DISCOVERING
SPIRITUAL MATURITY
THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY:
“… that you may stand firm in all the
will of God, mature and fully assured”Col.
4:12b (NIV)
“ Then we will no longer be infants,
tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind
of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful
scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things
grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ”Eph.
4:14-15 (NIV)
WHAT IS “SPIRITUAL MATURITY”?
“until we all reach unity in the faith
and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to
the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”Eph
4:13(NIV)
qSpiritual
Maturity is being like Christ.
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to
be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers”Rom.8:29(NIV)
FACTS ABOUT
SPIRITUAL MATURITY
1. IT’S NOT AUTOMATIC
“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,
is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness” Heb. 5:12-13 (NIV)
2. IT IS A PROCESS
“ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever”2 Peter
3:18 (NIV)
3. IT TAKES DISCIPLINE
“… train yourself to be godly”. 1 Tim.
4:7b (NIV)
UNDERSTANDING
DISCIPLESHIP
1. Maturing believers are called disciples.
2. I cannot be a disciple without being disciplined.
3. The more disciplined I become the more God can use me.
4. The mark of a disciple is cross bearing.
“And anyone who does not carry his cross
and follow me cannot be my disciple.”Luke
14:27 (NIV)
5. How often am I to do this? Daily…
“If anyone would come after me, he must
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”Luke
9:23 (NIV)
6. What is involved in “cross bearing”?
Whatever it takes to give Christ
first place in my life!
THE HABITS
OF A DISCIPLE
HOW CAN I BECOME A DISCIPLE? Develop Disciple Habits
“[9]Do not lie to each other, since you
have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the
new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”Col.
3:9-10 (NIV)
1. Spend Time With The Master
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a
man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me
you can do nothing. John
15:5 (NIV)
2. Live In The Word
“ [31] To the Jews who had believed him,
Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32]
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John
8:31-32(NIV)
3. Pray In Faith
“If you remain in me and my words remain
in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”. John
15:7 (NIV)
4. Fellowship With Believers
“A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this all men
will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John
13:34-35 (NIV)
5. Witness To The World
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you
bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”John
15:8 (NIV)
6. Minister To Others
“Greater love has no one than this, that
he lay down his life for his friends.”John
15:13 (NIV)
