“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” Colossians 3:1 NIV
Just as Abraham went through stages of spiritual growth, so do we. The Holy Spirit will lead us through stages that promote Christian maturity. Beginning with salvation, leading to service, dependence, and the exchanged life. While spiritual growth takes place at different rates and in different ways, all of us are on the same journey with one goal, transformation into Christ’s image. Dependence on the Lord, is an important part of spiritual maturity, is learned as we serve Him. As we serve our Lord, our own inadequacies will frustrate us, and we will be tempted to give up. Or we may find ourselves falling back into ungodly habits, even though we don’t want that to happen (Romans 7:19). A key lesson in this stage is to relinquish control and allow the Holy Spirit to direct and help us, in other words, to live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Whenever we struggle, we’re to turn toward the Lord in dependence upon Him. At the same time, when we study His Word, our minds will be redirected to think biblically. Then we can accept God’s truth and leave behind messages we’ve taken in from our upbringing and culture that do not match His perspective. The final stage is what’s known as the exchanged life. We embrace the truth that the only way to live the Christian life is to let the Holy Spirit live Christ’s life through us. Spiritual growth requires our cooperation. How willing are we to grow?
PRAYER THOUGHT
Holy Spirit, work within us a willing spirit to grow in Christ.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Holy Spirit, as You led Abraham on through stages of spiritual growth, lead us to have a willing spirit to mature into the likeness of Jesus. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Romans 12:9-31
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