The Next Step -Life After The Decision Series

Decision or Disciple

The Next Step

Life after the Decision

The Word of God refers to your conversion as a new birth.(John 3:3) When you prayed the sinners prayer and asked God to forgive you and come into your life you were born again. It is a spiritual birth, and like your physical birth it is the beginning of life in the world. However, being born or born again is not enough. Spiritual babies just like physical babies need to grow in order to stay healthy. And if they don’t get the required food, drink, and attention they will quickly die. If they just get a little of what they need they will be spiritually stunted. The church is full of spiritual babies that have never matured or grown up spiritually. They may have gotten older physically, but not more mature. God’s desire for all his new babes in Christ is for them to grow up.

11 He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, 13 until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4

So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. Hebrews 6:1

“Spiritual Growth is the process we go through here on earth of becoming more Christlike. The goal of spiritual growth is more than just improved behavior. Self-help programs improve people; God’s intent is to transform us into replicas of his Son”. J. Wimber p3 Power Points (CS LEWIS)

John Wimber tells in his book entitles Power Points about a new housing development that came and replaced the old houses in his poor neighborhoood. In a short time the old families from the neighborhood moved back into the new homes. It wasn’t long before he noticed the new buildings abused and run down. He said, "Even though I was only a young boy, I concluded that you can change people’s surroundings, but if you do not change the people themselves, their surroundings will soon reflect their inner state. People must be changed from the inside out. Changed From the Inside Out ? P10 Power Points, Wimber

I The FIRST THING -Being Sure Your Saved -Faith not Feeling

1. Witness of the Spirit- Romans 8:16 (comes after faith not before)

2. Witness of Change of Life (Matthew 3 fruit of repentance

-desires change

3. Witness of the Word - God is always true

II The FIRST Steps

John 3:3 Spiritual Babies and Physical Babies have 5 traits or needs in common.

1. Milk- just as babies need milk the Word of God says spiritual babes need spiritual milk from the Bible.

2. Growth- just as babies need to grow physically, new converts need to grow spiritually.

3. Dependent- Just as babies can’t make it without help, new converts need other Christians.

4. Love-Just as babies need love from adults, so new converts need love from older Christians.

5. Environment - Just as babies need to be in a healthy environment, so new converts need a Christian environment.

1. Public Confession (Matthew 10:32-33)

"If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven. 33But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven.

2. Prayer-Talking to God 1 Thess. 5:17

“Keep on praying”

1. God wants us to talk to him about everything

2. All day long, but also at a special time.

3. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication (Requests)

3. Read the Bible -1 Peter 2:2 Listen for God -John, 1 John, Acts

2You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk,