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Salvation is not the end of the Christian life. It is just the beginning of a glorious life in Christ. After the new birth, there should be seasons and times of growth and nurturing if the new believer would mature and become a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual growth is not measured by how long someone has been going to church. A man can be 20 years in the church and still remain a baby in the things of God. So before we look at the scriptural requirements for Spiritual growth, let us first consider what it means to grow spiritually.
What is Spiritual Growth?
Growth is an increase in size, stature and value of a person, place or thing. So Spiritual growth means developing your mind and Spirit from the stage where you are a baby to the stage where you become a son and a grown man in the things of God. Spiritual growth is said to have taken place when you can take responsibility for your life and destiny in accordance with the will and purpose of God. Until you have come into alignment with the will and purpose of God for your life, growth has not taken place. It is responsibility that distinguishes an adult from a child. If your life is not changing from who you used to be to who God wants you to be, you are not growing. One way we can say that growth has taken place is when there's visible transformation in your ideologies, thought patterns, mindset and behaviour in conformity to the word of God. If the word of God is not changing you, you are not growing. To buttress this truth, loo at these beautiful scriptures:
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." Luke 2:52
" And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel." Luke 1:80
We can say that we are growing spiritually when our lives changing to become like Jesus Christ. There's a yardstick or Model with which we can measure if someone is growing spiritually. When we look at your life and see that your behaviour and character are like Jesus Christ, there's a growth there.
You will agree with me that both plants and animals need food and other things to grow physically. In the same way, there are conditions for Spiritual growth to take place.
How to Grow Spiritually
If you want to know how to grow Spiritually, below are what you must do to grow spiritually as a child of God.
1. Feed Yourself with the word of God Everyday.
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"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" 1 Peter 2:2
" And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." Acts 20:32
The word of God is the food of the Spirit. You need to eat and chew the word to grow spiritually. The word of God has the capacity to build you up spiritually like a Champion. The word of God empowers the life of the Spirit. your body needs physical food to grow but your spirit needs the word of God to grow spiritually.
2. Pray in other tongues everyday.
"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" Jude 1:20
"He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church." 1 Cor 14:4
Praying in other tongues is what the Bible calls to pray in the Spirit. This kind of Prayer has the capacity to build up your spirit like an edifice. There are different kinds of Prayer but praying in the Holy Ghost empowers you to grow spiritually. It energizes your spirit.
3. You Need the Grace of God.
No one grows spiritually by just his own strength. Human zeal and youthful exuberance can fade out. It takes the grace of God to grow spiritually. The Bible says,
" But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18
" But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." 1 Cor 15:10
4. Exercise Yourself Daily in Righteousness
Nothing keeps a believer stagnant spiritually like living a habitual sinful life. Sin is a spiritual weight that won't allow her victims to raise their head. Righteousness empowers spiritual growth. You need to make it a daily habit to live right. The more you live a consecrated life, the more you will grow spiritually. When sin goes away, spiritual growth will come in. The Bible says,
"But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. " 1 Tim 4:7
"Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." Prov 14:34
5. Engage in Kingdom Service in the House of God.
If a child wants to walk, he must take responsibility to crawl, then stand up and walk. If the child sits down every day and refuse to take responsibility, he will never walk. That's how it is with spiritual growth. You must accept responsibility in the house of God. Look for one service group in your church and join them. Refuse to be just an ordinary church member. You won't grow if the only thing you do is sit down and watch. You need to join the choir if you can. Join any department of your choice and begin to serve God with your gifts. That's how we grow spiritually.
"If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures." Job 36:11
"And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not" Mal 3:17-18
CONCLUSION
Salvation precedes spiritual growth. One must first be a child of God before he can grow to become a man or woman of God. However, we must understand that Spiritual growth is not a one time or automatic thing. It is a gradual process. It takes time. It is from stage to stage. You can't give birth to a child today and expect him to talk and sing the same day. Therefore, if you have noticed some significant positive changes in your spiritual life and walk with God, thank God for it and keep moving. God bless you. What do you think about this post? Please use the comment box below.
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