Your Spiritual Growth

[Chad]

Your Spiritual Growth

By Dr. Charles Stanley

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-4,17-18, 23-24

I. Introduction: Salvation is just the beginning of a relationship with God. After coming to faith in Christ, a person should develop a deeper friendship with the Father, learn more spiritual truth, and begin to serve the Lord. No matter how long a believer has been saved, his or her life should be characterized by spiritual growth.

II. The Request

Our petition: On a regular basis, we should ask the Lord to examine our lives (Ps. 139:1-4, 23-24) and reveal His perspective (Ps. 139:17-18). God will show us relationships that aren’t right, areas where we are no longer growing, and distractions that hinder our walk with Him.

Our motivation: Our determination to obey the Father can be strengthened when we understand the consequences of sinful choices (Ps. 139:19-22).

Our assurance of God’s response: The Lord desires to reveal our weaknesses so that we will walk more righteously (Job 23:10).

III. The Requirements

Humility: We need both a willingness to look within and the light of the Holy Spirit to reveal positive and negative aspects of our character.

Honesty: The Spirit of God shows us the truth about ourselves (1 Cor. 2:10-11). When He brings something to the surface, don’t rationalize your sin or make excuses for your behavior.

Patience: In kindness, the Lord reveals our wrong attitudes and actions little by little. Just as it took decades for you to become an adult, it will take time to grow spiritually.

Courage: You will never become the person God wants you to be until you ask Him to examine your heart. You may look healthy on the outside, but harboring sin will destroy your peace and joy.

IV. The Reasons We Resist Examination

Fear of learning the truth about ourselves: It can be frightening when God reveals our sin. Dr. Stanley had to ask forgiveness for his attitude toward his stepfather, who had been an abusive husband.

Fear of what the Lord may require: Don’t refuse to listen to God’s instructions, or you will limit your spiritual growth. The Lord will strengthen you and help you obey Him (John 15:4-5).

V. The Rewards

Removal of spiritual blockages: Tell the Father, “Lord, search me. Reveal my heart and show me how to obey You.” He will be faithful to disclose what hinders your walk with Him.

Greater intimacy with God: When your conscience is clear, you will experience a closer friendship with the Lord.

Deeper fulfillment: Not only will your relationship with God be healthy, but He will also prompt you to set things right with other people. You will experience more peace, contentment, and joy.

Increased priority of time with God: Those who allow the Father to examine their hearts will make room in their schedules for studying the Scriptures and praying.

Renewed energy: Worry, resentment, fear, and other ungodly attitudes drain our energy. When we become spiritually healthy, serving God is a joy instead of a duty.

Spiritual freedom: Some people go through life blaming unhappiness on other individuals, society, or circumstances. But God can show you how to be joyful and forgiving, regardless of your situation.

VI. Conclusion: Maybe your spiritual growth has stagnated. Or perhaps you simply want to make sure your heart is clear before the Father. In either case, pray as King David did: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Ps. 139:23-24). The Holy Spirit will reveal what impedes your walk with God and show you the way to freedom. Let today be the start of a fresh, new season of spiritual growth.

 

[B-A-C]

Growing in Christ. Spiritual maturity.

Jesus' work on the cross is finished. But just because we have salvation, does that mean God doesn't want us to grow in him?
John 19:30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

But maybe his work in us is on-going?
Php 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Php 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
Php 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Php 3:11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Php 3:12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

In 1 John 2. John is talking about Christian maturity, not physical age.
He mentions children, young men, and fathers. Then he goes on to say how he determines which one you are.
1 Jn 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake.
1 Jn 2:13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father.
1 Jn 2:14 I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
1Jn 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.

Paul also mentions spiritual maturity.
1 Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
1 Cor 3:2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
1 Cor 3:3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

Does God want us to mature in him, or stay children?
Eph 4:15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
2 Pet 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

1 Cor 14:20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Are you a spiritual child, young adult, or father (mother)?
Are you growing in Christ and Spiritual maturity?

 

[RawScot]

Jesus work is finished, salvation is done, the question is: do we dare to say we are saved? I know i can say that the Lord has shown Himself to me and it was the day i was born again. I walked out the RCC and into a protestant church, my testimony is a strong one and has nothing to do with me but has everything to do with how the Lord can wreck and rebuild, I pray that He never finishes because once the pot has been built the potter has no need for the clay. I always want to be the clay. It is sanctification that is an ongoing process where we become apart in it through obedience to which I fal a lotof times a day.

R