WEEK 38
TOPIC: SPIRITUAL MATURITY (Part 4)
TEXT: Luke 1:80, Heb. 6:1-3, Eph. 4:11-15
What It Is In the previous lessons, we have looked at what spiritual maturity is not. That is with a view to helping us locate where we really are in our walk in the things of God. In this lesson, we shall look at what spiritual maturity really is, so we would not live in assumption.
1. It Is Walking In The Word: When we say someone is spiritually mature, we mean he is a doer of the word. His whole idea of life is hinged on the template of the word. As simple as it sounds, it makes a whole lot of difference in our Christian life. God personally gave this to Joshua as a destiny instruction (Jos. 1:8) when he was about to begin his leadership role over Israel. Many Christians run their lives on church creeds, dogmas, family beliefs and even ancestral laws shamefully. Yet they pride themselves on how long they have been in church. Your years in church does not define how spiritually grown you are even though that ought to be the case ideally. Others just pre-occupy themselves with religious activities of all sort without substance and think they are growing spiritually. The question is, are you walking in the word of God? What is your fellowship with the word like? How has it affected your person with reference to your actions, words, thoughts, ideas and beliefs? These are the indicators of your spiritual growth. You want to grow up into spiritual maturity? Get into the word, study it, do it and let it affect you from inside out. This is what will open you up to everything of God in your Christian walk. No matter how nice you think you are, until your ideas, decisions etc are informed by the word, you are not spiritually matured. Remember that spiritual maturity is what will help you walk in true dominion in life. So go for the word and reign in life.
2. It Is Yielding To God’s Will: One true test of spiritual maturity in a believer is whose will he yields himself to every time he is at decision making point. Jesus exemplified this so perfectly in His time on earth. He told us that He does nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do (Jn. 5:19). He judges nothing of Himself but what He hears from the Father (Jn. 5:30). The ultimate place where He proved this was in Gethsemane when His own desire was now in conflict with the Father’s will (Lk. 22:42). He even tried expressing His contrary view to His Father in prayer and don’t blame Him, to go through separation from His Father, become a curse, become the very sin of humanity, go to hell and suffer the penalty of divine justice for the human race etc was something anybody will do everything to avoid. But once He settled it in Himself that this was what the Father wants at this time, He immediately surrendered fully to it. No wonder God has highly exalted Him, and gave Him the pre-eminent seat in the whole universe forever. He has become the Pattern Son for everyone who will come to salvation. How did Jesus become who He is? Complete submission to the Father’s will. This is the most difficult aspect of our spiritual walk in Christ. You can know the bible, quote it, have anointing, be a prayer warrior, preach well, etc but until you cross the line and pass this test of complete submission to the Father’s will, you are not spiritually matured, and for every child of God, a time will come where you will come face to face with this bridge. It is when you cross this bridge that the Father brings you into His inner chamber so to speak where you begin to run the Kingdom affairs with Him. No matter how God loves you as His child, there are things and levels He will never bring you into in the Kingdom until you cross this bridge. You can even be a general overseer or any high ranking person in church, but until you pass this test, you are not spiritually matured yet as far as God is concerned. The question is how many of us Christians have crossed this bridge? Think on this deeply as you sing this hymn from SS&S 616:
“Take my life and let it be
Consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise”.
Consult the hymn book for the rest verses of the song.
The Secret: The major secret of Jesus was He handed Himself over to the full leadership and control of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 4:1, Heb. 9:14). There are things you cannot do in the Kingdom, life you cannot live in the Kingdom except you are under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Therefore if you have not received Him, do so now and then yield yourself completely to His control. That is when you will be able to engage this truth and grow into spiritual maturity.
Points to note
1. Walking in the word is a sign of spiritual maturity.
2. Surrendering completely to the Father’s will was the major secret of Jesus in His earth walk.
3. No matter how high you are in church, until you cross the bridge of surrendering to God’s will, you are not yet ready to go far with God. 4. Letting the Holy Spirit take over you completely is the major secret to growing into spiritual maturity.
Prayers/Declaration
Father, I receive grace to walk in your word and yield to the Holy Spirit in me. As I commit myself to spiritual growth, I declare that all the attributes of divinity in me begin to find expression henceforth thereby causing me to walk in dominion in life in Jesus’ Name.
Questions for meditation
1. How do you know that you are walking in the word?
2. What is the relationship between submitting to the will of the Father and true spiritual maturity?
3. The Holy Spirit’s control aids our walk in spiritual maturity. Discuss?