Grow every day!
Finishing at the top is about accomplishing God’s highest purpose for your life each day so that at the end you fulfill God’s best plan. It’s being a “summit climber”. Paul said it this way:
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)
In the following posts, we are going to look at keys from spiritual summit climbers that will help us finish at the top each day as well as that ultimate day.
Today’s key is being someone who decides to grow every day in your walk with Jesus. We wil look from 2 Peter 1:1-11 about the power of growth, the purpose of growth, and the path or process of spiritual growth.
To finish on top, you need to understand and value the power of growth.
Some observations of the power of growth:
A. Growth is what helps you overcome the failures, the fumbles, and the huge obstacles (mountains) in your life. Growth turns failure into fertilizer, a terrible start into a great finish.
“Growth is what makes you bigger on the inside than that challenges you face on the outside.”
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog. If you grow bigger victory becomes inevitable; if you don’t grow defeat is almost certain.
“The only guarantee that tomorrow will be better than today is if we get better.” — Mark Cole
B. Growth is the great separator between those who live average lives and those who live extraordinary lives. Growth turns talent into treasure.
“The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.” — 2 Peter 1:8-9 (NLT)
C. Growth is what helps you go from a life that is just busier, to a life that is more fruitful.
“Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.” — Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NLT)
D. Spiritual growth is how the very nature of God inside of you transforms you to be more like Christ.
“Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us… through a glorious manifestation of His goodness. As a result of this, he has given you magnificent promises; that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.”
— 2 Peter 1:3-4 (TPT)
The purpose
It's not only important to understand the power of spiritual growth but we must also commit to the purpose of spiritual growth.
It is not just self-help and self-improvement; it is total transformation of our lives for God’s glory and the sake of others.
The goal of spiritual transformation is not to be the best in the world but to become your best for the world. They will know we are Christians by our love!
The true motivation of spiritual growth is that when we get better everybody else in our lives wins.
We need to have a daily plan for growth. Most everyone intends to grow, fewer have a real plan to grow.
Important observations about how we grow:
1. Growth is not automatic. Growing old is automatic; growing up takes a choice.
“So devote yourselves to lavishly supplement your faith with goodness.”
(vs. 5)
2. Spiritual growth comes when we focus in on growing our relationship with Jesus, knowing Him more personally and passionately. If we get Him, we get everything!
“His divine power has bestowed on us (absolutely) everything necessary for (dynamic spiritual) life and godliness, through the true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” — 2 Peter 1:3 (AMP)
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ-yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
— Philippians 3:8-10 (NIV)
3. Spiritual growth is something we claim by faith not works. We grow not because we are working to earn or get God’s approval, but because we are affirming by faith, we have His approval and that His divine nature and all it takes to live a victorious life is already inside of us.
“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature…”
— 2 Peter 1:4a (NIV)
“… for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”
— I John 5:4 (NIV)
Commit to a plan to grow in Christ daily.
1. Have a clear vision of what it looks like to grow. (vs. 5-8)
C-haracter, becoming someone who others can trust
L-ove, becoming someone who is kind, warm, and makes relationships stronger
E-ducate and equip yourself in the knowledge of God’s Word
A-ttitudes that fortify you and others
R-esults, being a person who brings change & improvement in the world around them
2. Build it around practices that Jesus modeled for us to do daily. Growth is not something that happens someday; it happens every day and eventually everyone will see it.
"Consistency not charisma is the secret to growth".
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)
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