RECIPE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Imagine having a child born to you and for
years, with much expectations, you observe the child being stagnant in its
physical appearance, definitely you won’t be happy as a parent. We all need to
grow.
Would you like to spend years in the same standard without the
expected promotion, despite the yield investments put on you by your parents
and yet you see your colleagues making commensurate progress; definitely you
would be very unhappy a person. Above
all your folks won’t be much glad either. Same goes for our heavenly father who
had had to invest much in us. Think of His grace,
He wants us to progress in all that we do and particularly, in our relationship
with Him.
Today’s blog open our eyes to this validated desire of Him and here
are some of the things we need for a steady growth spiritually
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Progressand
growth are desirable in all spheres of life. We always feel concerned whenever
there is no growth. When a child does not grow, parents always feel sorrowful
and want to do everything possible to make him grow. When students do not make
progress, teachers and parents are concerned. We are sad when we do not see
progress and growth in important areas of life. The spiritual growth of each of
us is the desire of the Lord. If there is no growth in our lives, we will not
bring joy to the Lord neither will we bring honour to His Holy name. This is
why you should know the recipe (ingredients) to spiritual growth.
1. REASONS FOR SPIRITUAL STAGNANCY
Hebrews
5:12, 13; 1Corinthians 3:1-3; Matthew 26:58; Luke 18:34; Ephesians 4:14.
‘ I KNOEW THE THOUGHTS I HAVRE TOWARDS YOU, THEY ARE THOUGHT OF
GOOD AND NOT OF EVI, TO GIVE YOU AN EXPECTED END AND OF A HOPE’
Paul,
the apostle, was concerned about the spiritual state of the Hebrew and
Corinthian Christians. He worried that they were spiritually stagnant; they
were not making spiritual progress. Though he laboured much in the Lord on
them, he was very disappointed with their slow spiritual progress. For some believers
today, it is the same story of stagnant spiritual state. Stagnant water often
stinks. Likewise, a stagnant believer eventually backslides. What does it mean
to be stagnant? To be stagnant means to be at a standstill, to experience no
growth at all.
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The
following are the reasons for spiritual stagnancy:
i.
Lack
of regular quiet time.
ii.
Missing
fellowship meetings.
iii.
Prayerlessness.
iv.
Lack
of personal Bible study.
v.
Coldness
towards evangelism.
vi.
Lack
of zeal towards spiritual things.
vii.
Close
intimacy with unbelieving youths.
"Achieving success in life depends solely on the plan of
God for us .We must depend on Him in order for the growth to come in all areas
of our lives"
2. RECIPE
FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Deuteronomy
1:6-8; Hebrews 6:1; 1 Peter 2:1, 2; 2 Peter1:5, 6; Job 17:9; Psalm 84:7;
1Timothy
4:15.
We need
to make progress. The Lord is saying,
“ye have dwelt long enough in this mount. Turn you and take your journey.”
If you have been in a particular spiritual state for too long, it is time to make
spiritual progress. Without spiritual progress one will be disappointed: “Therefore leaving the principles of the
doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God”
(Hebrews 6:1). Spiritual growth demands change. We need to have qualitative
growth in our life. There is the need to lay aside things hindering us from
spiritual growth, things making us to deteriorate rather than progress. When we
make progress, it will be evident in us and to everyone who knows us. To make
spiritual progress, therefore, there are steps you need to take:
i. You
should desire and thirst spiritual growth and greater spiritual height. You must
be dissatisfied with your present spiritual state;
ii.
Feed
regularly on God’s word;
iii.
Pray
regularly with emphasis on spiritual things;
iv.
Surrender
your time, talent and all you have to the Lord;
v.
Fellowship
constantly with fellow believers;
vi.
Separate
yourself from things that hinder spiritual growth (e.g. corrupting home videos,
useless chatting, immoral literature, pornography etc.);
vii.
Get
involved in preaching the gospel;
viii.
Constantly
aim for the higher ground.
3. RESULTS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH
1
Thessalonians 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Ephesians 4:15; 1 John 2:14; Hebrew
5:13, 14.
What
are the things we will see in our lives when spiritual growth has begun to take
place? One of the signs is greater love for God and people around us. We need
to “… grow up into Him (Jesus Christ)
in all things…” Discernment is part
of spiritual growth. When we are growing spiritually, we know the things that
are good for our spiritual life and things that are not. We are able to choose
what is right and shun what is evil. Spiritual growth like physical growth cannot
be hidden. Some results of spiritual growth are as follows:
(i)
More
love for the things of God and for God Himself;
(ii)
Growing
faith;
(iii)
Better
fellowship with the Lord and the brethren;
(iv)
More
submission and obedience to the word of God;
(v)
Greater
zeal for the Lord and concern for the lost;
(vi)
Hatred
for sin or any appearance of evil;
(vii)
Greater
understanding of God, His word, and His ways;
(viii)
Brighter
hope and greater expectation for the Coming of the Lord.
****** (W.F KUMUYI)
Interactive Session Put these to practice and e-email us or send your comment on this write-up.
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