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GROWING IN THE NEW LIFE
SYNOPSIS: GROWING IN THE NEW LIFE.
The Christian life is not static but a progressive one. Like as in a human physical development from babe to a full grown adult, likewise the Christian life involves daily growth in knowledge and spiritual wisdom of God’s being and of His truth which would enable a Child of God to enjoy more deeper fellowship with Him.
God’s Word is one of the most important foods which enables a Christian to be stimulated into spiritual growth in his daily walk with God. Constant committed devotion to the study of God’s Word enriches the believer with immense knowledge and spiritual wisdom with strength to be strong and firm in the faith.
Prayer is another vital agent of growth to a Christian. The adages are true that say “A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian.” and “Show me a healthy Christian and I will show you a prayerful Christian.”.
Through prayer a Child of God communicates and communes with God, and draws strength, love, mercy, joy, hope and confidence and spiritual energy through His Spirit to maintain a balanced faith towards God. Worshiping God also is another spiritual means from which a Christian enhances his growth and spirituality as he walks with God.
When we honor God and worship Him in truth always with our whole being and possessions, our spirit-man will be developed and be immersed the more deeper into a complete allegiance and submission to the absolute control of the Holy Spirit. We become emptied of self but richer in the spirit and in the fullness of God’s presence which is the secret key to the superlative, overflowing and dynamic Christian performance. Yet another spiritual ingredient that engineers growth in the believers’ life is humility and total submission, and dependence on the Spirit of the Holy One (Ruach HaKodesh), allowing Him full control and direction of our lives.
When a believer remains constant in yielding himself to the use of the Holy Spirit, he will continuously and healthily grow and mature to a ripe and high level in the realm of grace where God could confidently repose trust in him and entrust him with great spiritual, physical and material blessings and endowments and trust that he will make good use of them for the advancement of His kingdom on earth and to the honor and glory of His name.
READING GOD’S WORD: (Neh. 8:3); “And he read from it facing the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those who could understand; and the ear of all the people were attentive unto the Book of the Law.”
Reading God’s Word is very important to the life and well-being of the believer.
The Christian who reads God’s Word stands a good and better opportunity of knowing God’s truth with better understanding than the one who only listens to what others tell him of the Word.
When we read directly from God’s Word, God talks to us directly without the need of human intermediary and interpretation. His Holy Spirit interprets and gives us the genuine knowledge and understanding of what we read. Jesus commanded us to search the scriptures. (Jn. 5:39).
In the Jewish tradition and during the early Church, scripture was read publicly at the synagogues during weekly fellowships. In those days not many people were educated or could read. But we are so blessed today in this our present time and dispensation that a greater percentage of the people can read and have access to own personal copies of the Bible written in the languages they can understand. Let’s look at a few helpful suggestions that could help a Christian get the best of reading the Bible:
i. The Bible should be read prayerfully with an open mind and ready heart devoid of any prejudice, relying only on God Himself to communicate His divine truth by His Spirit directly to us. In other words we should approach God’s Word as students with learning hearts. (Ps. 86:11; Job 34:32; Ps. 94:12).
ii. The Bible should be read thoughtfully. Taking careful note of it’s words and statements.
(I Tim. 4:13, 15-16).
iii. The Bible should be read carefully by meticulously taking note of the words, comparing verses with verses so as to gain full understanding of what is read. It is not beneficial to rush through the Bible mindlessly without conscious attention to the contents of the passages we read.
(Acts 17:11).
iv. The Bible should be read repeatedly. It is very rewarding to go over a particular portion of the Bible over and over again. In so doing we shall not only understand the contents much better but we will also become very familiar to them, making those truths part of us. It will be difficult for us to forget them when we need to make use of them for our support both in encouraging ourselves and in witnessing to others. (Dt. 17;19; Josh. 1:8; Acts 17:11; I Pet. 3:15).
v. The Bible should be read regularly. It is a very good spiritual habit to make Bible reading a part of our daily activities. It is good to separate a particular period of time in each day when the believer could be alone in the quiet to read through God’s Word. This unique habit will greatly promote spiritual growth of the Christian. (Ps. 1:2-3; Rom. 10:17).
vi. The Bible should be read faithfully. It is good and helpful for us to be faithful to our daily dedicated time we have chosen to read God’s Word. But our commitment should not be allowed to be discouraged if by any reason we happen to fail at a particular time to meet this obligation. We should be steadfast and be encouraged to resume and to continue with our normal exercise, knowing well that the devil is at work always aiming to disturb our program. We should be on guard to keep at bay obstacles to hinder us from reading God’s Word. And there is no limit to what he can use against us, e.g. sleep, weakness, friends, TV, etc. (Ps. 1:1-3).
vii. The Bible should be read obediently. As we read God’s Word there should be readiness in our hearts to accept and to obey it’s contents. Obedience to God’s Word will help the believer to actually discover and understand it’s spiritual truths. When we apply God’s Word practically in our lives the manifest result that would be evidently seen and experienced in our lives will give us the confidence to trust it the more strongly as God’s divine and infallible truth. Then will be further encouraged to give more of our time to it’s reading which will help us develop deeper knowledge of God’s being and improve our spirituality. (Jas. 1:22-25; Acts 8:6).
MEMORIZING GOD’S WORD: (Job 22:22); “Receive, please, instructions from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.” It is one thing to read God’s Word but yet it is another thing to memorize it and to keep it in the mind and the heart. Memorizing God’s Word is very expedient and should be craved and practiced by every Christian.
When we keep God’s Word to heart, allowing it to become part of us it will be readily available and useful to us in situations when we could not reach for a copy of the Bible and we needed a particular portion in the Scriptures which we have read before to proffer answer or solution to the particular need at the moment.
We would not learn to appreciate the benefit of memorizing God’s Word until we find ourselves in an urgent situation where we needed it’s application the most to salvage the situation.
Let’s say for instance, an unbeliever who knows you as a Christian, while in a desperate situation trusted and ran to you for spiritual advice and upliftment but you could not provide from God’s Word the spiritual strength that could help the individual, which help and spiritual sustenance if you had rendered could have even led to the persons’ salvation. When we are attacked and being tempted by the devil we need God’s Word in our hearts to wage war against the enemy and overcome him.
Some situations we might find ourselves may not allow for getting a copy of the Bible and reading it but will demand that one boldly will speak God’s Word suitable to contain such situation as may be in that period of time. When Jesus (our Leader) was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He did not scramble for a copy of the Scriptures but firmly He declared from His heart God’s authoritative Word and the adversary was humiliated. (Lk. 4:3-13).
Repeated and regular reading of God’s Word will assist and provide the basis for us to easily learn God’s Word to heart. Also speaking God’s Word always will help too.
Let’s look specifically at some of the great benefits the believer could derive from memorizing God’s Word:
i. It helps the Child of God from sinning. (Ps. 119:11).
ii. It helps to guide the believer continually in the ways of truth and righteousness, keep him from error and deception. (Prov. 6:20-23).
iii. It helps to comfort and to strengthen the believer to walk through sudden difficult conditions of life. (Ps. 119:92).
iv. It provides basis for the Christian occupying a place of authority for both formal and informal instruction of his subjects. (Dt. 6:6-7).
v. It helps the believer to be always prepared and to be readily at hand with God’s Word to give good and sound defense of his faith before anyone at anytime and at anywhere the need may arise. (2Tim. 2:15; 1Pet. 3:15).
vi. It provides the basis for daily sustenance to the believer. (Dt. 8:3; Mt, 4:4).
vii. It is an act of obedience to the command and instruction by God in the Scriptures. Our obedience in this regard shows our humbleness and love with faithfulness to God’s bidding. (Dt. 6:6-7; 2Tim. 2:15; 1Tim. 4:13, 15; Josh. 1:8). Obeying God will lead us to success.
MEDITATING UPON GOD’S WORD: (Josh. 1:8); “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
The word “meditating”, comes from the word “meditate”.
Now let’s look up the meaning of the word as described in the dictionary.
According to Collins English Dictionary it is defined as follows: “To think about something deeply. To reflect deeply about spiritual matters. To plan, consider or think of doing something.”
Indeed the word “meditate’ is very rich in meaning.
Applying it’s rich meaning in relation to our subject discussion herein which is “meditating on God’s Word”. We are presented with a profound and much clearer understanding of the subject and of what high level of spiritual benefit the believer stands to achieve if he faithfully applies himself to meditating on God’s Word. Considering carefully it’s every letters, words and statements.
Now, let’s look thoughtfully at the Scripture text above and consider it’s contents relating to our subject in discussion herein.
It may be expedient , I believe, for us to consider Joshua’s background, his qualities and experience before this instruction from God and the reason why God deemed it necessary to give him such instruction to meditate on His Word ceaselessly.
Joshua was a brave young man, full of faith and inherently gifted with leadership qualities. As Moses’ servant his humble personality could be seen vividly and affirmed. He garnered great experiences working under Moses who was an accomplished leader specially molded and empowered by God to perform many great and humanly impossible feats. (Ex. 17:9-13; 24:13; Num. 14:6-9). Joshua was tabernacled before God’s presence as he spoke to Moses. He heard His glorious voice as did Moses. (Ex. 33:11).
Joshua has all it takes to be a great and successful leader from the human point of view. However, in spite of these immense qualities and possessions, God in His divine knowledge knew that for Joshua to succeed and to be the kind of leader He wants him to be, he will still need to be provided with the vital information and the key to good success.
God had chosen Joshua and confirmed him to have His Spirit in him. (Num.27:18-19). After Moses’ death it was time for Joshua to assume his office to lead Israel.
God then spelled out to him the practical steps he must take in order to achieve success and excellence.
One of those vital steps is that Joshua must repeatedly and constantly read and meditate on God’s Word because by so doing it will be possible for him to bear it in mind always and readily be able to practically apply it in his daily conversations.
Obedience by Joshua will avail him two great blessings:
i. Prosperity-all round in everywhere he treads.
ii. Good success (some successes aren’t good by God’s standard).
Among these two great benefits, there is nothing left that anyone else would have preferred. It is on record in the Scriptures that Joshua heeded God’s instructions and indeed achieved excellence in leadership role over Israel. All his successes are recorded in the book of Joshua.
From the great lessons we could learn from the life of Joshua it will be expedient for every believer to follow his steps of obedience and dedicate ourselves to meditating on God’s Word. Whatever may be the inherent qualities we may possess we still need to obey this vital instruction if we hope to progress in our walk with God in the new life.
Constant and repeated reading and memorizing of God’s Word provides the basis for dedicated meditation on it’s spiritual truths.
In the new life every Christian is expected to toe this line in the worship of God so as to maintain a healthy spiritual fellowship and communion with God.
OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD: (Dt. 31:12); “Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this Law.”
To read, memorize and meditate on God’s Word without practical observance and obedience to what it says should be done, will be of no use or value.
God’s Word is meant to be put into practical observance if one is to derive it’s benefits and to be accepted by God. (Jn. 14:15).
It is only practical obedience to God’s Word that He delights in and which pleases and endears us to Him. (Jn. 14:21, 23-24).
What is the use to us to hear and read God’s Word but refuse to obey and to heed it’s instructions. (Jas. 1:22-25).
This is the attitude of most ‘Christians’ today who though regularly attends church activities but their lives have remained unchanged and unchrist-like.
Many pays lip-service to the worship of God and would not tolerate to endure sound doctrines. (Isa. 29:13; Tit. 1:16).
This has led the church to be powerless without life and unable to effect the society we live which is fast deteriorating with great alarming rate. (2Tim. 3:5).
What is going on now is of course the spirit and signs of the last days.
God’s judgement shall begin in the church. Let all that bears the name tag of Christ eschew evil and cleave to holiness and sincere obedience to God’s Word. (2Tim. 2:19).
God’s demand is absolute, complete, non-partial or half-hearted obedience and humble submission to do what He desires from us in our daily lives and conversations as instructed in His divine Word. (Josh. 22:5; 1Sam. 12:20, 24; Mt. 22:37).
All our religious observances and practices remains futile and unimpressing towards God until we show our genuine love to Him by humbling and submitting our lives under His full control to fulfill His purposes in us. (Rom. 10:2-3; Mic. 6:6-8).
It is from God’s Word that we could know what he wants us to do. Everything we need to do to please Him is fully recorded in the Scriptures. We have not excuses to give in defense of our failures to obey and do his bidding because His Word isn’t far from us. He has declared it to us. (Dt. 30:11-14; Rom. 8:10).
God’s Word is His revealed will for mankind. Obedience to it means obedience to Him. Having a head knowledge of God’s Word while our hearts remain committed and wilfully inclined to doing our own thing and pleasing our selfish desires and interests will do us no certain good. We can’t fool God. (1Jn. 2:3-6; Ga;. 6:7).
God exactly know those that are His in practicality and genuineness. (2Tim. 2:19).
Am making a humble clarion call to all Christians to search their hearts whether it is really committed to doing God’s will or ours.
It is time to be honest enough to admit our insincerity and return unto God in genuine repentance and surrender our whole lives under Him and into His hand to rule and reign sovereignly, through us and over us. (Rom. 12:1,2).
Let’s stop all the double standards and hypocrisies. We remain at great eternal loss if we don’t change and give up to Him. Every blessings both spiritually, physically or materially which He has promised us in His Word could only be obtainable through sincere and complete obedience to His Word. (Heb. 10:36).
This is the key to success in life - obedience to God’s Holy Word. It’s all we need and must do. No more, no less!
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