Growing Up Spiritually Pt2

Growing up Spiritually PT2 (God wants to Grow, Go, Glow, Flow)

If you would please turn in your bibles to

To Ephesians 4:11-16 (NIV)

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Paul in v:15

When he said ….speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

….is talking about

A MATURE PERSON - SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING.

TODAY I want to talk about …….Growing up spiritually again

T.T. 2 Peter 3:18

The Bible teaches us a comparison between

• Physical development

and

• Spiritual development

The Bible speaks…..

of stages in spiritual development

They are…

1. babyhood,

2. childhood,

3. and manhood, or adulthood.

• These stages in spiritual development

• correspond to stages in physical development:

Naturally ….no one is physically born a full-grown human.

We are born as babies

and we grow up.

Spiritual…no one is born a full-grown Christian.

We are born as spiritual babes, and then we grow up.

2 Peter 3:18 (NKJV)

18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Say this with me!

GOD WANTS ME TO

1. Grow in the grace

2. Grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Someone might say

how do I know if

I’m growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Go back a couple of chapters T.T. 2 Peter 1:5-7

• What I want to see is….

• Growing up spiritually

• Not only accompanies grace and a knowledge

• Growing up spiritually - will also be accompanied by fruit in our lives

• You remember Jesus said in John 15

John 15:5 (NIV)

5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

2 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Hold your finger here in 2 Peter 2

T.T. Acts 9

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You remember Saul’s Damascus road Experience……

Acts 9:

Paul, eager to destroy every Christian, went to the High Priest in Jerusalem.

He requested that he could take Christians as prisoners to Jerusalem.

On his way to Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven showed down on him!

He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,

"Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.

Acts 9:6 (NKJV)

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

I want you to notice

when Saul had this light shined round about him,

he fell to the earth under the power of God.

1. Jesus said, ---- why are you persecuting Me?