Growing Spiritually

BY Hoyle Dabbs

D.L. Moody said: “The world is yet to see what God can do and will do through a believer who is totally yielded to Him.”
Understanding the will of God in our lives is not nearly as complicated as many make it out to be. It is God's will all His children are completely sanctified and that our whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord and Savior.
Understanding spiritual growth comes easier when we understand natural laws and means of nuturing. A natural child comes into the world requiring food if they are to thrive and as babes they require proper nurturing if they are to grow in health and well being. The same principle is true with a born-again spiritual child of God.
Every born-again believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ as a newborn spiritual child in need of spiritual food if they are to thrive and spiritual nurturing for proper growth.
It is God's will every child of God grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Spiritual growth transcends the natural ushering in peace, victory, joy, fruitfulness, direction, and all the blessings of God as we grow in Him.
As we are growing spiritually we are gradually receiving Jesus as Lord over every part of our lives. This is a life long process and one which occurs line by line, step by step, precept by precept as we feed upon His Spirit and His Word.
Transformation of our natural life into alignment with our spiritual life is a process. Everyone of us enter the body of Christ while in the natural, yet sinners.
If spiritual purity is to be evidenced through natural behavior it is important to select friends carefully and renounce all associations with groups who do not confess Jesus as Lord and Savior and the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. It is true “bad” company corrupts good habits.
It is important we obey Christ's command and be baptized in water which is a public testimony of our new life in Christ. Many of us were baptized as children by our parent's decision. Water baptism comes after salvation. Any one who was baptized as a child need to examine their own conscience and determine for themselves if they need to be water baptized again.
It is important we read and meditate in the Word of God every day of our lives. As a natural new born baby requires to be fed, so does a new born spiritual babe. God's Word is Spirit and it is food. A child of God never comes to the place in this natural life where he no longer needs food, natural food or spiritual food.
It is important we pray. Some say daily, I say continuously. Prayer is conversation with God. In our communications with God it is important we remember to praise Him for who He is and thank Him for what He has done in our lives and in the lives of everyone we pray for. We need to bring our needs before Him in prayer. Not only our needs but the needs of others as well. We must listen for God voice and guidance. Prayer is conversation with God. A conversation is interactive communications. It is a two way exchange. Remember to have times of silence while praying. Waiting for and giving God time to speak is important.
When it seems God is not hearing we need to examine ourselves for any seed of unforgiveness, resentment, or bitterness toward anyone in us? If there is any found we must repent of it, ask for forgiveness, and be delivered from it. To be forgiven we must forgive.
Unforgiveness blocks spiritual maturity. Unforgiveness opens a door to self pity, bitterness, resentment, anger, hatred, depression, and many other things which are damaging to us spiritually, mentally, and physically.
Forgiveness is a decision just as repentance is a decision, a change of mind. We make a decision we are going to change (a change of thinking) then we put this change in action through faith in God and the help and support of His Holy Spirit.
It is important we surround ourselves with people who love God and honor His Word and His Holy Spirit. Regular fellowship with people of like faith and like mind is important to our spiritual growth and our witness.
All of us will face temptation. Temptation in itself is not a sin. Yielding to temptation is a sin. God will not allow anything come against us which He has not giving us the ability to overcome. Once again, it comes down to a decision. Will we believe God and choose His Way or will we surrender to the evil one and the ways of the world?
Unselfishness and free giving is a tenet of our faith. The Old Testament teaches us the first tenth of all our increase belongs to God. The New Testament teaches us all we have belongs to God. It is important we are generous and revel in doing good for others. After all, Jesus our Savior gave His all for us. How is our witness for Him? Is our witness only in word or is it in deed?
It is important we share our testimony. Growing in the things of God means becoming a bold witness for Jesus. It is impossible to adequately impress upon people the utmost importance of confessing with our mouth the Lord Jesus. Confessing with our mouth the Lord Jesus and all His goodness toward us builds us up in Him and leads others to Him.
Words are forever. We will never know during this lifetime how many we have helped lead to salvation through a simple act of kindness or a word proceeding from our mouth. God's Word is seed. In some the seed may germinate immediately, and in others it will germinate over time. Some plant, some water, but it is God who gives the increase.
A seed must be planted first. Let us all be busy in growing in our Lord Jesus as we are sowing the seed of God, which is the Word of God, in others.
Blessings to all,
Tch