HOW TO GROW SPIRITUALLY

Goal

To expose the readers to simple scriptural steps to develop their spiritual life.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phillippians 3 vs 12 -14

Just like the human body grows in order to survive, our spiritual life needs to grow in order to become what God expects us to be. Most men are conscious of how they look physically, what they eat and the kind of diet they adhere to, only very few of these people are conscious of another yet important part of life which is their spiritual life. 

The human life is divided into 3 parts namely the body, the soul and the spirit. In this article, I intend to highlight how to develop your spiritual life as a christian. While I must say that I have not reached the ultimate point(if there is a thing like that) because I am still developing and believe by God's grace to continue to develop, I hope to share some steps to develop your christian faith and life as a man who gave his life to the Jesus some 20 years ago. I plead with you to read this article with open-mindedness.

How to Grow Your Spiritual Life

Spiritual life begins with regeneration by the Spirit of God (Titus 3 vs 5, John 3 vs 3). All men have sinned and are dead to the Lord. A carnal-minded person cannot please God or walk with God. In other words, our life begins in the spirit when you deliberately surrender your life to Christ, repent of all known sins and turn to the Lord with a penitent heart (First John 1:6-9).

After the new birth experience, we can say we are born again. Just like a newly born baby desires milk to stay alive and healthy, our spiritual life depends on feeding daily on the unadulterated word of God and prayer (First Peter 2 vs 1-3). This implies that you must have a Bible study plan and stick to it. This is referred to as Quiet time. Quiet time is a time of prayer and reading the word of God. It can be done anytime but best done in the morning and evening. You alone with God and the Bible in a place with little distractions. Even our Lord Jesus practiced the quiet time regularly (Mark 1 vs 35).  Some christians pray occasionally and read the Bible on special days. This habit is not right. It is similar to eating occasionally. You can be sure that such a eating habit will lead to malnutrition and bodily weaknesses. The same experience occurs in the spiritual life of a believer who rarely prays and study the bible.

Regularly attend a Bible-based believing church especially churches that emphasizes making heaven and not getting earthly riches. There are a few of these churches around and you may even be attending one already (Hebrews 10 vs 25). Attends services and engage in prayers. This helps to build up the grace of God in you. In the early church, Acts 2: 41 - 47, believers gathered and shared the word of God daily. This was the reason for their strength and manifestation of God's power. It is the deception of satan that makes a believer thinks he can run the christian race alone or does not need to attend a church. True believers gathers with like-minded people to share the word of God.

Have a teachable spirit and humble heart. As you pray and read the Word of God, God will correct somethings in your life from time to time. You need to gratefully and graciously accept this corrections and apply them so as to be perfected in holiness (Hebrews 12 vs 5,6). Divine corrections comes through pricking of our conscience by the Spirit of God, rebuke from a message by the pastor or minister of God, personal revelations when studying the Bible etc. To develop your spiritual life therefore, you must be willing to imbibe the lessons and take it to heart.

Avoid close friendship with people or places that will kill your desires for more of God and be joined to fellow believers who will encourage godliness in your life. Caution: there are many false brethren today. Watch out and refrain from such when necessary. The World, our flesh and the devil will try to hinder spiritual growth but by the grace of God we can and will overcome these obstacles and walk with God successfully in Jesus name.

It is good thing to walk with God. I must say there is no better experience you can have in the land of the living that surpasses the joy and bliss of being in tune with God. Growing spiritually is a reality and irrespective of the misconceptions from false doctrines and teachings, God wants each person to know Him and walk with Him while here on earth. If Enoch(Genesis 5 vs 22 - 24) did it, we have Jesus and the grace of God, we can do better.