Quicken Your Spiritual Growth!

“So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.” Ephesians 4:22-25 GNT.

We learned yesterday that you must cooperate with the Holy Spirit whom God gave inside you. When you become a child of God and until you depart from this world in death or by rapture at the time of the appearance of Christ in the clouds, you have two pulls – the old flesh and the newly planted Holy Spirit. The old self and the new self is the reality of all believers in Christ. The old self has deceitful and fleshly desires and the result would be destruction. However, you must put on the new self, created by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The result is you would be more like Jesus Christ, upright and righteous. Whom you feed would grow inside you and become stronger. You must consistently feed the Holy Spirit and not the flesh if you want to grow spiritually and become all God wants you to become. The result would be more spiritual fruit and less of fleshly actions. The choice is yours. No one else can play a part in this matter, although others can help, teach, counsel you based on the truths of the Bible. At the end of the day, you have one life here on this earth now. You make the choice whom you would allow to grow inside you-flesh or the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, you do nothing for your salvation, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life except you receive this gift from God by accepting Jesus as your savior and Lord. However, the Bible says spiritual growth is a matter of your consistent effort to become more like Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God, the Bible, are the catalysts for the achievement of spiritual growth. Spiritual growth means you grow in the Holy Spirit who is given to you at the time of your acceptance of Jesus Christ. It also does mean you make the best effort not to grow in your flesh.

Less of flesh and more of the Holy Spirit is what spiritual growth is all about.

In other words, you do not just wait in idle hoping spiritual growth would happen. You have the provision of the Holy Spirit inside you. He will help you to grow for sure. However, you must cooperate with Him to make the growth happen. Bible says you must follow after and pursue the things of God. It also says make every effort in epistles and be diligent in your effort to grow. Our insight says you must get rid of the old self and put on the new self. It takes ongoing commitment and effort from you. The Holy Spirit helps you in this process.

One of the best and proven ways you can accelerate your spiritual growth in a short period is by systematically studying the Bible. When you spend time reading and studying the Bible, the Holy Spirit comes along and helps you grow much faster. If you need to attend a Bible seminary that accurately and correctly teaches the Bible, do it as soon as possible. Each day, each month, each year is going to make a big difference in your life. God would use what you learned later in your life in His own supernatural ways. God never wastes a student of His book. He knows exactly how to use his student in marvelous ways, again if you co-operate with the Holy Spirit inside you.

Another way to quicken your spiritual growth is by attending a systematic Bible teaching class in a Bible-teaching church. In most of the churches, they have well-trained Seminary students or alumni who can help you to grow spiritually by accurately teaching the Bible. Visit a nearby Bible teaching and preaching church and inquire about Bible class sessions. They would be happy to help you.

Beloved, have you taken the first step as of yet? The first step of receiving Jesus and asking Him to forgive your sins and save you. This first step is foundational for all that God has in store for you.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I want to grow in your Holy Spirit. I pray for your help to grow spiritually. Help me to take the right steps. Help me to lean on your Holy Spirit every day and every moment of my life. Help me to study the Bible. Help me know you better. I believe Jesus died and rose again for my sins. I pray to forgive all my sins and save me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”