The Heart of Spiritual Growth
"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ." (Philippians 3:7 NKJV)
Spiritual growth is about evolution and improvement to the end that we become more like Jesus Christ.
The consciousness of your imperfection is no reason for you to disqualify yourself from growth. Make it a habit to report yourself to the Lord.
The Power of God's Word
Never underestimate the power of the written Word to change your life and give you victory. There is so much power there to sanitize your mind. Meditate the Word and acknowledge what it says about you.
"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13 NKJV)
You do not need any other external help. If you put the word in your mind and your heart, you will be saved.
The Word Near You
"But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, 'Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?"' (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, '"Who will descend into the abyss?"' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:6-9 NKJV)
The Foundation of Our Faith
"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time." (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NKJV)
Christianity Defined by Christ
The best way to define Christianity is by Christ Himself. If the trait does not stem from His life, then it is not Christianity.
All the work of the Spirit is to produce a man like Jesus. Wherever the Spirit is succeeding, Jesus will be seen and magnified there.
"Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." (2 Corinthians 4:10 NKJV)
The life of a Christian is a manifestation of the life of Jesus.
God's Provision and Our Appetites
God gives most times not necessarily because you want. If He can succeed at curtailing your appetite, and He has you, you will not lack. If God really has you, there is nothing He cannot give you.
The righteousness that comes from God is on a basis of faith.
Staying with the Designated Syllabus
The only way to get the desired result is to preach and stay with the designated syllabus.
"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." (Colossians 1:27-28 NKJV)
Christ in you is the expectation of you being as He would want you to be. When Jesus is in you, it is a guarantee that you would be as He wants you to be.
Abiding in the Vine
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5 NKJV)
Outside Christ, you will do nothing that truly matters no matter how much people celebrate it. Make sure that your ministry is built on Christ.
Following the Pattern
Christianity has patterns that must be followed. Our lives must be a demonstration of the pattern to which we have been called to emulate—Jesus.
Conclusion
Being a top quality Christian means embracing spiritual growth that transforms us into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Through the power of God's Word, understanding that Christ in us is our hope of glory, and abiding in Him as the vine, we manifest His life in our bodies. True Christianity is defined by Christ Himself, and our lives must demonstrate the patterns He established, ensuring that everything we do stems from our connection to Him.
