PERSONAL SELF DEVELOPMENT
MAIN TEXT-2 CORINTHIANS 3:18, 2 PETER 3:18
INTRODUCTION
Personal development is very important for a Christian who wants to fulfill all that God has deposited inside of him. Christians are to be making progress. 1 Peter 1:5. We are supposed to be in that progress of being changed from glory to glory into the image of Christ. When there is no more a continuous departure of self, giving way for the fullness of Christ and his calling upon your life in your personal development, then it is incomplete. John 3:30, John 12:24-25, Eccl 10:10
DEVELOPING ACCORDING TO A CERTAIN PATTERN –ISAIAH 64:8, ISAIAH 29:16
First, there must be the knowledge and understanding of the unique pattern God wants you to develop into-Exodus 25:40. Personal development for a Christian is not a blind pursuit or one with trials and errors-Hebrew 8:5, Genesis 6:15-17. God is the potter and we are the clay. The potter works with different shapes of moulds. As a Christian do you know the shape of your mould? There must be the mountain of revelation-where you always encounter God for guidance and solutions. –Exodus 3:2-4, Exodus 35:1-20, Genesis 32:24-30, Acts 22:21
THE NEEDFOR MENTORSHIP-HEBREWS 13:7, JOSHUA 1:1, MATTHEW 4:18-22
Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person regardless of the age differences. Israel had the prophecy of a bumper harvest but they needed Moses –Exodus 3:8-10. Samuel was uniquely called even before he was conceived but he needed Prophet Eli- 1 Samuel 3:1-16. David was highly anointed for kingship but needed Saul -1 Samuel 18:3-4. Personal development requires mentorship to guide you to your destination and bumper harvest.
UTILIZE EVERY SEASON-DANIEL1:1-17, JOHN 2:26
Add value to yourself in every season. Daniel and his friends did not excuse themselves with captivity, but they utilized that as an opportunity to add value to their lives and they excelled. Recession can be likened to captivity, but God wants us to add value to ourselves and diversify to be fulfilled as Christians. Esther added value to her life and was enthroned when Queen Vashti rebelled- Esther 1:10-20, Esther 2:15-20. Joseph, despite his condition in that land of Egypt used what he had to get what God promised him- Genesis 40:5-13, Genesis 41:25-38. Moreover, practice makes perfect-Philippians 4:9
SUMMARY
Developing a positive thinking about your life has a lot of work to do in your life especially when all around you appear gloomy and not working- Psalm 23, Jeremiah 29:11