“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him, be glory both now and for ever. Amen” 2 Peter 3:17-18
Four days ago, I shared with you the 7 things you need to do to help you grow in the Lord. How then do you measure spiritual growth?
Growth is not a mystery, nor is it a miracle, but the application of revealed principles and means. As a child of God, you have to grow, and it is your responsibility to grow through the materials God has availed to us to feed our spirits with.
Some people have been Christians for many years, but they haven’t grown spiritually. Some aren’t even aware of the reality and necessity of spiritual growth. The Bible says, “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:1-2). This is God’s desire for you; He wants you to grow in fellowship with Him and in the things of the Spirit.
Every Christian must work on growing; your spiritual growth as a Christian can not be overemphasized. It’s important to be conscious that you are growing and making progress in your spiritual life.
There are indicators to show you are growing in your Christian life. In your physical body, for example, you may not see actual growth take place, but you do see the results – for example, the size of shoes and clothes you wear change overtime; these are indicators of your physical growth. In the same way, also, in the spirit, there are indicators to show that you are growing.
Below are some indicators that reveal spiritual growth:
1. Are you more excited about the Word today than you used to be?
– Do not get familiar with the word of God. Every time you get an opportunity to study or hear the word, you must be excited. And that excitement is an indicator or spiritual growth. Those who haven’t been growing don’t get excited in the word.
2. Are you happy to be associated with your brethren?
– Fellowship is key in spiritual growth. The more you grow, the more you love to be with God’s saints.
3. Are you demonstrating more love towards the brethren? Demonstrated love is one of the ways to know if you are growing, stagnant, or moving backward.
4. Do you find fewer faults and mistakes with the brethren?
5. Do you see the brethren as being more perfect?
It is vital to use the indicators of God’s Word to guide yourself because the more you grow, the less of the faults, mistakes, and imperfections you’ll find in others. You’ll notice that you are full of love for the brethren and that all their wrongs are somewhat non-existent to you. The Bible says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren…” (I John 3 v 14).
The more you grow, the more perfect you find others to be, and the less of their imperfections you see. This means the less faults and mistakes you see in the brethren, the more growth you are experiencing; but the more faults you find in the brethren, the less growth you are experiencing, because you are not giving yourself to the Word of God.
Desire more of God; desire more of His Word, for the Word of God is God. Feeding on the Word is the only means you can grow spiritually and live the transcendent life in Christ. “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter
