GROWING UP SPIRITUALLY IN 7 PRACTICAL WAYS

In all honesty, a journey of a thousand miles truly begins with one simple step. Growth is a not-so-slow but gradual process and a lot of work and effort are needed. Now that you’ve identified those hindering factors to your growth and the desire for growth is still there, the next step is to actually make a move. Growing up spiritually in 7 practical ways are daily simple steps Christian youths can take to draw closer to God and mature in Christ. Indeed we cannot grow outside of the Holy Spirit but our active participation is also needed. Let’s call this growth process a partnership. It’s a partnership between you and the Holy Spirit. In today’s post, I share with you some of the practical steps I took(and I am still taking) to draw closer to God and grow.

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7 PRACTICAL STEPS THAT ARE OBVIOUS BUT NEEDED FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Growing up spiritually in 7 practical ways involves the following:

Having a personal relationship with Jesus
Forsaking old ways and yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit
Daily reading, studying and applying the word
Praying
Fellowship with other believers
Serving others and bearing fruits
Being accountable

Let’s look at these points closely

1. Having a personal relationship with Jesus:

My introverted side finds it difficult to visit people. For me to feel at home in your house I must have a relationship with you. I can feel comfortable in your space and trust you if I know you to some extent. Having a personal relationship with Jesus is the first and most important step. Every other thing you do springs forth from this. The very essence of our spirituality is Jesus. The goal is to be like Jesus. You can’t be like someone you barely know, can you? To grow and bear fruit we must first abide in Jesus. Abiding here means knowing Him well enough to actually be willing to stay.

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me? I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. (John 15:4&5)

If you are reading this and you are yet to have a relationship with Jesus please do. You can have a relationship with Jesus by believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth that he is Lord over your life. The next step is to👇

2. Forsake old ways and yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit:

When Jesus was about to leave earth, He promised us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is everything. He is your teacher, helper and guide. You need the Holy Spirit to grow! One fun fact about Him is he doesn’t force. He won’t invade your privacy or space until you ask him to.

You need to cultivate the habit of asking Him to help you in this growth journey. There would be days when you have no strength to do anything. You need him to strengthen you. There would be days when you can’t pray, you need him to help you pray. Thus the Holy Spirit plays a very vital role in our growth. To be besties with the Holy Spirit, you have to let go of some old ways and habits. You are a new creation in christ act like one. The Holy Spirit has emotions and can be grieved.

3. Daily Reading, Studying and applying the Word:

The Bible has it all! It is the only book that gives us exact details about the life of Christ. Through the Bible, we get to know who Jesus is, what he did for us and what he expects of us. Reading the Bible on a daily is good, studying it is even better. Digging deeper, discovering new things about God, getting revelations from the Holy Spirit etc. helps to build your confidence and faith. When the devil comes with lies you can smile at him and not fret.

When I started getting serious about my Bible, I discovered a whole lot of things about myself I didn’t know. For example, I learned from Ephesians that God chose me in Him before the foundations of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. Out of love He predestined me and made me part of his beloved cute babies. This simple truth changed my whole life. I stopped trying to play church and bribe God with good deeds and became more grateful when I realise He has blessed me with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. I didn’t know all these truths before but thank God for the Bible😃

4. Praying:

There’s this song I know, it goes like this “prayer is the key, prayer is the key. Prayer is the master key…Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayers..prayer is the master key” This thing called prayer is the way we communicate with our Father. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He didn’t say “if you pray” instead He said, “When you pray”. This tells us that prayer is vital for our growth. It’s like food given to babies to grow. We get to talk to our father and if we are patient enough to listen He responds.

5. Fellowshiping with other believers:

Every baby is born into a family! You were born into a family, you bear the last name of your parents, right? The same applies here, as a Christian youth you need a family. One where you can be fed, looked after and serve. Like all families, there would be days we get on each other’s nerves but that doesn’t mean we stop being family. A lot of youths are leaving the church. Some have genuine reasons and others don’t, This is the sad reality😞. We are members of the same body and the growth of another family member is our responsibility. We are not to forsake meeting together

not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25)

Life can get really difficult and we cannot face all of the challenges alone. There are some who have gone ahead of us and we need to learn from them. That is why you need a community of other believers. It is in their midst that you get to feel at home. You also get to learn and serve. As a Christian you have gifts but sometimes it’s difficult to identify them. Someone in your community can point it out to you and give you the opportunity to work and use that gift. Look for a bible believing and practising Church around you and join them. Try also to be an active member.

6. Serving Others and Bearing fruits:

Our act of service to others is a great tool for growth. It’s in our service we develop godly characters and we exhibit the fruit of the spirit. You won’t know what patience means until you have to wait on someone, and you won’t know the importance of self-control until you are triggered to act otherwise.

Jesus was someone that was humble enough to serve. He didn’t just sit at home hoping to become a better person. He was out there doing His father’s business and He came across a lot of folks. While some tried his patients, others had the audacity to question His authority yet He was able to relate with them all. Never for once did they find him wanting. In the church you are, what department are you serving in? You could help keep the environment clean or help the younger kids. You could help mothers with their babies or you could usher people in. There is so much you can do. While you serve with all your heart you would begin to notice growth in your doings.

7. Accountability:

There is this belief that people perform better when they are being supervised. Have someone who is concerned about your growth monitor you. Let them ask you questions and check up on you. Share with them your concerns or confess your fault to them(James 5:16). Let them pray for you and encourage you to do more.

Conclusion:

As I mentioned earlier, the growth process is a lifelong journey. The beauty is that you learn as you go and you discover a lot of things. You can even help others in their journey too. I know it’s not always easy, especially for youths. We have a lot of things calling for our attention but let’s strive to put God first.

What are the other practical ways to grow? Feel free to share in the comment section below.

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