REAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).
Every one of us was born into this world by someone, isn’t that right? You came in as a baby, but from the moment you were born, you were a complete human being. However, you had to grow to become an adult. You didn’t grow to become “more human” but to become mature. And as you matured, you gained wisdom, understanding, and the ability to do the things that human beings do, better than when they’re children.
It’s the same thing spiritually. When you were born again, you were born with the nature of God. You didn’t become “more like God” over time; you were born in His image and in His likeness; you were born to look like Him and to function like Him from the very moment of your spiritual birth. You were born of the Word of God and by the Spirit of God, possessing His divine nature from day one. But then you must grow to spiritual maturity.
Spiritual growth enables you to manifest the fullness of the God-life in you. The more spiritually mature you are, the more effectively you can fulfil God’s plan for your life and operate in His power. This is why, at times, some Christians don’t see the results they desire despite their efforts; certain spiritual responsibilities and manifestations require growth to be sustained.
Some things may happen randomly, but they may not last because they require your spiritual maturity to make them permanent. It’s the reason we’re admonished to “… grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:18). Ephesians 4:15 instructs us to “…grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”
As you feed on the Word and mature spiritually, you’ll walk in the fullness of God’s purpose for your life and produce lasting results in the Kingdom. So, grow in the Word and the knowledge of God and be diligent in prayer and fellowship with the Spirit. 1 Peter 2:2 says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.”
To grow spiritually and mature in the Word, you must not only study it but also act on it: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). It’s the Word that you do that remains in you. Simply memorizing Scriptures will not lead to maturity. Real growth comes from doing the Word—living it out in your daily life.
PRAYER
Dear Father, thank you for imparting your divine nature to me at the New Birth. I commit to growing in the knowledge of your Word and walking in the Spirit every day. I walk in the full blessing of the Gospel, fulfilling your purpose for my life, as I grow in Christ, in and by the Word, consistent in fellowshipping with the Spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Hebrews 5:12-14, Ephesians 4:11-16
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: John 1:19-51, 2 Samuel 18-19
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Mark 7:24-37, Numbers 7
