Man wants to grow in the Spirit but doesn't know how to grow; and these days I'm beginning to get this question frequently from some folks and that has prompted me to write this article.
Spiritual growth can be likened to physical growth as well. When a child grows ,it affects diverse areas; mental growth, speech, physically and so on. I want you to simply ask yourself, 'in what area do I need growth?'
These are the areas in which you need growth:
👉🏻The Word
👉🏻Prayer
👉🏻Supernatural
👉🏻Faith
👉🏻Character etc
But for the sake of this writeup, I'm going to focus on the Word because, if you're grounded in the Word, you will grow in other areas too.
THE WORD
The Word of the Lord is like a colostrum that is given to a new born baby which aids his growth; 1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby
There is no shortcut for your spiritual growth. You must be a ward of the word of God in this spiritual world. It contains every nutrient and immunization that you will need for your spiritual journey.
The Word is divided into LOGOS and RHEMA and you need to grow in both. It is when you eat bread that you gain the nutrients in it not when you perceive it; but to eat the bread and spit it out is worse than not eating it at all, so is the Logos, when it is digested in our Spirit man, it is called Rhema.
Logos cuts across the understanding of the Scripture in these areas:
👉🏻Overview Of The Bible
👉🏻Understanding Bible Stories
👉🏻Studying Bible Characters
👉🏻Understanding Subject Matters/Themes
I've met with some people who reply me 'but I read my Bible' whenever I tell them to be friends with their Bibles if they want growth. Mind you, ordinary reading is not the only ingredient you need as you don't need ordinary water to prepare your food. It is good that you read it from cover to cover, as it does the work of mind/heart cleansing but that's the starting point, there is still more to do. Create time to study Biblical concepts. For example, Love, The Holy Spirit, Faith etc. Go online and search for scriptures that go inline with your research, study Bible Characters like Elijah, Elisa, Paul among others. By doing this, you're feeding your self with the necessary diet for your growth.
There is an environmental role on your growth too. The people you walk with determine what will walk with you. That's why Paul emphasized in Hebrew 10:25 that 'forsake not the assembly of brethren' . The wise man even said in Proverbs 27:17 that 'their countenance will sharpen yours'. The Psalmist also said 'you will be a blessing' in Psalm 1:1.
All these constitute a balance diet. Meanwhile, you should worship in a Church where they preach the Word. Yea!
A living Church is growth in itself.
You have to be a good reader too if you want to grow. You should read books that edify your spirit, that teach you the Word, books that will wet your appetite for Word.
The role of listening too is very pivotal. Listen to messages; audio messages of reliable men of God.
The aforementioned will ground you in the Logos and set the pace for the Rhema. Rhema cuts across the understanding of the Scripture in terms of revelation. It is as a matter of fact, the revealed Word by the Spirit of God. They are mysteries opened to you by the Spirit. Just be faithful in the logos, Rhema will come automatically and not Rhema alone, the spiritual gifts that you desire will follow.