Spiritual growth is a constructive process. Just as physical growth is not sudden but made possible through continued nutrition and exercise, and academic development is not achieved in an instant but rather the result of continuous effort and long-term study, so too is spiritual growth.
You must dedicate yourself to and invest in your spiritual development in a purposeful and systematic manner. This cannot be left to chance or the vagaries of your schedule. Given the impact of spiritual growth on every aspect of life, it must be considered a priority and placed before all other areas of growth.
It must be planned, executed, and analyzed methodically. We must submit to mentoring and leadership, as well as an evaluation of our progress in this area. One of the primary areas of our interaction with leadership and the Holy Spirit must be to determine our spiritual advancement and health and to prescribe the diet and steps necessary to foster our growth.
We are grappling with forces that will take advantage of any weakness in this area to trap us and block our existence. The full realization of God's will in all dimensions of our lives depends heavily on our spiritual growth. The ability to perceive, grasp, and implement God's purpose and plan, to discern circumstances and people, and to stay the course in implementation stems from our spiritual capacity.
There must be content and a system, as well as supervision and discipline. Everyone chooses to comply with them because they understand the vital nature of these elements in their lives.
Attrition is a reality. Life wears us down continuously when our strength is not constantly renewed. Spirits wage a war of attrition against believers. We are facing constant low-intensity spiritual warfare, and it's no wonder that when the big guns arrive, many become uncomfortable and falter. They have been under pressure for a long time but have not reacted because their weak spiritual development made them totally unaware of it. So they capitulate when they should respond with fire.
When spiritual development is continuous, when we engage in the regular activities of prayer meetings, Bible study, daily meditation, daily prayer, constant fasting, obedience through faithful service, bearing fruit for the Master, constant thanksgiving, and keeping our lips far from evil, there is within us a capacity that surprises us when the onslaught comes. Our response is swift, strong, and overwhelming to opposing forces. Resilience is manifested when challenges arise.
God is a builder of men. The Holy Spirit takes hold of all who appreciate His enterprise of revealing and establishing truth. The process of sanctification is His enterprise, and it is gradual, not sporadic. If we honor God and seek not merely to use Him, we will submit to this process and reorganize our lives, not in pursuit of natural things, but in pursuit of God, His will, and His purpose; in pursuit of a life that accurately reflects His will.
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