When did you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? How long have you been saved? Are you a new believer or someone who was born again as a little child? Regardless of your spiritual age in years, spiritual maturity is measured differently. Many Christians think that when they have been saved for a few decades they will then be mature followers of Christ. However, spiritual maturity is not measured in longevity. Believers often think that growth just “happens” in the Christian life. They surmise that because they have changed their appearance and attend church they are growing. But the Bible teaches us that true growth occurs from the inside out – not the other way around!
Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, God longs for us to grow in grace. The goal of spiritual growth is not to become a better version of self by keeping Biblical rules for a higher spiritual standing. No, this would be self-righteousness – essentially stunting true spiritual growth. God longs for us to be like Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 4 that he worked discipling the Christian there until Christ was formed in them. This is the desire of the Lord for every believer.
What are the characteristics of Christ? They are the result of the control of the Holy Spirit as described in Galatians 5. It is also called the fruit of the Spirit. These characteristics cannot be emulated in human strength and effort. They are not external deeds that we pharisaically add to our personalities and actions. No, they are the result of the Holy Spirit working in us and changing us into the likeness of Christ. How does this happen? What must I do to begin growing spiritually? God’s Word gives us direction. Begin with these 6 steps to grow in grace now.
Time to Grow!
Steps to Grow in Grace
G – Give your life to Christ and yield control to Him. Romans 12:1
Your salvation is your beginning point for spiritual growth. However, God doesn’t want you to stay a spiritual baby. Once you have accepted Christ, the Bible tells us in Romans 12:1 that we are to present ourselves to the Lord. When you were saved, the Holy Spirit came to reside in you. He is the One who will guide us into all truth and help us grow. Daily yield your life to Him and allow Him to change you into the image of Jesus Christ!
R – Recognize any sin in your life and deal with it. I John 1:9
What is sin? It is any thought, word or deed that goes again the truths found in the Bible.We have to be constantly looking for and identifying sin in our lives and purge it so it doesn’t block our growth as Christians. Take time to evaluate your own walk. Are there any glaring sins that are messing things up? Has the Lord brought anything to your mind? Take the truth of I John 1:9 and confess them to the Lord and deal with any sin. Don’t let anything handicap your spiritual growth!
O – Overcome spiritual apathy. Hebrews 5:12-14
Sometimes in our lives it is easy to be indifferent to many things. How often do we say, “I’ll start my diet tomorrow.” – “I’ll exercise tomorrow.” – “I’ll clean that up tomorrow.” – “Next week I’ll take care of that.” I suppose it’s human nature and we’ve all done it. But unfortunately, the same is true spiritually. When we put off our Bible reading or our time in prayer with the Lord, we are sacrificing our spiritual growth. When we look at the spiritual things we are supposed to do and the way that God calls for us to live and we are indifferent or have a “whatever” attitude we are hurting ourselves. We forfeit the development of strength and nourishment we so desperately need for spiritual growth. Complacency is the enemy of spiritual growth.
W – Work out a plan for spiritual growth. I Peter 2:1-2
Spiritual growth needs to be a desire of the heart. We must decide that we want to grow spiritually and then go after it! It’s a decision we have to make for ourselves. Understand that spiritual growth is not becoming a better version of ourselves. Spiritual growth is become like Christ. The Apostle Paul said that our growth is so that Christ is “formed in us.”
There are many tools that we can use to help us grow.
– Decide to get the Bible in our lives in whatever way possible. Read it for yourself. Listen to it on CD or on your smart phone.
– Set aside a time each day to pray. Start the day in prayer before you even get up from the bed.
– Read good Christian books & listen to solid preaching and Christian music.
– Work on memorizing God’s Word and put it into practice.
– Be faithful.
Maybe you’re already doing these things. If so, then take and next step and double your efforts! Life only gets better when we decide to grow!
T – Take time for church & fellowship with Christians. Hebrews 10:24-25
It’s so easy to put church on the “optional” list of the things we must do. We often think it unnecessary to go to church, but rather that it’s just a nice thing to do or a “good thing.” But God says it’s necessary – not only do we need it for ourselves, but others need us, too.
H – Have a lifelong commitment to your spiritual growth. II Peter 3:17-18
It takes long-term commitment and goals to become spiritually mature. The Holy Spirit longs to make us into Christ’s image and grow us so that spiritual fruit will begin to grow in our lives. We cannot just add the actions of the fruit of the Spirit. He changes us and causes those characteristics to grow in us and we then life our lives. It takes time. There will be pruning out the negative and fertilizing with the truth of God’s Word. As the living waters of the Holy Spirit flow into your life. These elements begin to preform the miracle of spiritual growth.
II Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”