Growth:
.. improving oneself spiritually…
The manner of increasing, developing is what is referred to as growing. As a human species it’s only normal that we grow physically and mentally, emphasis is most time placed on physical growth but very less emphasis on our spiritual growth.
Today we will deviate from the path of the majority and look at ways in which we can improve our spiritual lives.
There’s “baby Christian” and there is “mature Christian”.
Baby Christians are those who just got saved, come to the Lord, fresh in their faith and are young believers who are just learning how to walk with Christ.
Being mature in Christ is being conformed to His image, and therefore it is walking as He walked.
As we have received Christ, so let us walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as we have been taught, abounding in thanksgiving (Col. 2:6–7).
You might know where you belong and you might not but that doesn’t matter here because spiritual growth is centered around Christ mainly, being spiritually mature is focusing on Christ and praying that God conforms you into the image of Christ.
If we are familiar enough with our Bible, we will know that the main reason Christians are called Christians is because they are ‘Followers of Christ” “Their behavior and heart reflects Jesus Christ”.
Now can you say you are a Christian if your lifestyle contradicts Christ’s lifestyle when he was on earth.?
According to Truth Applied, there are five stages of Spiritual growth,
Stage 1: The Seeker
In stage 1 a person is spiritually dead, meaning that he or she has not been born again. This stage is characterized by the word unbelief.
God’s Word says that each person starts out in life “dead in [their] trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). This means we are separated from God and will experience an eternal death away from God unless we believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.
A spiritually dead person needs a healthy relationship with a maturing believer – a picture of the real Jesus lived out in front of them – an explanation of the gospel message, and an invitation to receive Christ.
Even though this person is not a believer, they still are seeking answers to life’s greatest questions: Why am I here? What happens after death? If there is a God, why does he let bad things happen to good people?
Stage 2: The Believer
After a Seeker receives Christ and is born again, he or she immediately enters stage 2: spiritual infancy. God’s Word calls them “infants” (1 Pet. 2:2) and “babies” (1 Cor. 3:1).
Spiritual infants know something has changed and are usually excited about telling others about it. However, in many ways they tend to make messes. They are characterized by the word ignorance.
They may know many things, but they are ignorant of how to live out this new life as a follower of Christ. Some of the things a spiritual infant needs are individual attention from a mature believer (spiritual parent, see below), an explanation of the basic truths found in the Word of God, and both an explanation and modeling of the habits of a growing believer.
Step 3: The Learner
As they grow, the Believer (spiritual infants) move into stage 3: the spiritual child.
Throughout the Bible we see comments that refer to this childlike spiritual stage (1 John 2:12; 1 Cor. 13:11). Jim Putman describes this stage well: “They can be excited about their faith, and in many ways, they are innocent and cute. However, they still act childishly and are often rebellious and self-centered in many ways.
Spiritual children tend to do what they should only when they are rewarded or threatened with some kind of punishment. They may do the right thing, but it’s usually to avoid an outcome they dislike or to get something they want.”
Some of the needs of a spiritual child, in order to help them continue to grow, are both instruction and modeling as to how to feed themselves, who they are in Christ, how to have fellowship with Christ and other believers, and about appropriate expectations concerning other believers.
Stage 4: The Served
As a Learner (spiritual children) grows up, they mature into the spiritual young adult stage – the Server (1 John 2:13).
At this stage the believer has a decent grasp of God’s Word and he/she is action/service-oriented, zealous, God-centered, and mission-minded, but they don’t often think in terms of reproducing disciples. They have a great desire to serve, help, bless, and make their life count. They want to make an impact and be used.
Some of the needs a spiritual young adult requires in order to move to the next stage are a place to learn to serve, a spiritual parent who will debrief them about ministry experiences, ongoing relationships that offer encouragement and accountability, guidance regarding appropriate expectations of people they will serve, and help in identifying their gifts and skills for ministry.
Stage 5: The Leader
In this final stage of spiritual development, we become spiritually mature enough to reproduce disciples – we become spiritual parents – the Leader (1 Cor. 4:15, 17; 1 Thess. 2:11; 1 John 2:13-14).
The difference between a spiritual young adult and a spiritual parent is that the spiritual parent thinks about how to help others grow through the stages in order for the other believers to reach spiritual parenthood while the young adult simply thinks of blessing others without any consideration of helping others grow through the stages.
As a spiritual parent you want to lead someone to Christ or help new believers develop in their maturity. You are intentional and strategic about this process. Some of the needs of a spiritual parent are an ongoing relationship with co-laborers, a church family, and encouragement.”
To grow spiritually:
Humble yourself and pray-
Prayer is more than reciting words. It’s a chance for you to have a conversation with God. You can pray at any time throughout the day, but you may want to consider starting your day off in prayer.
When you open your eyes in the morning and turn off your alarm, thank God for another day. Thank Him for your family, friends, your home and transportation, your work, and any other blessings.
Read and Study Your Bible
Think of your Bible as a handbook. There is more about how to live your life within the pages than you may realize. Books like Proverbs and the letters to the churches (such as Ephesians and Philippians) teach you how to live the Christian life. The Bible is full of life lessons.
If you can, try to delve deeply into a particular book, either through a group Bible study class or online so you can glean some nuggets of truth. This will also make clearer how this truth applies to your life.
Join a Group of Like-Minded Believers
The fellowship is important, not only for your sense of belonging and acceptance but also for your spiritual growth as a Christian.
Whether it’s a local church group, a Bible study class in someone’s home, or an online group, you can find like-minded believers to share thoughts and testimonies.
There is a saying that you become like the five people you choose to hang around. Choose people who are strong in their relationship with God and who can help your spiritual growth as a Christian.
Do for Others
Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” in Matthew 7:12 (New King James Version).
Do unto others. We’ve heard the command, but how often do we follow it? And how can serving others bring you closer to God?
However, this doesn’t mean you need to keep your arms in the fire if you are the victim of abuse. You can forgive others and still distance yourself from toxic relationships.
If you need help, please consider speaking with a Christian Counselor who can point you toward living a Christian life with healthy relationships.
Seek Out Your Spiritual Gifts
The Bible mentions that each Christian has been given spiritual gifts. Did you know this can mean more than just physical healing and speaking in tongues? Those are two of the primary gifts mentioned in the Bible.
You have also been given discernment, wisdom, faith, knowledge and the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. Some of the gifts have to do with your calling. You have the ability to strengthen these skills with certain activities.
If you are aware of the spiritual gifts that God has given you, you can focus on aligning those with your purpose and serving others as a means of strengthening your relationship with God.
