true identity in Christ away. They steal, lie, destroy, accuse, shame, limit, diminish, tempt, degrade you and Christ in you.
Third – 100% Responsibility
Have you discovered that you are 100% personally responsible for everything you do and say and how you respond to everything? Have you taken 100% ownership of you, your sin, your choices, your words, your actions? You have free will – so own how you spend your time, what you say, what you do.
We only have one life. We don’t get back the time we have used. Will you make choices to change and bear eternal fruit? Realize that the Bible says that we will be judged for every empty word we speak (Jesus said that – not me).
God wants us to bear much fruit to the glory of the Father and we will be rewarded for all that we have done that is 100% built on Jesus. LET’s GO!
Fourth – and Most Importantly of All
Do you have a strong stable personal devotional life with Daddyo?
Having that sets you free (read my story of quality time with God here). Do you spend quality time truly hanging out as best friends with your Best Friend – Daddy – the Friend of Friends – intimately, deeply, knowing, seeking Him, getting tasks for the day and your life directly from Him?
Fifth – Becoming a Jesus Disciple
Have you become a Jesus disciple? Is He your one and only true and final Master? Have you given up everything for Him? Have you laid everything down at the cross – and picked up the cross – like Him – as He has commanded?
Have you heard, read, and understood all He has given you – who you ARE in Him? Have you integrated that into your thinking?
Have you taken authority over your thoughts and the deception and temptation filth of demons trying to say to you: “Has God really said?” – and have you identified with the truths of God – taking every thought captive that rises itself against the liberating truth of God?
Now – When the Foundation Is Laid
Now – when all that is done – the foundation is laid – we can look at this: What is your full blown true personality – completely free to be who you fully were created to be in and through Christ – led by the Holy Spirit?
We must realize we are very bound by – strongly influenced by our upbringing, our mentors of parents, pastors, friends, family, and culture around us.
We must realize that Christian discipleship is about becoming LIKE JESUS – and breaking free of the limitations of who we are now into the freedom and fruitfulness and love of who Jesus is in us!
What some get wrong is when we think: “This is my personality!” – but actually, the reality and truth is, we are ruled by many limitations, hesitations, fears, failures, past, shame, condemnation, self-doubt, fear of what others will think (the fear of man that Jesus continually fiercely warned about – see these Bible verses about the fear of man and my teaching on the fear of God versus the fear of man), doubt in God and God’s Word – things that are sinful and demonic because they are contrary to our free identity in Christ and our freed personality in Christ.
What we need to do is not to say: “This is my personality”. Honestly, the devil wants us to believe that. What we need to do is to repent. Jesus came and His first sentence in His first sermon was: REPENT – the Kingdom is near (Matthew 4:17).
Repentance means: To turn from sin to Jesus. Turn from lies to the liberating, freeing true truth of the Word of God.
Having read and implemented and submitted to all of the above: What is your personality in Christ – for all – and what is your uniqueness from other humans?
Having understood and acted on: All is under Christ and in Christ. You have completely surrendered everything, every preference, every idea, every body part, every second, every desire, every area of your life: finance, sexuality, relationship, priority, every preference, every personality trait, career opportunity, every opportunity, every word, every choice, every [opportunity] to serve Jesus, to be under the authority of the Word of God, the Bible.
Then you have understood: In Christ you are bold, whole, free, loved, full of faith, called to take action, called to bear much fruit, blessed – not cursed, you are fully accepted, enabled, and strong. You are enabled, you rule and reign in life, you face the world with faith, trust, strength, wisdom, truth, justice, wisdom, love, grace, humility, and fire.
Many great articles are written about our true new identity in Christ being born again children of God – adopted into His family. First, read what the Bible says:
- Bible verses about our identity in Christ (Bible Study Tools)
- Our identity in Christ – topical verses (OpenBible.info)
Then there are some YouTube teachings by Kevin Zadai:
And some articles:
Remember This Scripture
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36
What, Then, Is a Personality?
Who are you then – fully in and under Christ = not limited and kept under sin, shame, the past, failures, fear, etc.?
A great question is: Is a personality permanent – for life? No – we are jars of clay. We can change. We can be transformed – if we are willing. We can go from limitations to freedom. We can go from fear to faith. We can go from shame to freedom.
We can go from sin to holiness. We can go from now being used by God to work miracles – to learning it and doing it. We can go from not seeing people around us truly repent and get transformed to seeing that happen.
We can grow and get larger, we can grow in wisdom, humility, faith, boldness and understanding. Our personality is thus not permanent and in stone forever – and THANK GOD FOR THAT!
What is part of your uniqueness – your true personality – knowing all these things are influenced by the brokenness, fallenness, sin, broken people, your sin, and demons of this world?
- Your look – in Christ – in Heaven
- Your DNA – in Christ – in Heaven
- Your actual choice of will and decisions
- Your past experiences (which must come under Christ and our identity in Him)
- Your understanding and insight (which should be growing in Christ)
- The tone of your voice
- Your present mind, will, and emotions
- Your focus and whom you choose to love
- Your time, space, and influence in this world
- Your relationships (God, friends, family, colleagues etc.)
- The specific in time and space and the supernatural direction of the Holy Spirit for you, in you, through you
- The overall call of God over your life (which always includes to do the work of the ministry of the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher) – and which always includes to become more like Jesus in every way – but which might include being an evangelist – so to also specialize in that.
Is “your personality” your everlasting unchanging god – broken and influenced by the devil – or is God and the truth of what He says, desires and says you can be and do?
So, in Conclusion
What we need is to go into a deep process of repentance, humility, and life transformation at the deepest level of your self identity. Here we must discover and integrate into our thinking and actions:
- What is our identity in Christ?
- Do we say no to things Jesus is saying yes to and commanding us to do?
- Then change it thereby truly becoming the person and living in the personality that Jesus created us for. And it will lead us to be free to bear the fruit and see the results that Jesus commanded us all to do.
This Is Good News!
Let’s do this!
Important Postscript About the Use of Personality Tests
If we do not teach and believe and act on and teach all to teach all of the above – personality tests end up merely confirming us in negative patterns of behavior, which, if analyzed, need to die, and we need to repent of them if they do not reflect the fullness and the flexibility of Christ Jesus – to act and react correctly in a given situation.
I have developed a different kind of personality and gifts of the Spirit test: personality and gifts of the Spirit test (Word doc).
And here you can begin to see if you are a 5-fold gift: 5-fold ministry gifts (Word doc).
Also see: Are all supernatural power gifts of the Holy Spirit for everyone?
To read positive life changing and selfish life breaking teaching – see All Bible Studies of Peter Skov of Action Christianity. Let God lead you to what to engage with first.
And here is my YouTube course on the very minimum foundations of normal discipleship.
