STEPS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
KNOW THAT YOU ARE SAVED
Whatever you do, make sure that you are saved. You will never have real assurance of going to heaven and confidence in the Christian life until you do.
(1 John 5:13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life:
(2 Tim 1:7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
BE A MEMBER OF A BIBLE BELIEVING CHURCH
(BE FAITHFUL IN CHURCH)
This cannot be stressed enough in the young Christian's life. The devil will do great damage in your life if you are not faithful in church. Not just any church, but a real Bible believing baptist, active soul winning church.
(Heb 10:24-25) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
HAVE A SET TIME APART EVERY DAY FOR GOD.
(PRAY & READ YOUR BIBLE)
God is your Friend, Saviour, and Comforter. Go to him daily and talk to Him. The more time that you spend with the Lord; the more you get to know His thoughts for your life. He does care about you and wants the best for you. Whenever you can, memorize a verse in the King James Bible. You will find that this will help you greatly. (Some verses to start with - 1 John 1:9; Matt. 4:4; 22:37-38; John 3:3; 3:16; 14:6). (Do not try to use any of the modern versions that are available. They have many errors and doctrinal problems). Read the Bible every day. Even as you need food to keep you going each day you also need spiritual food to keep you going. So read that Bible. Usually at the beginning of the day is best. That is when your mind is freshest and most alert.
Also learn to keep a prayer list and pray for other people. You can pray for your pastor, for a missionary, for a lost relative or friend. Be sure and thank God for the many blessings that you have in life. Write them down and think about them. It is good to praise God for who He is and what he has done. David does this in the book of Psalms many times. Unthankfulness is like a disease. It makes a Christian weak, it hinders other Christians and will eventually cause defeat in a Christian's life.
SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD AND THE PEOPLE WHO DRAG YOU DOWN.
(HAVE UP-LIFTING CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP)
This is where most young Christians fall. Beware of wrong kinds of people and things in your life. If the pastor or a spiritual friend gives you a warning about certain people that you are with, then listen to them. They are trying to help you. The devil does not want you to be a happy Christian and will many times send someone in your life that will hinder you from growing as a Christian and serving the Lord. So be careful about lost or carnal friends and neighbors.
(1 Cor 15:33) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
(1 John 2:15-16) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
(2 Th 3:13-14) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
USE YOUR TALENTS FOR THE LORD
Some people have music talent. Others work well with their hands. Whatever your talent is, try to use it for the Lord. You say, "I do not know what my talent is." Then just stay faithful in church and try to help out in anyway that you can. Eventually the Lord will show you what you can do for Him. Many times people have developed talents that they never dreamed of having because they were faithful, and God worked in their lives and helped them. It cannot be stressed enough. God honors faithfulness.
READ THE RIGHT KINDS OF BOOKS
Be careful of what goes in your eyes and ears. Remember that "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Try to get good Christian biographies, Christian literature, etc. Beware of some so called "Christian music." Many times the music is just worldly music with the name of Jesus added to it. This does NOT make it good music.
(Phil 4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
(2 Cor 10:4-5) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
BE HONEST WITH YOUR MONEY
(PAY YOUR BILLS AND TITHE)
God wants Christians to be honest and do right. Try to do your best in this area of your life. Remember, others will be watching you and you want to have a good testimony to those around you.
(Mark 12:17) And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.
(Mat 6:19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
(Mal 3:8) Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
CONTROL THE SELF LIFE (2 NATURES)
One of the greatest enemies that you will have in your life will be your battle against the old nature that is in you. The flesh will want to rule your life. The Bible says that you need to walk in the spirit.
(Col 3:9-10) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.
(Eph 4:22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
(2 Pet 1:4-8) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
SEEK ADVISE FROM WISE - SPIRITUAL PEOPLE
If someone has led you to the Lord, usually they will have knowledge of spiritual things and can be helpful in your life. If you do not have someone like this then try to find a good spiritual person that can help you in making wise decisions.
However, when you ask and that person does give you good counsel, then MAKE SURE that you follow that counsel. There is no sense asking if you do not obey. Wise counsel from a good spiritual friend or pastor can keep you out of a lot of trouble. It is best to go to older spiritual people for counsel. They have time and experience on their side. Many a person has fallen because he did not listen to the counsel of the older, wiser person.
(Prov 11:14) Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
LIVE FOR CHRIST ONE DAY AT A TIME
(STEP BY STEP) Try to do your best to live each day for the Lord. Think about the steps mentioned in this article. Also, BE ACTIVE. Many Christians get into trouble because they have nothing to do. There is an old saying, yet it is very true. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." Get busy for God.
WIN SOULS (BE SOUL CONSCIOUS)
Try to find some good gospel literature and go out and give it to people. This is extremely important. You will never grow like you should until you try to win people to Christ. DO NOT go alone. Always try to go with another person that has experience in this area. It will help you greatly and you will learn much. If you go with the right person, you will find that it is much easier than you thought. Also if you do not have much money just remember that there are good organizations that offer tracts for free.
(Prov 11:30) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
GET RID OF IDOLS
If there is something in your life that that you know is hindering your spiritual life then get rid of it immediately. It will only drag you down.
Sometimes people have trouble with smoking, drinking or maybe even inappropriate contentography. It may not be easy to get rid of some bad habit but in the end you will have joy and peace about it.
(1 John 5:21) Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
(Col 3:5) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
OBEY GOD
If the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart about something and it does not conflict with the Bible then do your best to OBEY. God loves obedience and He will bless later.
(1 Sam 15:22-23) And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
GUARD YOUR THOUGHTS AND MOUTH
Be careful about talking too much. Some people give a good impression until he or she opens their mouth. So be careful what you say and how you say it. Beware of gossip. Gossip is a sin.
(1 Pet 1:15-16) But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
(Phil 2:5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
(Luke 6:45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
KNOW THAT YOU ARE SAVED
Whatever you do, make sure that you are saved. You will never have real assurance of going to heaven and confidence in the Christian life until you do.
(1 John 5:13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life:
(2 Tim 1:7) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
BE A MEMBER OF A BIBLE BELIEVING CHURCH
(BE FAITHFUL IN CHURCH)
This cannot be stressed enough in the young Christian's life. The devil will do great damage in your life if you are not faithful in church. Not just any church, but a real Bible believing baptist, active soul winning church.
(Heb 10:24-25) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
HAVE A SET TIME APART EVERY DAY FOR GOD.
(PRAY & READ YOUR BIBLE)
God is your Friend, Saviour, and Comforter. Go to him daily and talk to Him. The more time that you spend with the Lord; the more you get to know His thoughts for your life. He does care about you and wants the best for you. Whenever you can, memorize a verse in the King James Bible. You will find that this will help you greatly. (Some verses to start with - 1 John 1:9; Matt. 4:4; 22:37-38; John 3:3; 3:16; 14:6). (Do not try to use any of the modern versions that are available. They have many errors and doctrinal problems). Read the Bible every day. Even as you need food to keep you going each day you also need spiritual food to keep you going. So read that Bible. Usually at the beginning of the day is best. That is when your mind is freshest and most alert.
Also learn to keep a prayer list and pray for other people. You can pray for your pastor, for a missionary, for a lost relative or friend. Be sure and thank God for the many blessings that you have in life. Write them down and think about them. It is good to praise God for who He is and what he has done. David does this in the book of Psalms many times. Unthankfulness is like a disease. It makes a Christian weak, it hinders other Christians and will eventually cause defeat in a Christian's life.
SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD AND THE PEOPLE WHO DRAG YOU DOWN.
(HAVE UP-LIFTING CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP)
This is where most young Christians fall. Beware of wrong kinds of people and things in your life. If the pastor or a spiritual friend gives you a warning about certain people that you are with, then listen to them. They are trying to help you. The devil does not want you to be a happy Christian and will many times send someone in your life that will hinder you from growing as a Christian and serving the Lord. So be careful about lost or carnal friends and neighbors.
(1 Cor 15:33) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
(1 John 2:15-16) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
(2 Th 3:13-14) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
USE YOUR TALENTS FOR THE LORD
Some people have music talent. Others work well with their hands. Whatever your talent is, try to use it for the Lord. You say, "I do not know what my talent is." Then just stay faithful in church and try to help out in anyway that you can. Eventually the Lord will show you what you can do for Him. Many times people have developed talents that they never dreamed of having because they were faithful, and God worked in their lives and helped them. It cannot be stressed enough. God honors faithfulness.
READ THE RIGHT KINDS OF BOOKS
Be careful of what goes in your eyes and ears. Remember that "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Try to get good Christian biographies, Christian literature, etc. Beware of some so called "Christian music." Many times the music is just worldly music with the name of Jesus added to it. This does NOT make it good music.
(Phil 4:8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
(2 Cor 10:4-5) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; BE HONEST WITH YOUR MONEY
(PAY YOUR BILLS AND TITHE)
God wants Christians to be honest and do right. Try to do your best in this area of your life. Remember, others will be watching you and you want to have a good testimony to those around you.
(Mark 12:17) And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.
(Mat 6:19) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
(Mal 3:8) Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
CONTROL THE SELF LIFE (2 NATURES)
One of the greatest enemies that you will have in your life will be your battle against the old nature that is in you. The flesh will want to rule your life. The Bible says that you need to walk in the spirit.
(Col 3:9-10) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.
(Eph 4:22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
(2 Pet 1:4-8) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
SEEK ADVISE FROM WISE - SPIRITUAL PEOPLE
If someone has led you to the Lord, usually they will have knowledge of spiritual things and can be helpful in your life. If you do not have someone like this then try to find a good spiritual person that can help you in making wise decisions.
However, when you ask and that person does give you good counsel, then MAKE SURE that you follow that counsel. There is no sense asking if you do not obey. Wise counsel from a good spiritual friend or pastor can keep you out of a lot of trouble. It is best to go to older spiritual people for counsel. They have time and experience on their side. Many a person has fallen because he did not listen to the counsel of the older, wiser person.
(Prov 11:14) Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
LIVE FOR CHRIST ONE DAY AT A TIME
(STEP BY STEP) Try to do your best to live each day for the Lord. Think about the steps mentioned in this article. Also, BE ACTIVE. Many Christians get into trouble because they have nothing to do. There is an old saying, yet it is very true. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." Get busy for God.
WIN SOULS (BE SOUL CONSCIOUS)
Try to find some good gospel literature and go out and give it to people. This is extremely important. You will never grow like you should until you try to win people to Christ. DO NOT go alone. Always try to go with another person that has experience in this area. It will help you greatly and you will learn much. If you go with the right person, you will find that it is much easier than you thought. Also if you do not have much money just remember that there are good organizations that offer tracts for free.
(Prov 11:30) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
GET RID OF IDOLS
If there is something in your life that that you know is hindering your spiritual life then get rid of it immediately. It will only drag you down.
Sometimes people have trouble with smoking, drinking or maybe even inappropriate contentography. It may not be easy to get rid of some bad habit but in the end you will have joy and peace about it.
(1 John 5:21) Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
(Col 3:5) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
OBEY GOD
If the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart about something and it does not conflict with the Bible then do your best to OBEY. God loves obedience and He will bless later.
(1 Sam 15:22-23) And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
GUARD YOUR THOUGHTS AND MOUTH
Be careful about talking too much. Some people give a good impression until he or she opens their mouth. So be careful what you say and how you say it. Beware of gossip. Gossip is a sin.
(1 Pet 1:15-16) But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
(Phil 2:5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
(Luke 6:45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
