Understanding Integrity

Integrity is probably the most abused Christian virtue in this generation. This is so bad that in every 10 people, you hardly even find just one person of integrity.

It's now so difficult to find someone you can trust and unreservedly depend on. Everybody's selfishly looking out for his or her own interest only.

So you find all forms of compromising fake people everywhere.
The most devastating of all is the fact that you find more of this kind of people amongst Christians.

What is integrity?
It is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.

What does it mean to have integrity?
Having integrity means that you live in accordance to your deepest values, you're honest with everyone, and you always keep your word.

Integrity is a highly valued trait, especially in leaders.
When you live with integrity, you're more likely to be considered for important promotions and leadership positions.
I've come across uncountable numbers of people, who are without integrity - People you cannot even hold by their WORDS.
God seeks to raise an army of men and women with reputable integrity in this generation.

Attributes of integrity
1. Gracious - kind and warmly courteous
2. Respectful
3. Honest - Integrity requires honesty
4. Trustworthy - dependable and a person of your word
5. Hardworking
6. Responsible
7. Helpful
8. Patient
9. Sincere

Biblical example of integrity
#Job

1. God publicly boasted about Job because of his integrity

Job  2:3  "And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his *integrity*, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."

- No matter how advance the vocabulary of your Spiritual tongues, or anointing, if you're without integrity, you are NOTHING to God.
- Do you wonder how that Job, who wasn't a pastor or prophet (Just a businessman), was the ONLY person in the whole Bible that God boasted to the devil about??
- Integrity means so much to God folks!!!

2. Job didn't mind being alone, so long his integrity was intact

Job  2:
9. Thensaid his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

10. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

- Job called his wife a foolish woman, and didn't care if she left or stayed with him
- How many people can place integrity above family relationships today?
- Some people even compromise to impress their parents or spouses
- My Spiritual Father; David Ibiyeomie once said something very inspiring - "Do u know that in the whole Bible, only JOB married ONE wife?"
- No wonder he was the ONLY one God boasted to the devil about.

3. Job preferred death than compromise his integrity

Job 27:5 .....till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

- Integrity is a very serious matter!
- You cannot afford to sleep and wake up everyday in a fake and dishonest lifestyle
- Some of us, very little disappointments makes us become reckless and without integrity
- I've seen fake people who speak in tongues more than anything else
- Come on, that's not Christianity!
- Let people know you for exactly who you're!
- And who should you be?? A Person of integrity!!!

Traits of integrity
1. Authentic: Authentic people are humble, approachable and genuine, but the opposite is the case for fake people
- Once you've got any form of a fake life, you don't have integrity, simple!

2. People of integrity know that other people's Time Has Value.
- In other words, value for time is a very important trait of integrity.

3. People of integrity know how to appreciate and acknowledge others

- Knowing when to say something nice in acknowledgement of someone's good deeds says a lot

4. Humility
- Proud people are not people of integrity
- Pride has a way of making you display traits of someone without integrity

5. Quick to apologize and accept one's wrong

- People who don't have integrity always have an excuse to make for their actions and inactions, even when there are wrong

6. Integrity will make one unable to side with lies and wrong deeds

- If you are comfortable around deception and wrong associations, you most definitely do not have integrity

NB;
- You need Integrity to succeed as a Christian
- Your limitation hitherto might just be that compromising attitude you have
- Anything acquired by fraudulent and deceptive ways will never add value to you, neither will it last
- The lack of integrity will always embarrass you at some point
- But integrity will naturally open doors of blessings and favours to you
- Because once people discover that you are honest, dependable, trustworthy and sincere, nothing will be to big for them to give you