Ask God To Help You Spiritually Mature
I want us to go before God today asking for Spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity is important because just like every parent wants to see their child grow and develop so does God want us to grow and develop.
We shouldn't be stagnant in our relationship with God. We shouldn't be comfortable where we are. Recently one of my teachers from church said how no matter how nicely his daughter (between 8-10 years old for example) begs, asks, cries and makes a tantrum, if she is asking to drive his car, he won't give it to her. No matter how much we can ask God for something, fast, pray and beg constantly, there are some things God won't give us because we aren't spiritually mature to handle it yet. An example is we could be praying for our ministry to grow but if you're not spiritually developing for that growth you'll experience spiritual warfare that would shake you because you haven't grown in how to fight back.
No matter how much his daughter says she's ready and explains how she has watched him drive, no matter how much she persistently asks it would be irresponsible for him to allow how to drive his car.
Similarly, there are times God won't give you something no matter how much you want it because you're not developed to hand it. Just like the car, what you're asking for can be your very destruction. If an under 10-year-old girl drives a car not only will the car be in destruction but this could destroy her as well.
God doesn't want us to lead ourselves to self-destruction due to impatience and anger. God wants us to remain growing so when the time comes, He knows you'll be able to handle the task.
Growing in your relationship with God, knowledge of the word, and spiritual disciplines which we are called to do such as meditating on the word, praying and fasting. Growing in dependency and trust in God. Growing in communion with the Holy Spirit. Taking time to hear and grow in hearing God's voice and learning obedience to follow His lead. Bearing the fruit of the Spirit etc is all things we can grow in but we barely take the time to pray and ask God to help us grow.
That's how we are often frustrated. We aren't growing spiritually but want more and more blessings. We want God to answer our prayers but we aren't challenging ourselves to pray more. Maybe yesterday you prayed for 10 minutes but challenge yourself for 15. Maybe last month you successfully fasted for 1 day but now try 2. Maybe you fasted from social media but now try food. Maybe you read the Bible for 10 minutes but now try 15. Maybe you haven't had time to listen to a podcast that edifies you so now do it while cleaning the dishes. Maybe you haven't taken time to just seek God on what He has to say for this new season in life but now go and dedicate a week just to search God on what He wants to teach you.
We need to rebuke this spirit of laziness us!
That's how we mature, we keep growing. We shouldn't be satisfied in our spiritual life where we don't challenge ourselves anymore. We think we are okay where we are but sis when we start having that mindset that's how backsliding creeps on you. That's how the enemy starts attacking you. Suddenly you make excuses not to pray. You procrastinate in Bible reading. Old habits of sin start coming back. You lose that desire to seek God. You neglect your spiritual disciplines. For someone to ask you to come to Bible study now feels like a chore. To even read the word feels like a chore. You begin to prioritise other things above God. You can be on YouTube for 30 minutes watching random things but when the idea of worshipping for that same time comes it feels like a headache.
Girls, let's not allow spiritual sleep to come upon us but remain growing. Never be satisfied with where you are but always want more. Always want to hear God more. Always want to read more of the word. If you're used to 30 minutes, it has become too little, add 5 more minutes and add something else too. Maybe you're used to worshipping and then praying but now add worship, prayer and then worship again. Maybe you're used to praying 2 times a day but try for 15 minutes in the afternoon to begin.
I got this message for God and I believe that He wants us in this generation not to be comfortable in one spot but pursue Him more. I want you, all that's reading to go before God even right now and ask Him to grow your spiritually. I want you not to just pray this and move on, getting distracted once again but go to God with hunger. Go to God with zeal. Go to God with a cry for Him to help you mature. This is a personal prayer, it's your own willingness to grow spiritually. We can pray for you but it's your own hunger that should drive you to prayer as well. Desire to be a woman who people see Jesus, people feel God's presence and when they meet you their lives are changed because the Holy Spirit lives in you and He changes, He impacts, He convicts.
Let that when people see you worship it brings them to repentance. Let's where God even starts prompting you to send people messages to bring people to give their lives to Christ. Let that when you pray for healing over someone's life they are healed indeed. God will powerfully use you as you grow in Him. That in this season you'll begin to grow. In this season you'll begin to bear more fruits. You were patient yesterday but now work on your gentleness. You had self-control but work on living in peace by the power of the Holy Spirit. That you'll serve God even more. You'll worship even more. You'll fast even more.
Why?
Because 👉
Matthew 5:6
ESV
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Ephesians 4:14-15
ESV
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
Galatians 6:9
NKJV
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
-etty