Now, you may have already figured this out, but your spiritual growth is not just about you. The evidence that you are mature will be the offspring you produce. A father is someone with children. If you are spiritually mature, you will have spiritual children.
It’s impossible to keep a growing life hidden for very long, because life by its very nature wants to express itself. So it is with our spiritual life and growth. As you grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, your growth will manifest itself first to you and then to others. God will increasingly make Himself real to you, and your joy will be full as you come to know God in the intimacy of mature fellowship.
My prayer for you is that you will grow into such close communion of heart and mind with God that whenever you hear or read His Word, it will have your name on it. And when you pray, your spirit will discern the Spirit of God revealing the mind and heart of God to you. Intimacy breeds communication. The Holy Spirit speaks another language from the inside, even though He may use external things to deliver it to the inside.
If you want to know God, then everything you do must have that as its driving goal. In the meantime, you have to go through the childhood and adolescent stages, and you may be a little wobbly and unsure at times. But that’s when you have to go to the Word and say, “Lord, this is what You say and what I want to do. But I need You to make it real to me, because I need it deep down right now.”
Remember that how quickly and solidly you grow depends on how hungry you are for growth. Therefore, your passion must be to increase your hunger for God. The formula for spiritual growth is simple: Rate multiplied by time equals distance. The diligence with which you use your time to pursue God will determine the speed at which you arrive at your destination of maturity.
Wherever you are on your journey with Christ, the best place to start growing is right where you are. You can’t go back to yesterday, but today is a brand-new day to draw close to the Lord and hear from Him.
Reflect: Which area of this study has impacted you the most?
Reflect: What overall changes have you made as a result?
Reflect: How will you encourage another Christian in their growth?
Reflect: Write a prayer to summarize what you have learned and asking God to help you to apply this knowledge to your life.
For His Kingdom,
Tony Evans
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the opportunity to grow spiritually in You. Thank You that You have given me a brand new day that I can use to seek You and know You more. Help me to be diligent as I continue my walk with Jesus. In Christ's name, Amen.
