The Mechanics of Spiritual Growth

Numbers 23:19  "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"

Titus 1:2  "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began"

Hebrews 6:18  "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us"

The Bible is divided into three categories of promises from God. There are the promises that He made to us concerning salvation, the promises that He has made to us for our future life with Him in eternity, and the promises that God has made to us, useful to us as we live our lives. God has promised many things for the believer: that we will prosper, that we will have perfect peace, that our way will be guided, that we will be full of joy.

Sadly, it is a fact that many believers today are living a less than victorious life in Christ. Is this because God has lied, that our faith is a sham? No, not by any means. If I were to promise you I'd give you a million dollars if you'd come over and get it, and you came but I refused to deliver, then I'd be a liar. Yet if I made the same offer and YOU refused to claim it, going about your way without the promised reward, then it was not I who lied but you who refused to claim the prize.

Proverbs 23:7  "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."

Most of us hear the promises of God, think within ourselves "That's great!", but never reach out and receive those promises. Why are Christians miserable today in comparison to our forefathers? There are several reasons. First, we have been conditioned by our "get it quick" society to expect God to deliver without any effort on our part. Too few believers read the Word of God, much less study it, and are ignorant of His promises. Others would rather rely on a priest or a pastor to tell them what to think and believe without soiling their hands on the Word. If you think you're defeated, believe this in your heart, then, dear child, you are defeated. But if you realize you are a victor, victorious because of what Jesus Christ did for you on the Cross, then you will be a victor. Jesus sent out seventy disciples to spread the Gospel message:

Luke 10:17-20  "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.   Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

And these seventy came back AMAZED that they were able to cast out demons in Jesus' name. Jesus made those who believed in Him a promise that day, a promise that, as long as we believed and lifted up His name, then we would live victorious lives for Him. Not live like the whipped dogs most who claim to be Christian live, but live as Children of Power, Children of God because our Leader, Jesus Christ, gave us that power. Let me tell you, you carry around the ability to be victorious and happy with you at all times if you are a Christian. You are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, covered and forgiven by the blood of Christ, and have a place reserved in Heaven for you.

Psalms 4:2   "O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah."

Psalms 37:4-5  "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

Do you want victory as a believer? Then delight yourself in Christ! Focus on Him, on the Cross, on the victory that He has already purchased for you. Stop insulting God by disbelieving His Word, and act on it like you believe it. If you were to make a promise to someone and they responded by saying, "No, really, are you really going to do it?", you'd be insulted. How dare that person imply you're lying? How dare he impugn your reputation with such a disbelief? Yet we do the same thing to God on a daily basis. He says that He will supply all our needs, yet we worry where our next dollar is going to come from. He says that He will protect us and empower us, yet we are afraid to witness the Gospel for fear someone might laugh at us. He says to avoid certain areas of life, yet we decide we know what's best for ourselves and pursue it anyway. God is angry with believers who impugn His character, just as you are doing when you disbelieve His promises. God is angry when we shut ourselves off from His rich blessings, when we ignore His commandments, when we act from a source of faithlessness rather than faithfulness.

You can only achieve power in God when you "give up" and put your life in His hands. This doesn't mean to quit your job, to sit down on the couch and then say "Here I is, Lawd, feed me!". No, it is a life of relying on God no matter where you are. When the little shepherd David heard Goliath cursing God, he decided he would stand up and be counted. Saul was glad to have David go out to meet Goliath. You see, if David did it, then Saul and his household could be lazy and safe. Saul was so appreciative that he even gave David his armor, but David refused to wear it. You see, that armor is just another humanistic ploy to "help God out in a tight spot", and David wasn't having it. Instead, David said:

1 Samuel 17:47  "And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands."

The battle is God's, not ours. When you step out on faith and do as God asks, God will win the battle. David didn't have to be a great warrior, he just had to have a great faith - God did the rest. Look at these promises:

Isaiah 41:10  "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Psalms 55:22  "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

Isaiah 26:3-4  "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength"

These are just a few of the 7000 promises that God has made to you in His Word. If you believed, truly believed these promises, then you'd be willing to charge hell with a bucket of sand! Yet most of those who claim to be Christian find it difficult to drag themselves to Church once a month, much less do anything once they get there. But the wonderful thing about the Lord is that you always get a chance to start fresh, if you desire that chance. Do you want to start fresh? Here's how.

Hebrews 4:10-11 "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.  Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

Are you ready to start living the Christian life, the victorious life? If so, then first make sure you're a believer. Accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. This is the first brick to your construction, the first area of work.

Next, "cease from your own works". Now, does this mean to lay back and do nothing? Absolutely not. Had David sat back and said, "Lord, send us someone to defeat Goliath", Israel would have stayed under the mockery of the Philistines. No, David picked up - not a sword - a sling and several rocks, and went out to face the enemy. Just as David did we need to go forward, but not with the conventional weaponry of the world. Not with philosophy and vain deceit, not with scientific prowess, not with a better weapon. Take whatever God has provided you and step out on faith, believing that God will win the war. Allow Him to operate through you, never replace Him with a better weapon. Never replace Him with a bigger weapon. Never replace Him, period!

So many say, "I just want to be strong for Jesus, but I don't know how". Well, here's how. Be obedient and go be a part of the Church. Quit sitting at home on your rump and serve God. When you get to Church, look for needs in the Body then ask God to energize you so you can meet these needs. Many say, "I know my Church needs teachers, but I just don't know how to teach". So what? Have you tried? David didn't know if he could defeat Goliath, but he saw a need, stepped out on faith, and God energized him to win. If you step out on faith and fail, what have you lost? A little pride? It'll do you good to lose it! But if you step out on faith and win because of God, what have you gained? You've gained a deeper walk with God, a richer relationship, and you have blessed others by being obedient to Him.

Hebrews 4:12  "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

If you want to start all over again, then get out from in front of that Satanic television and pick up your BIBLE. The Bible is so important that the writer of Hebrews refers to it as a "two edged sword". There were five types of swords available in ancient times. One sword was invented by strong men, mountaineers, and it was a huge weapon. This sword was about eight feet long, and would cut a man in half if you hit him with it. The problem was, if you missed then the weight of the sword threw you off balance. Another sword was used merely for thrusting. It had no edge on the blade, just a point for jabbing. Again, this type of sword can throw you off balance. There were swords used for show only, and hidden swords. Yet the Scripture isn't referred to as any of these types of swords. It doesn't throw you off balance, nor does it hide its strengths or act just for show. The Scripture is referred to as a MACHAIRA, a sword that was short, perfectly balanced, and lightweight. The Roman Empire used this type of sword and conquered their world. The Bible is sharper than the MACHAIRA, better in spiritual battle, better to use in life than its physical counterpart.

Unless you are actively seeking God through the Scriptures you'll never grow as a believer. Unless you know the promises of God, you cannot apply them. No one can do this for you - this is the partnership that you, as a believer, need to form between yourself and God the Holy Spirit. Study and apply that Holy Word, rely on the promises, and you will reach spiritual balance while all others are falling around you.

Hebrews 11:22  "By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones."

Genesis 50:24-25 "And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence."

Joseph was a great man who trusted in God. When his brothers threw him into a pit and debated on whether they should kill him or not, Joseph waited on God. When his brothers deceitfully sold him into Egyptian slavery, Joseph trusted in God. When Joseph held position as a lowly slave he kept trusting God, and in the midst of the trials of life he knew that God would always give him the victory. When Pharaoh called Joseph out, and gave him the second highest authority in the land Joseph never abused this authority. He trusted God, stored grain, and led Egypt through one of the worst famines in its history. When Joseph's brothers came before him hat in hand to beg grain, Joseph could have focused on the injustices that they did to him. Many of you may have been tempted to return destruction in kind for those who have persecuted you. Lord knows, I certainly know the feeling. Many would have said Joseph was justified in throwing his brothers in prison just as they did to him. But Joseph's mind was on, not the injustices that he had suffered, but on God. He said:

Genesis 50:20  "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."

Joseph was a man who had found balance, who knew what it was to trust God with his very life. As he approached death, he didn't fear that death but knew that he was only passing to the One whom he had entrusted his life to. Joseph ordered that he not be buried after death, but that he be placed in a coffin and kept above ground. You see, Joseph knew that the Israelites were just passing through Egypt. He knew that Israel would go through the fire, that they would be discouraged, that they would forget the promises God made to the nation (Genesis 13.14-15; 26.3; 35.12). So Joseph made them promise that he wouldn't be buried, but kept above ground. And he told them when Israel left Egypt, and they would, that they were to take his bones with them to the Promised Land. For four hundred years the Israelites had no Scripture from the Lord, no Bible to lean on, but they had a testament. Every day a child of Israel would look at the coffin of Joseph and say, "Momma, what's that? Daddy, what's that?" And that momma or daddy would say, "That's the coffin of our father Joseph. One day we're leaving this land, and when we do we're taking that coffin with us. We're going because God said so. We're going because Joseph believed in God".

And so it was. When Israel left Egypt, they carried the bones of Joseph with them (Exodus 13.19). When Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promised Land, the first thing they did when they entered that land was to bury the bones of Joseph (Joshua 24.32). The testament had served its purpose, and Israel walked victorious because of it.

Today we have something greater than the bones of Joseph to inspire us. We have the written Word of God, His many promises to us as believers. We have the victory promised to us, to all that believe, because Jesus Christ secured this victory for us on the Cross. Are you weak in your faith? No magical formula exists to make you stronger, no formula other than that which says you must take God at His Word. Are you stunted in growth as a believer? This is not God's fault, but yours - repent, and start your walk with God afresh, studying His Word and applying it to your life on a daily basis. The victory is yours if you claim it through Jesus Christ! Study, believe, pray, fast, and follow the God of your fathers, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Return to Main Study!