GROW INTO CHRIST (PART 2 OF 2)

28th MAY 2022

“So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.  But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head – Ephesians 4:14-15

To grow spiritually is to be free from ignorance, false teachings and apathetic disposition regarding the things of God. In any event, spiritual growth is a personal journey along the path of discovery of God and His word. The second tool for measuring spiritual growth is:

2.  Praying by faith: A growing Christian should have or should be developing and maintaining a lifestyle of prayer. The scripture says in John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you”. How is your prayer life? Are you able to take authority with God in prayers? The prayer techniques have been clearly set out by the Master Himself in Matthew 6:5-6 as follows;

i.    Pray to God the Father alone– not to be heard of men

ii.   Have a private place of prayers – A prayer closet. Shut the door behind you and pray to your Father secretly!

In addition to the above, it is desirable to follow a pattern of prayer such as this:

a.  Adoration

b.  Confession

c.   Thanksgiving

d.   Supplication

Prayers bring us closer to God. The more you pray, the closer you are to God’s heart. Whether you get results or not, keep praying, keep trusting and keep the faith and hope alive!

3.     Fellowship with Christians: Abiding in Christ means we will seek to live in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ (John 13:34-35) We come together, not necessarily in a building called a church, synagogue or Temple. But we come together in spirit, under a mutual faith in Jesus Christ, and by this, a bond of communion and commitment with one another is created.  When we are thus united in spirit under one communion and commitment, we become a Christian family – ready to nurse and bear each other’s burden. Do you regularly nurse the pains of others? Are you disposed to bearing others’ burden? To bear the burden of others is to make your burden lighter! The amount of burden you lift from others is what God takes away from your own burden. As you give to others materially and in prayers, God blesses you in return. It is NOT the case that when you pray for others to be a success, you will remain poor and vulnerable. The law is whatever you give is what you receive. Therefore, when we pray for others, we are actually praying for ourselves!

4.     Be ready to witness to the world: Jesus says those who are His disciples will bear more fruits. The natural consequence of bearing fruits is to witness for Christ (John 15:8) You will become fishers of men. Not for commercial or personal benefits, but truly winning souls for Christ for the purpose of reaping the fruits of salvation. You will become eager to bear true witness for Christ (Acts 1:8)

Beloved, today’s word calls you to start a new life of spiritual growth. This growth brings you in contact with the SPIRIT OF THE WORD. A new life of victory, power, wisdom, knowledge and understanding await you!

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ grant me the grace to abide in you, even as your word abides in me. I declare I am not held down by pride and iniquity, but Christ is truly alive in me. With thanksgiving, I receive the gift of expanded faith and everything pertaining to me is beginning to fall in place. AMEN

FURTHER READING: Ephesians 4:13; Col 4:12