In a world focused on career, fitness, and personal achievements, we often overlook the importance of becoming more like Jesus. What would it be like to move to the rhythms of His grace? Let me tell you about 5 things to never forget about spiritual growth.
I’m Trevor Lund, content creator for RevTrev.com and the founder of Live LIGHT Academy on LiveLIGHT.ca This is the Live LIGHT LIVECast.
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This comes from Ephesians 4:1-5:2
Learn more at Is Spiritual Growth on Your Vision Board? https://revtrev.com/living-light/is-spiritual-growth-on-your-vision-board/
There are 5 things you never want to forget about spiritual growth.
- Spiritual growth is a choice.
- Spiritual growth takes discipline.
- Spiritual growth requires community.
- Spiritual growth changes everything.
- Spiritual growth happens with habits.
Let’s unpack that shall we?
1. Spiritual growth is a choice
Ephesians 4:1-2 (MSG) I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere.
Spiritual growth is a choice. It’s possible to grow in the wrong direction…
a. The hearts of some grow dull – cf. Mt 13:15
b. The love of many grow cold – cf. Mt 24:12
c. There is the danger of growing weary in doing good – cf. Ga 6:9; 2 Th 3:13
d. There is possibility of growing corrupt according to deceitful lusts – cf. Ep 4:22
e. There are those who grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived – cf. 2 Ti 3:13
Joshua told the people:
Joshua 24:15 New International Version (NIV) if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
For some of us that’s a daily choice, until it becomes a habit.
For others of us there is a circumstance or problem that brings that choice to the forefront again.
But if we’re not growing, we’re backsliding. There is no stagnation in spirituality. We’re always moving towards God’s will for us or away from God’s will for us.
Are you ready to choose to grow more and more like Christ?
Am I ready to choose to become more like Jesus?
Never forget – spiritual growth is a choice
2. Spiritual growth takes discipline
Ephesians 4:3 (MSG) And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
1. Jesus said eternal life takes work – cf. Jn 6:27
2. Paul wrote that he was pressing on towards the goal to win the prize– cf. Ph 2:12; 3:13-14
3. Peter wrote that we needed to keep adding to faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. - cf. 2 Pe 1:5-11
But don’t forget…
WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR EFFORTS…
While we work out our salvation, God is at work in us – cf. Ph 2:12-13
He strengthens us by His Spirit in our inner being – cf. Ep 3:16
He empowers us with unimaginable power that is within us – cf. Ep 3:20
He provides the armour to stand strong in the power of His might – cf. Ep 6:10-11
We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us – cf. Ph 4:13
God will complete the good work He started – cf. Ph 1:6
Spiritual growth takes discipline…but God is on our side. We struggle with all His power working within us.
Am I ready to work with Holy Spirit to become more like Jesus?
Never forget – spiritual growth is a choice, it takes discipline and…
3. Spiritual growth requires community
Ephesians 4:4 (MSG) You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.
a. Together we get our meaning Romans 12:5
The Message (MSG) In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvellously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
b.Together we spur each other on. Hebrews 10:25
The Message (MSG) So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
c. Together we are encouraged 1 Thessalonians 5:11
The Message (MSG) So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.
d. Together we’re healed James 5:16
The Message (MSG) Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed.
e. Together we meet our need to contribute 1 Peter 4:10
The Message (MSG) Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!
f. Together we grow Ephesians 4:2
The Message (MSG) I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
We need each other for spiritual growth.
Am I willing to grow with others to become more and more like Jesus?
Never forget – spiritual growth is a choice, it takes discipline, requires community and…
4. Spiritual growth changes everything
Ephesians 4:23-24 (MSG) …everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
As we grow spiritually, everything changes. Let’s go through what we just read…
a. Spiritual growth changes our thoughts Eph 4:17
Let there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion. But that’s no life for you.
b. Spiritual growth changes our attitudes Eph 4:25
What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
c. Spiritual growth changes our actions Eph 4:26
Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
d. Spiritual growth changes our words Eph 4:29
Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
e.Spiritual growth changes our reactions Eph 4:30
Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.
f. Spiritual growth changes our desires Eph 5:1
Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us.
g. Spiritual growth changes our relationships Eph 5:2
Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
Spiritual growth changes everything. Some things change in an instant. Some times we need to live up to what we’ve already attained. The theological term for this is sanctification.
Am I becoming more and more like Jesus?
Never forget – spiritual growth is a choice, it takes discipline, requires community , it changes everything and…
5. Spiritual growth happens with habits 1 Timothy 4:7-8
MSG Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this.
Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
So what habits/disciplines/rhythms help you grow spiritually? Here’s some examples:
Thought – I want to grow spiritually
Action –
A. Bible Reading… 1 Peter 2:1-3
The Message (MSG) So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.
B. Prayer… Romans 12:12
The Message (MSG) Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
C. Singing… James 5:13
The Message (MSG) Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven—healed inside and out.
D. Praying in the Holy Spirit Jude 1:20
The Message (MSG) But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!
E. Meeting together… Hebrews 10:25
The Message (MSG) So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
If you don’t like “habits” think of them as rhythms. Remembering, Rest, Reflection, Connection, Dwelling, Abiding, Curiosity, Listening, Margin, Otherness, Awareness, Mindfulness…Whatever creates space for you to connect with your Creator, however that looks like for you in this season, is a rhythm/discipline, habit.
Do I make space for the disciples for spiritual growth?
The Challenge for Spiritual Growth
- Spiritual growth is a choice – I can grow to become more like Christ or I can let my love grow cold
- Spiritual growth takes discipline – but don’t forget it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
- Spiritual growth requires community – so let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and good deeds.
- Spiritual growth changes everything – so embrace a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
- Spiritual growth happens with habits – What habits or disciplines or rhythms are you going to make room for in your life so you can grow up mature and whole in God?
Start a new habit or appreciate an ongoing rhythm this year. It’s not about adding things to a busy schedule, but creating space to connect with your Creator. How will you create space to connect?
Next Steps
Blessing from the book
Are you needing encouragement? Are you needing a spark to never be lacking in zeal because you want to keep your spiritual fervour serving the Lord? Blessings from the Book are blessings that come from blessings, prayers and best-wishes from the Bible. Get them daily to remember His good thoughts towards you.
Carpe Vitae
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