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SPIRITUAL GROWTH 🌱

LESSON I - SPIRITUAL GROWTH ðŸŒ±


I.    TO GROW SPIRITUALLY, ONE MUST HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.


       A.     This eternal life is the very life of Christ Jesus.


B.     We receive eternal life by receiving Jesus. (1 John 5:11-12)


II.    THIS LIFE OF JESUS (OR ETERNAL LIFE) IN US MUST GROW.


       What is necessary to make this life of Jesus grow in us?


  1. EAT THE WORD OF GOD. (Heb. 5:12-14)


1. The believer's “eats” the Word by using or putting the Word of God into practice.  He hears the Word and then obeys. (Matt. 7:24)

2. The believer who uses the Word is eating solid food. (Heb. 5:14)
  
3. The believer who simply hears the Word but does not use the Word is like a baby who cannot eat solid food.  He can only drink milk.

  1.  BE PLANTED IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. (Psalm 92:12-14) 

 
1. To be planted means to belong and be committed in a local church. (Psa. 68:6 and 1 Cor. 12:12)

2. This local church must be the “House of the Lord”.  

Characteristics of the “House of the Lord”:


a. JESUS IS LORD. (Col. 1:18) Not the pastor, nor the elders, nor the board of deacons.


b. JESUS IS ALIVE. (Rev. 1:18) He is alive in the local church, showing His Love and His power.


c. THE WORD IS SUPREME. (Matt. 24:35 and Rev. 22:18-19)


  1. BE BURIED.

God will allow the believer to be buried in problems, trials and persecutions. (John 12:24 and 2 Cor. 4:7-11, 16-17)


Paul’s experience – 2 Cor. 11:24-28; Phil. 3:10 and Romans 8:28.


TEN TRIALS / TESTS IN THE WILDERNESS:


1)   Pull to go back to the world again

  • Pharaoh pursuing Israelites (Exo. 14:1-4)

  • 50 – 50% (incomplete consecration, 50% to the world, 50% to the Lord))


2)   Trial of Bitterness      

  • Exo. 15:23  Bitter waters of Marah.  Whatever trial, pains and disappointments (woundings, misunderstandings, injustices, rejections) we’re going through, or we have experienced, there is a matching hue of grace from God to overcome.  Let us continue to learn the lessons God is trying to teach us and trust in God’s love, goodness and wisdom in His dealings in our lives.


3)   Trial of Hunger       

  • Exo. 16:1-3, Num. 11:4-6, 19-20, 33  no meat and bread for Israelites.   Whether we will still believe He is our Jehovah Jireh.  When we try to complain and force God to give us what we want, the result is sorrow.  (Psa. 106: 13-15, Num. 11:31-33)


4)   Test of Idolatry     

  • Exo. 32:1-10  Moses’ coming back from Mt. Sinai was delayed, so the Israelites made idol of calf to lead them.  God waits before He replies to test whether we will turn to idols to replace God in our hearts – can be a person, professional career & ambitions, your self (own strength, wisdom, ability, glory), money, etc.  Learn to wait and have faith in God’s faithfulness to fulfill His Word / Promises.


5)   Test of Jealousy and Envy        

  • Num. 16:1-3, 12-14, 26-38  Case of Korah, Dathan, Abiram who envied priests and 

rebelled against Moses.   We are just God’s servants who need to submit, obey and  

be contented with our portion.


6)   Test of Relationship      

  • Case against Levites.   God chooses the people to surround us.  They do far more for us to refine us. (Prov. 27:17 as iron sharpens iron)   Learn to be patient and understanding,  learn to love,  learn to forgive, learn to be humble.  We learn to depend on God totally and not on ourselves.


7)   Test of Ingratitude      

  • Num. 20:1-5 Israelites complaining because of no water.   That we might learn to 

 thank God even in our lack, even in our difficulties.  (Phil. 4:11- 13, 1 Thess. 5:18)


8)   Test of Abundance      

  • Deut. 7:1-26  Upon reaching Promised Land, no idols.   To remember God even in 

our abundance.  (Prov. 23:4-5, 28:6, 20, 22; Luke 12:16-21; 1 Tit. 6:9; Psa. 62:10; 

Prov. 11:28; 30:8-9; Luke 12:15)   Not to be too rich lest we forget God.


9)   Test of Criticism against Leadership 

  • Num. 12:1-10 case of Miriam and Aaron against Moses.   Result:  No power from God.


10)   Test of Unbelief

  • Israelites’ walk-in wilderness full of unbelief.


III.  MARKS OF MATURITY (Measuring our Spiritual Growth)


True Christianity forces us to face ourselves honestly.  Christian maturity comes gradually as the following “heart issues” are resolved.  Below are several measuring rods by which we may gauge spiritual growth.  Remember, the Lord has pre-destined us to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29) – conformed to His heart, nature, spirit, ways and then power and authority.


“MEASURING RODS” -   Maturity can be measured by the following:


  1. By how well we get along with others. (John 17:21)  


  1. By how much contentment we have learned. (Phil. 4:11-12, I Tim. 6:6)


  1. By how well we rule our spirit and control our emotions – love or hate. (Prov. 16:32)


  1. By how well we control our tongue.  Most sins are committed with the tongue. (James 3:2)


  1. By how much we have dealt with pride and all other conflicts. (Rom. 12:3)


  1. By how much patience we possess – all rashness and criticism subdued. (Prov. 18:13, Isa. 32:4)


  1. By how steadfast we are – not up and down, but constant “at all seasons”. (Acts 20:18)


  1. By how holy we are.  Great ministry without character is of little worth. (Matt. 7:20-23)


  1. By how much of a servant’s spirit we have.  Humility is the mark of greatness. (Mark 10:43-45)


  1. By our attitudes toward authority.  Bad attitudes reveal defiance toward the Lord.     (Ezek. 3:7)


  1.  By how much we have mastered our thought life.  Every battle is won or lost in our mind. (1 Pet. 1:13)


  1.  By how discreetly we handle finances.  Money involves conscience and character.   (Luke  16:10:11)


  1.  By how much we have learned to stop saying, “It’s not fair”.    (Gen. 45:5-8, 50:20)


  1.  By how much gratitude we have.  Thankfulness is the key to victory.   (Eph. 5:20, 1 Thess.  5:18)


  1.  By how much we realize we do not know.  This is humility.  The immature have all the answers. (1 Cor. 8:2)


  1.  By how well we handle rejection – by how much understanding and forgiveness we have. (Acts 5:41)


  1. By how well we respond to painful delays – a proof of how far down our roots go.    (Psa. 40:1-2, Isa. 64:4)


  1. By how well we handle personal failure or looking like a failure. (I Sam. 30:6, Isa. 49:4)


  1. By how well we cope with the loss of something. (Job 1:21)


  1. By how well we handle hostility sent our way. (Rom. 12:17-21)


  1. By how well we manage success!  Do we continue to depend on God?  (Deut. 8:11-14)


  1. By how much wisdom we accumulate.  Wisdom is the principal thing. (Prov. 4:7, Luke 2:52)


  1. By how much love we possess.  Love is totally unselfish and is the bond of perfection.   

(Col. 3:14)


  1. By how responsible and reliable we are and by how much we fear the Lord.   (Neh. 7:2)


  1. By how well we manage our time.  Wasting time is wasting life. (Psa. 90:12, Eph. 5:15-17)


  1. By our attitude toward fallen brothers and sisters – cleansed of an “I told you so” attitude. (Gal. 6:1)


  1. By how well we know ourselves, even as God knows us (1 Cor. 13:12), and by how much hypocrisy has been purged from our hearts (Matt. 7:1-5).  Hypocrisy is self-blindness.


  1. By how much of the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT  we possess (a summation of all above).  Growth, strength and maturity are measured by this  –  “By their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matt. 7:20, cf. Gal. 5:22-23).  All nine fruits of the Spirit reveal the nature of God.  As we allow the Lord to develop these fruit in our lives through circumstances, trials and difficulties, these fruits will abound within us, and we will be like Him.  This is our calling and our goal, to be conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus.   (Rom. 8:29, I John 3:2)  



GUIDE QUESTIONS: SPIRITUAL GROWTH

  1. What is Spiritual Growth?
  2. What is required in order that we may grow in the Lord?
  3. Which of the Ten Trials in the Wilderness have you experienced?  What lessons did you learn from the Lord?
  4. Based on the Measuring Rods you have learned, which areas do you want God to strengthen in your life?



Source:
Christ the Living Stone Fellowship
MINISTRY TRAINING SCHOOL - INTERMEDIATE
School of Worker Module 2