Developing And Maintaining Spiritual Disciplines - Part 1 Series

The Purpose of this Series:

A HORSE SOLDIER took the utmost pains with his horse. As long as the war lasted, he looked upon him as his fellow-helper in all emergencies and fed him carefully with hay and corn. But when the war was over, he only allowed him to eat chaff and made him carry heavy loads of wood, subjecting him to much slavish drudgery and ill-treatment.

However, when war broke out again and when the trumpet summoned him to active service, the soldier put on his horse its military trappings, and mounted, being clad in his heavy coat of armor.

The horse fell to the ground under the weight, no longer being able to support the load, and said to his master, "You must now go to the war on foot, for you have transformed me from a horse into a donkey; and how can you expect that I can again turn in a moment from a Donkey to a Horse?'

The moral of this story is that if Christians become lazy in their spiritual discipline (by refusing to pray, going to church, seeking God, etc.), don't be surprised if they should become spiritual donkeys during the time of spiritual battle!

You may not know it or you may not believe it, but there is a war going on. The purpose of this series is to help us to Develop and Maintain Spiritual Disciplines so that we might walk in victory after victory.

The Bible says that developing and maintaining spiritual disciplines is God’s will for you.

"...that you may become mature Christians and may fulfill God's will for you." Col. 4:12b (Ph)

"We are not meant to remain as children...but to grow up in every way into Christ..."Eph. 4:14-15 (Ph)

If you and I desire God's will for our lives--this is where we must start.

The Focus of this Series:

We will focus on the Four Basic Habits every Christian needs to develop in order to grow spiritual maturity. This Series will...

Equip you with the skills you need to begin these habits.

Explain the tools that you need to continue these habits

What is "Spiritual Maturity"?

"....In the unity of common faith, and knowledge of the Son of God, we arrive at real maturity - the measure of development which is meant by the 'fullness of Christ.'" Eph 4:13 (Ph)

The word “maturity” (also translated “perfect”) is the Greek word, teleios, tel'-i-os; it means complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character)

Practically speaking, Spiritual Maturity is being like Christ.

"For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him... should be like his Son..."

Rom. 8:29 (LB)

Many people in the church these days would be the first to admit that they belong to Christ. The sad thing is that they do not want to be like Christ.

If truth be told, if many Christians were to be subjected to a spiritual aptitude test, they would score as "spiritually challenged" or at the most at a nursery school level.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers, "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ." (1 Corinthian 3:1)

Three Facts About Spiritual Maturity

1. It's Not Automatic

A HARE one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." The Hare, believing this conclusion to be simply impossible, gave in to the proposal; and they agreed that a course should be chosen and the finish line determined.

On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, (well you know the story) took off fast, put some distance between himself and the Tortoise and decided to lie down by the wayside and fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue.

Over the years I’ve seen many Christians, starting out fast—having powerful testimonies—being put up in front of people in leadership positions only to fall flat on their faces or at the least fizzle out like a firecracker dud.

Better to grow steadily in the faith than to become spiritually self-reliant, self-confident, and arrogant. Slow but steady wins the race.

"You have been Christians for a long time now, and ought to be teaching others, but instead... you need someone to teach you...When a person is still living on milk, it shows he isn't very far along in the Christian life... He's still a baby Christian!" Heb. 5:12-13 (LB)