How to Grow in spiritual maturity

[bint3]

Dear All,

I'm wondering what God has used to help grow you in spiritual maturity. (It'd be awesome if your answers could come with a biblical reference).

What are some things that I can do to partner with the Holy Spirit in order to grow deeper, quicker and faster??

bint

 

[Tolworth John]

What are some things that I can do to partner with the Holy Spirit in order to grow deeper, quicker and faster??

How would you advise a friend who tells you they are going to run a marathon next week and they want to start training with you tomorrow?

To answer that. You would tell them to abandon that idea, but to start training to run a marathon next year.

The point is it takes time to build up to running 26 miles non stop.

In the same way it takes time and exercise to build up spiritual muscles.

Start keeping a prayer diary, recording who and what you pray for each day. Start a journal of your bible readings, recording what struck you in your daily readings, why and what you've done about it.

Volunteer to help where needed in yout church, with any witnessing organisation inyour town.

Take the christian book you are reading in to work, read it at work and leave it where it can be seen. It will generate conversations.

Can you explain what and why you believe to a hostile audience?
How familiar are you with the reasonablefaith web site?
Are you one of those who are always at your churchs prayer meetings, missionary meetings etc.

Togrow you have to live, to grow as a Christian live as a Christian.

 

[Monna]

What are some things that I can do to partner with the Holy Spirit in order to grow deeper, quicker and faster??

Wow! I expect you'll get a lot of different answers to this!

Psalm 27:14
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (You cannot learn patience without waiting. And patience is one of the fruit of the Spirit. Don't think there is a "faster" way to become mature.)

Read the scriptures, often and meditatively.
Start communicating with God constantly. Communicating means talking AND listening ... mostly listening, but then giving feedback. Real prayer takes time. When you pray think about what you are saying (if you think hard about the Lord's prayer, you will probably get some serious shocks)!

Give up. Let go of your ambitions. Don't think about God's place in your plans; ask to be shown your place in His. Give up your inner voices of judgement, cynicism and fear. Learn what your preconceptions and assumptions are, and hold them very lightly. (The disciples didn't do this before the crucifixion and in certain respects a long time afterward. They got a lot of things wrong, because they wanted desperately to believe what they had been taught by their teachers when young.)

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

All the best in your total reliance on the Lord knowing what you need to learn and what the best way is for you to learn ... to become what He wants you to become as a human being in the image of his Son.

 

[dreadnought]

Dear All,

I'm wondering what God has used to help grow you in spiritual maturity. (It'd be awesome if your answers could come with a biblical reference).

What are some things that I can do to partner with the Holy Spirit in order to grow deeper, quicker and faster??

bint

Pray constantly. (1 Thess 5:17 RSV)

 

[Monna]

Be thankful. Rejoice always.

 

[NDL]

Dear All,

I'm wondering what God has used to help grow you in spiritual maturity. (It'd be awesome if your answers could come with a biblical reference).

What are some things that I can do to partner with the Holy Spirit in order to grow deeper, quicker and faster??

bint

This one has been super challenging for me at times; maybe it's because I have a heart for those in the world, or maybe it's because I have encountered many pharisees in the church.

God is a gentleman; His spirit is the Spirit of Grace (Heb 10:29). Being a gentleman and holding your tongue can sometimes be tough, though Jesus left us His example:

1 Peter 2:23: "...who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously"

Romans 12:17-19: "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord"

 

[NDL]

(please delete)

 

[Swan7]

God has used everyone and everything around me to get me to spiritual maturity, if I can be so bold and say it is so. Please note that this happened when I asked God back in 2014 about His ways and His truths, so that I won't be deceived anymore. This did not come without some major struggles though. Within my flesh against my spirit: Galatians 5:17
The working world and God's ways: Matthew 22:21
Living with someone who is unsaved and not always in agreement: Colossians 4:5-6

So you see, growth doesn't happen unless there is some sort of struggle. Kind of like growing pains kids get. I'm still struggling with them, though not as much as before. I lean on God for everything because He is my strength. 2 Corinthians 12:9

I hope this helps you and I pray God will guide you on where He wants you to be.

 

[MarleneJ]

I agree with what others have written about. I will just add to those posts - be consistent. It is not enough to read the Bible, pray, meditate, volunteers, etc, when you feel like doing it. We really have to push through the periods when are hearts feel empty. In fact, consistent spiritual disciplines are a way to bring us back to our first love.

But, something people have not discussed is suffering. My greatest growth has been when I suffered the most. Some might argue this is not Scriptural, but I would challenge that!

"More than that, we rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope.And hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5

In fact, while I fully endorse spiritual disciplines, what is their ultimate purpose? To bring us closer to Christ. And sometimes, we will experience terrible suffering, in many forms, and if we are walking with Christ, he will use that to transform our character closer to his image. And that is what our walk is all about! Jesus!

I'm not saying "go look for suffering" either. But, when it comes, be prepared for the "fiery trial" as James says. Because clinging to Jesus is how we get through those afflictions and sufferings, and a big way we grow in Christ. And become more mature!