WEEK 36
TOPIC: SPIRITUAL MATURITY
TEXT: Luke 1:80, Heb. 6:1-3, Eph. 4:11-15
When we God’s children came into Christ at the new birth, we began a new life with God. This life is different from the one W with which we were born biologically. Remember our previous lessons where we studied the human life (Psuche) and the Divine Life (Zoe). The life we received at salvation is the Divine Life of Almighty God and that has brought us into God’s very own class. We are not ordinary anymore but super-men in a human body. This truth must dawn on you in your spirit and consciousness or else the Christian life will remain a mere religion to you. Every truth in Christ is activated and made operative in your life by knowledge; revelation knowledge of them in your spirit, not just head knowledge in your brain. Say it out loud, “I HAVE RECEIVED THE DIVINE LIFE OF ALMIGHTY GOD. I AM NOT ORDINARY ANYMORE, I AM A SUPER-MAN LIVING IN A HUMAN BODY”. This new spiritual life we’ve come into is a life in which we need to grow and develop into full maturity. Just as when a child is born, that child looks so little, frail and unable to do so many things. But as the baby begins to grow due to all necessary factors, soon he becomes fully grown and developed into a man. That is how it is spiritually. When you are born again, you are born a baby and then you begin to grow. You are born again with all the potentials of divinity in you. Everything it takes to operate the God life is already in you (2 Pet. 1:3). It doesn’t matter whether you feel like it or not, that is the absolute reality. These divine potentials however have to be developed into full maturity for you to fully manifest the divinity in you.
Why You Must Grow Spiritually
Spiritual growth is critical to a Christian as long as he is in the earth. Many don’t understand this and so they just coast along with church. When you understand the necessity of spiritual maturity, you will become more purposeful in your Christian life. Here are some reasons why you must grow spiritually:
1. It Helps You Walk In Dominion (Gal. 4:1): Dominion mandate is the SPIRITUAL MATURITY Luke 1:80, Heb. 6:1-3 first and ultimate mandate God gave man in creation. When Adam fell, man lost it until Jesus came to restore it to us in salvation. There are many forces in life both spiritual and physical that are holding sway over this world. No man can handle them unless he has what it takes to subdue them. Just because you are born again doesn’t mean you will automatically walk in dominion practically over these forces per time. Your divine potentials and capabilities in Christ have to be developed to enable you dominate your world. This is what spiritual growth will do for you. As a Christian, if you are a spiritual baby, you will not be different from the world in terms of experiences; what affects them will affect you because your spiritual capacity is not developed. As you begin to grow spiritually, these divine forces in you begin to find expression and in time walking in dominion becomes a practical reality in your daily walk.
2. It Enhances Destiny Fulfilment: Every child of God has a specific purpose to fulfil on earth before he meets Jesus face to face. This purpose is very important because his whole life is hinged on it. But it is very possible that Satan will move to stop him from fulfilling his God given destiny by all means and the bible clearly warned us of this. Paul told Archipus to take heed so that he can fulfil his calling (Col. 4:17). The first attack that Satan launches on a believer’s destiny is to cause him to ignore spiritual growth. The carnality and unseriousness towards spiritual things that many believers exhibit today is largely spiritually master-minded by demonic spirits. Satan knows that if he can keep you away from growing spiritually, he has your destiny tampered with already. There is a level of destiny manifestation you can never experience until you grow up spiritually and develop in the things of God. This is not just religious inclination but true spiritual development. Even Romans 12:1-2 tells us that renewing our minds is consequential to operating in the will of God. Therefore if your destiny is important to you, then give priority to spiritual maturity.
3. It Makes You an Asset and not a Liability to Humanity: Carnal Christians often times are problem to themselves and to others. When you grow up spiritually, your very way of life becomes a blessing to others. You can minister to them supernaturally, help them as you prosper. You graduate from “Pastor pray for me syndrome” to “How can I be of help to others?” mentality. Healing, deliverance, financial breakthroughs that men receive in church today come because some Christians have spiritually grown to the point that they have become channels of these helps to others. Grow up in the spirit so you can become a blessing to others.
Points to note
1. It is not enough to just be born again, you must grow to spiritual maturity.
2. Spiritual maturity will determine how you exercise dominion on earth.
3. Your whole destiny is hinged on how you grow up spiritually.
4. Carnality makes you a liability in God’s kingdom agenda.
Prayers/Declarations
Father, I thank you for this new life I have in Christ. I commit today to give myself to your word for divine training. As I grow in this life, I declare that I am a blessing to my generation in Jesus’ Name.
Questions for meditation
1. What is spiritual maturity all about?
2. What is the connection between spiritual maturity and God’s dominion mandate to us?
3. The more you grow spiritually, the more you become a blessing to your generation. Discuss?