EPISODE 231 – ARE YOU GROWING? 5
Apostle BennieCHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY
The Love-Life Agency
Monday 10th, September, 2023
ARE YOU GROWING? 5
GOD HAS MADE PROVISIONS FOR YOUR GROWTH
“Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.
Ephesians 4:15 (GNT)
For some days now, we have been looking into the matter of your growth or maturity in Christ.
It is imperative to give attention to this subject because it makes all the difference in your fulfilment of purpose.
There are things you cannot achieve in Christ until you grow.
Our heavenly Father is interested in your growth and maturity, thus, He has made every provision for you to grow spiritually.
He didn’t just give you His word, He granted you access (Ephesians 2:18) for you to commune with Him (through prayer and fellowship with the Holy Spirit). He planted you in His Church for you to be nurtured and gave you gifted men to equip you.
See how the apostle puts it:
“And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church]; until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity]. So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit]. But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-15 (Amplified)
From the above verses we see the organic assignment of the gifted men. God’s intention for these gifted men (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) is to:
1. Fully equip and perfect the saints for service (or the work of the ministry).
To equip and perfect the saints, furnishes them with the necessary spiritual tools and dexterous skills and mastery for service.
2. To build up the body of Christ [the church].
Your growth and maturity contributes to the building up of the body of Christ. Which means, your immaturity can be a deficiency in the body.
These gifted men equip and perfect the saints to build up the body until:
3. We all reach oneness in the faith.
4. We all reach oneness in the knowledge of the Son of God.
5. Growing spiritually to become a mature believer.
6. Reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness]
7. Exercising our spiritual gifts in unity.
8. As we step into these above reality of our growth in the spirit or maturity; WE ARE NO LONGER CHILDREN [SPIRITUALLY IMMATURE].
The spiritually immature are tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine.
When you are not maturing or growing spiritually you become a victim of:
– every cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men.
– deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit].
However from these verses we see again the the matter of LOVE.
Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head. Ephesians 4:15 (GNT)
We grow up into Christ by LOVE. And the reality is, apart from love there is no other way you can genuinely grow up into Christ.
Your growth is not into your self or personal desires. Your growth is into Christ; who is the ultimate example of love.
Our Heavenly Father has made these provisions of gifted men to bring us to the place of MATURING INTO CHRIST in the perfection of His Love.
Submitting to the training of the gifted men God has given you in your “local Church” is your reception and enjoyment of God’s provision for your growth in the spirit.
Selah.
DIG DEEPER
(Jeremiah 3:14-16; 23:3-4; Ephesians 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Peter 1:8; Hebrews 5:12-13; 1 Peter 2:2)
WE PRAY
Dear Lord, please teach me how to humbly submit to the nurturing and training of my man of God.
BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2023
Day 216
Psalm 130-134
John 5
DECLARE THESE WORDS:
– I humbly submit to training.
– I take heed to every instruction given by my man of God.
– I am not dull in hearing the word of God.
– I make time daily to fellowship with the scriptures.
– I don’t lazy about my spiritual development.
– I don’t trivialize my fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
– I demonstrate the love of Christ in all things.
Oh Hallelujah!!! Glory to God!
Glory to Jesus
Im a hard follower of my man of God.
I demonstrate the Loving kindness of God
I submit to training
I submit to the training of the gifted men God has given me in my local church.
I humbly submit to training.
– I take heed to every instruction given by my man of God.
– I am not dull in hearing the word of God.
Thank you Lord
Thank you Apostle
Wow, so I get to grow into Christ only by LOVE. Kaii. Thank you Jesus for this revelation
I allow myself to submit to training
Thank you Lord. I chose to grow. I go to through the training of the gifted men to become a spiritually mature.
I take heed to every instruction given by my man of God.
My growth is unto Christ, the ultimate example and not unto myself
Glory to God
I submit to the provision of the God for my growth in the name of Jesus.
My refusal to grow in Christ is a deficiency to the Church. A great wisdom learnt.
Thank you Jesus for your word.
I demonstrate the love of Christ in all things
I don’t trivialize my fellowship with the HolySpirit
I submit to training so that I can mature into Christ
I humbly submit myself to training. I take heed to instructions. Thank You Lord
We are entreated to take advantage of the God’s opportunities for our growth chiefly his gifts of men unto us.
Woow this is an eye opening understanding.
Thank you Apostle for Machaira
I make time daily to fellowship with the Word and PRAYER
I humbly submit to the instructions of my man of God, in the name of Jesus