How to be a man of God: Core Biblical Instructions for Becoming a Man of God Summary: The Biblical Pattern When the Bible describes a man of God, the consistent pattern is: Faith in God and Christ Repentance and spiritual rebirth Obedience to God's commandments Love for God and others Righteous character Life guided by Scripture Prayer and faith Walking in the Spirit These are the core biblical foundations of becoming a man of God. 1. Fear God and Keep His Commandments Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” 2. Believe in Jesus Christ John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” 3. Repent of Sin Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…” 4. Be Born Again John 3:3 “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 5. Love God Above Everything Matthew 22:37 “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” 6. Love Others Matthew 22:39 “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” 7. Seek God First Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” 8. Walk in the Spirit Galatians 5:16 “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” 9. Display the Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…” 10. Pursue Righteous Character (Directly Addressed to the “Man of God”) 1 Timothy 6:11 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” 11. Be Equipped by Scripture 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 12. Pray Continually 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.” 13. Be Strong and Courageous Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and of a good courage… for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” 14. Practice Humility Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good… to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” 15. Live by Faith Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” The phrase “man of God” appears many times in the King James Bible, mostly referring to prophets such as Moses, Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha, and later to faithful servants of God. Below is a comprehensive list of the places where the phrase appears, with the verse text (KJV) including the phrase. Old Testament Occurrences In the Life of Moses Deuteronomy 33:1 “And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.” Early Historical Books Joshua 14:6 “…Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.” 1 Samuel 2:27 “And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD…” 1 Samuel 9:6 “Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man…” 1 Samuel 9:7 “…the man of God: what have we to bring the man?” 1 Samuel 9:8 “…I will give to the man of God, to tell us our way.” 1 Samuel 9:10 “Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.” Kings (Many References) 1 Kings 12:22 “But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God…” 1 Kings 13:1 “…there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD…” 1 Kings 13:4 “…Lay hold on him. And his hand… dried up…” 1 Kings 13:5 “…according to the sign which the man of God had given…” 1 Kings 13:6 “…Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God… And the man of God besought the LORD…” 1 Kings 13:7 “…Come home with me… and I will give thee a reward.” 1 Kings 13:8 “And the man of God said unto the king…” 1 Kings 13:11 “…the works that the man of God had done…” 1 Kings 13:12 “…Which way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went…” 1 Kings 13:14 “…Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah?” 1 Kings 13:21 “…Thus saith the LORD unto the man of God…” 1 Kings 13:26 “…It is the man of God, who was disobedient…” 1 Kings 17:18 “…O thou man of God, art thou come unto me…” 1 Kings 17:24 “…Now by this I know that thou art a man of God…” 1 Kings 20:28 “And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel…” 1 Kings 20:35 “And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said… in the word of the LORD…” 2 Kings (Especially about Elisha) 2 Kings 4:7 “Then she came and told the man of God…” 2 Kings 4:9 “…I perceive that this is an holy man of God…” 2 Kings 4:16 “And he said, About this season… thou shalt embrace a son…” 2 Kings 4:21 “…laid him on the bed of the man of God…” 2 Kings 4:22 “…run, I pray thee, to the man of God…” 2 Kings 4:25 “…she came unto the man of God to mount Carmel…” 2 Kings 4:27 “…the mother of the child came and fell at his feet…” 2 Kings 4:40 “…O thou man of God, there is death in the pot.” 2 Kings 4:42 “…gave unto the man of God, bread of the firstfruits…” 2 Kings 5:8 “…let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 2 Kings 5:14 “…according to the saying of the man of God…” 2 Kings 5:15 “…Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth…” 2 Kings 5:20 “…Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God…” 2 Kings 6:6 “And the man of God said, Where fell it?” 2 Kings 6:9 “And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel…” 2 Kings 6:10 “…according to the saying of the man of God…” 2 Kings 6:15 “…Alas, my master! how shall we do?” 2 Kings 7:2 “…Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven…” 2 Kings 7:17 “…as the man of God had said…” 2 Kings 7:18 “…as the man of God had spoken…” 2 Kings 7:19 “…answered the man of God…” 2 Kings 8:2 “…according to the saying of the man of God…” 2 Kings 8:4 “…tell me… all the great things that Elisha hath done.” 2 Kings 8:7 “…the man of God is come hither.” 2 Kings 8:8 “…Go, meet the man of God…” 2 Kings 8:11 “…the man of God wept.” 2 Kings 13:19 “And the man of God was wroth with him…” 2 Kings 23:16 “…according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed…” 2 Kings 23:17 “…the sepulchre of the man of God…” Chronicles 1 Chronicles 23:14 “Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.” 2 Chronicles 8:14 “…according to the order of David his father…” 2 Chronicles 11:2 “…Shemaiah the man of God…” 2 Chronicles 25:7 “But there came a man of God to him…” 2 Chronicles 25:9 “…the army of Israel… what shall we do?” 2 Chronicles 30:16 “…according to the law of Moses the man of God…” Nehemiah Nehemiah 12:24 “…according to the commandment of David the man of God.” Nehemiah 12:36 “…with the musical instruments of David the man of God…” Psalms Psalms 90 (title) “A Prayer of Moses the man of God.” New Testament Instructions for Christian Leaders 1 Timothy 6:11 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”