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          What Every Christian Should Know About Spiritual Growth!

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By David Wilkerson
August 23, 1999
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          "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as
          it is meet, because that your faith groweth
          exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all
          toward each other aboundeth" (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

          What a great compliment Paul paid the Thessalonian
          Christians! Here's the full essence of what he was
          saying: "It's incredible to see how much you've grown,
          both in your faith in Christ and in your love for one
          another. Everywhere I go, I brag to others about your
          spiritual growth. How I thank God for you!"

          In this short passage, Paul gives us an amazing picture
          of a body of believers who were growing in unity and
          love. The Greek phrase Paul uses for "groweth
          exceedingly" means "growth over, above and beyond that
          of others." Both individually and corporately, the
          Thessalonians' faith and love outshone that of all
          other churches.

          Obviously, these Thessalonian Christians weren't just
          trying to hang onto their faith till Jesus returned.
          They were learning, moving, growing -- and their lives
          offered evidence to that fact. According to Paul, they
          were the talk of every church in Asia.

          Apparently, the preaching these people heard was
          provoking them into an ever deeper walk with Christ. It
          was melting their fleshly ambitions and convicting them
          of un-Christlike habits. And the Holy Ghost in them was
          tearing down all ethnic barriers and color lines. They
          were discovering how to embrace any person, whether
          rich or poor, educated or uneducated. And they offered
          great care to each other, preferring one another in
          love.

          Moreover, the Thessalonian believers weren't easily
          drawn into error. They didn't allow false teachers to
          come into their midst and lead people away with fancy,
          new religious fads. They highly honored and revered
          God's word.

          At the time, these Christians were under intense
          persecution. But that didn't stop other believers from
          visiting their extraordinary church. People descended
          on them by the droves. Yet these visitors didn't come
          to be dazzled by signs and wonders, or to be awed by
          powerful preaching. No, they came to witness the great
          miracle of a church moving together as one body in the
          love of Christ. They wanted to see firsthand how a
          strong, steadfast gathering of believers was growing in
          the grace and knowledge of God.

          Now, if Paul can compliment the church at Thessalonica,
          I believe I'm allowed to compliment our congregation at
          Times Square Church. I see and hear things among our
          body of believers that make me truly believe we're
          growing in the Lord "exceedingly."

          Our church is twelve years old, with some 103
          nationalities worshipping among us. Yet there are no
          ethnic lines here. We all know we're one blood with
          Christ. And the love in our church is a marvelous thing
          to experience. Visitors tell me, "As soon as I walked
          through the door, I felt the love of Christ saturating
          this place."

          At various times, I've seen the following expressions
          of Christ's love in our midst:

          * A black usher hugs a white usher, telling him, "I
          sure see Jesus in you, brother." The white usher
          answers, "I'm so glad I know you, friend."

          * Before the services, our ushers meet together to
          sing, clap and worship together. Their bond of love is
          evident to all.

          * Our Rhodesian pastor, Neil, hugs our Filipino pastor,
          Cesar -- fellow ministers who deeply love and respect
          one another.

          * Members of our choir -- singers of immense talent --
          embrace the chosen soloists in true admiration and
          love. They tell them, "Your singing was truly anointed.
          I thank God for your gift -- and for you."

          Recently, our church body gathered in love around one
          of the women on our staff. This dear, faithful woman
          lost her son in a car accident. Yet she didn't have to
          grieve alone. Scores of believers from our church
          rallied around her at the funeral. People had to line
          up down the street just to get into the chapel. And
          they all came for a simple reason: they love their
          sister deeply.

          Like Paul, I look upon our congregation and see people
          who are strong in the Lord. Yet, not too long ago,
          these same people sought counseling every week. They
          were constantly up and down in their walk with Christ.
          One week they were full of joy, singing praises to God.
          But the next week their spirits were so low, they
          couldn't even lift their heads.

          Today, I see a steadfastness taking hold in them. They
          soak up God's word, letting it mold their lives from
          day to day. And their faith is slowly taking root. Like
          Paul, I believe their exceeding growth can be seen by
          everyone around them!

          In my opinion, there are three important things every
          Christian should know about spiritual growth. I trust
          these three things will both challenge and edify you:

                      -------------------------------

                        1. Every Christian Should Be
                     Growing and Thriving Spiritually,
                   If He's Filled With Holy Ghost Truth.

                      -------------------------------

          If you're being watered and fed by God's word, you
          should have continual spiritual growth in your life. It
          should be happening automatically.

          Now, I don't know if everyone in our congregation is
          "growing exceedingly," as Paul knew about the church at
          Thessalonica. Yet I believe it is true for many of our
          people. Why? The anointed preaching of the pure word of
          God always produces growth. And the apostle Peter says
          that all who desire the pure milk of the word will
          grow.

          Paul describes our spiritual growth as a work of the
          Holy Ghost. He says the Spirit is ever at work,
          changing us from glory to glory. He's constantly
          renewing our minds, mortifying our flesh and bringing
          forth purity in our inner man. He works in our hearts
          to put off anger, bitterness, resentment and evil of
          all kinds. And he produces in us kindness, tenderness
          and forgiveness toward one another. He's growing us up
          in Christ -- teaching us that everything we say and do
          has to be worthy of our Lord!

          Paul further urges us, "Let a man examine himself..."
          (1 Corinthians 11:28). "Examine yourselves...prove your
          own selves..." (2 Corinthians 13:5). The Greek word for
          "examine" here means "scrutinize, test yourself." The
          apostle is saying, "Test yourself -- see if you're
          walking according to God's word." We're to constantly
          ask ourselves, "Am I changing? Am I becoming more
          loving and tenderhearted? Am I treating my family and
          friends with godly respect? Is my conversation becoming
          more righteous? Or am I still participating in dirty
          jokes? Am I still complaining, or am I speaking
          edifying words of faith?"

          I take this matter of self-examination very seriously.
          If you're a Christian, yet you're still apathetic about
          your spiritual growth, then you haven't allowed God's
          Spirit to do his work in you. Ask yourself -- are you
          growing more excited about Jesus and his church each
          day? Or do you still hold onto grudges, resentments,
          roots of bitterness, despite God's warnings? Are you
          growing spiritually -- or has your growth been stunted?

          It's possible for us to experience "exceeding growth"
          in many areas of our lives, and yet remain childish in
          one area. Paul says, "When I was a child, I spake as a
          child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:
          but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1
          Corinthians 13:11). Let me illustrate Paul's statement
          with a personal story.

          Years ago, I was driving with my wife, Gwen, and her
          mother through the parking lot of a Dallas mall.
          Suddenly, a young woman zoomed her car out in front of
          us. I had to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident.
          Immediately, I started fuming. When the driver looked
          up and saw my angry expression, she panicked and sped
          away.

          At that point, I lost control. I hit the gas and sped
          after her. In seconds, I was way beyond the speed
          limit. I had no idea what I'd do if I caught up with
          her. All I knew was, I was angry!

          Gwen was white with fear. She cried, "David, what are
          you doing? Stop the car!" I fumed, "Didn't you see what
          that woman just did? We could've had a wreck!" Gwen
          answered, "If you keep driving this way, you're going
          to have a bigger wreck!" Suddenly the fear of God came
          over me, and the Holy Ghost spoke clearly: "Stop now,
          David -- while you still can!"

          After that incident, I allowed God's Spirit to deal
          with my short temper. And I can honestly say I don't
          indulge in that kind of childish behavior anymore.
          Through the power of the Holy Ghost, I've striven to
          mortify all un-Christlike attitudes and impulses.

          I believe most Christians are like me. Their lack of
          spiritual growth isn't due to some gross sin. More
          often, it's a character flaw -- a predominate weakness
          they've never dealt with. They may not think it's
          serious. But in reality, it's a huge obstruction to
          their spiritual growth.

          I challenge you to finish the following sentence: "My
          single biggest problem is..." (I wonder how your spouse
          or coworkers might fill in that blank!) Is your
          weakness flying off the handle? Is it pouting when
          things don't go your way? Are you a touchy, nagging
          spouse? Do you have a hard time forgiving someone for a
          hurt he caused you? Or is your problem a besetting lust
          or habit?

          Show me a Christian who's always getting miffed...who's
          always complaining and murmuring...who's never
          thankful...who's unteachable, always having to be
          right...who's mean-spirited and cutting...and I'll show
          you someone whose spiritual life is stunted. That
          person is withering, becoming dry and barren. The
          precious life of Christ in him is dying!

                      -------------------------------

                      2. Some Christians Are Growing,
                          But They Don't Know It.

                      -------------------------------

          Some believers can tell you all about their spiritual
          growth. And you can clearly see the changes in their
          lives. They testify to you about how the Holy Ghost has
          vanquished the enemy for them, and you rejoice with
          them in their victory.

          Yet these kinds of Christians are the exception. Most
          believers are totally unaware of any spiritual progress
          in their lives. They're diligent to walk in holiness
          and in the fear of God. They pray, read the Bible and
          seek the Lord with all their hearts. And they've
          forsaken all besetting lusts and habits. There's no
          obstruction to spiritual growth in them. In short, the
          life of Christ is thriving in these saints.

          But they can't discern any growth in themselves. They
          don't sense that anything spiritual is taking place at
          all. I'm an example of this type of Christian. I know I
          walk in the righteousness of Christ, yet I never feel
          holy. I never sense I'm making progress. In fact, I
          occasionally get down on myself whenever I do or say
          something un-Christlike. It causes me to wonder, "I've
          been a Christian for years. Why don't I ever learn?"

          We all judge others to be so much purer and holier than
          ourselves. Yet we aren't aware of the wonderful,
          exceeding spiritual growth that God is causing in us!

          I think the Thessalonian Christians were stunned when
          they heard Paul's glowing assessment of them. They
          probably thought, "Me, growing exceedingly? Paul must
          be kidding. Doesn't he know I'm still far from what I
          ought to be? On most days, I struggle badly. He may see
          growth in me, but I certainly don't."

          Yet Paul knew that spiritual growth is a secret, hidden
          thing. Scripture likens it to the unseen growth of
          flowers and trees: "I will be as the dew unto Israel:
          he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as
          Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty
          shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon"
          (Hosea 14:5-6).

          God is telling us, "Go to the lilies! Just try to watch
          them grow. Take your watch, and be prepared to stay all
          day long. I'm telling you, by day's end you won't be
          able to see any growth whatsoever. But know this: I
          water the lily every morning with the dew I send -- and
          it's going to grow.

          "Or, try to measure the growth of the cedar tree. Camp
          under it for a month, and tell me how far you see it
          grow. Even after six months, you probably won't notice
          any growth. Yet that tree is putting down deep roots!
          You see, I water the tree with my rain. And any tree
          that's watered properly is going to grow. Yet such
          growth is not discernible to the human eye. It grows,
          but in secret!"

          The same is true of most spiritual growth. It's
          imperceptible to the human eye!

          Some Christians may object, "I've been a believer for
          ten years, and I still don't feel like I've grown
          spiritually." To those people, I point to the book of
          Isaiah. God promises, "I will pour water upon him that
          is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground..." (Isaiah
          44:3). He also calls his repentant people "trees of
          righteousness" (61:3). The Lord himself says we're his
          trees and flowers, his carefully tended plants. And he
          sends down his dew and rain upon us daily!

          Let me give you an easy test that will reveal whether
          spiritual growth is taking place in you. Simply ask
          yourself, "Am I thirsty? Do I want more of Jesus and
          his holiness?" If the answer is yes, you can know
          you're growing. Why? He promises to pour out his living
          water on all who thirst for him: "Blessed are they
          which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for
          they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).

          Simply put, God judges your spiritual growth by how
          much you hunger and thirst for him. So, if you're
          sincere about your walk with Christ, and you're open to
          his leading and correction, you mustn't be discouraged
          by any perceived lack of growth. True spiritual growth
          is taking place in you, whether you can see it or not!

          I received a pitiful letter recently from the godly
          wife of a minister. She suspected something was wrong
          in her husband's life, because he suddenly grew distant
          from her. In fact, over the course of a few months, he
          totally changed into another man.

          This man's preaching lost all its life, and his sermons
          grew increasingly permissive. His mind wandered in the
          pulpit, until finally he made no sense at all. The
          congregation could tell something in him had changed.
          Their shepherd was no longer growing spiritually. In
          fact, he was dying before their eyes!

          His wife prayed for God to give her a clue about what
          was happening. Soon, she noticed her husband was
          spending hours shut in his office. He had forbidden her
          to bother him while he was supposedly studying. But
          finally, with the Spirit's leading, she pushed open the
          door to see what he was doing.

          What she saw shocked her. Her husband sat drooling over
          internet pornography! When he turned and saw her, he
          said without emotion, "I'm hooked -- addicted to this
          stuff." There was no sign of sorrow in him, no hint of
          remorse, no plea for help. He was totally given over to
          his lust!

          I know a young minister who had worked with this man in
          a former pastorate. I called up the young man to find
          out what the pastor had been like in his earlier
          ministry. The young man told me, "In all honesty, that
          dear brother never had a hunger for the Lord. He had a
          lot of other interests, but he didn't care much about
          the things of God. And he was a legalist. To him,
          everything was about works. Yet what I remember most
          was that he was incredibly mean to his wife. She could
          never do enough to please him."

          In twenty years' time, there hadn't been any spiritual
          growth in this man. He was still a selfish, pouting
          child! The water he drank wasn't from heaven at all --
          but from the devil's poisonous cesspool!

          Yet God promises that all who hunger and thirst after
          him will be filled by his own hand. He'll water us from
          heaven. And he'll feed us all the nutrients needed to
          produce abundant life in us -- whether we see it
          happening or not!

                      -------------------------------

                       3. Many Christians Who Are
                      Growing Think They're Failing.

                      -------------------------------

          When some people get saved, they never again struggle
          with a besetting sin. They testify, "The moment I came
          to Jesus, the Lord took that temptation out of me. And
          I've been free ever since." I know many former drug
          addicts who've had this experience. They were saved in
          our ministry over the past thirty-five years, and they
          haven't had an addiction problem since. In fact, some
          serve as ministers and social workers today.

          But for multitudes of Christians, it's a different
          story. Years after their conversion, they still battle
          a powerful, perplexing temptation. An old corruption
          has broken loose in them -- something they hated and
          never wanted to see again. And that bondage is the one
          thing that's kept them from fullness in God. It brings
          guilt and reproach into their life. And if it were to
          be exposed, it could ruin them.

          Yet no matter how hard they struggle, that one
          remaining lust simply won't let go. Over time they grow
          discouraged. Their soul cries out, "How long, Lord?
          When will this chain ever be broken?" And eventually
          the devil comes to them, saying, "You'll never make it.
          Your sin is in you for good! You've struggled with this
          thing for years now. You know there's no way you could
          grow spiritually in this kind of condition."

          Take heart, friend -- I've got good news for you.
          You're growing in the midst of your struggle! In fact,
          you may be growing by leaps and bounds because of your
          struggle.

          Ask any sailor who's had to navigate through hurricanes
          and great storms. The waves may toss his ship around
          like a cork. The winds may shake the masts. And the
          storm may even seem to push the ship backward. But even
          the most skilled sailor often can't discern whether his
          ship is making any headway. The same winds that
          threaten to take the ship down may actually be speeding
          it on its way!

          Rest assured -- if you have the fear of God in your
          heart, you're going to emerge from the storm much
          stronger. You see, when you're doing battle with the
          enemy, you're exercising and calling forth all the
          graces and powers of God. And even though you may feel
          weakened, those graces and powers are strengthening
          you. For one, you're becoming more urgent in your
          praying. And, second, you're being stripped of all
          pride. So, the storm is actually putting you on
          "spiritual guard" in every area of your life!

                      -------------------------------

                      When You Cooperate With the Holy 
                      Spirit in the Battle to Mortify
                      Your Sin, You're Growing in Your 
                      Knowledge of the Spirit's Work!

                      -------------------------------

          Whenever opposition arises, God's grace thrives in us.
          Think about what happens to a tree when a great storm
          beats violently against it. The wind threatens to
          uproot the tree and carry it away. It breaks off its
          branches and blows away its leaves. It loosens its
          roots and blows off its buds. And when the storm is
          over, things look utterly hopeless.

          Yet, look closer: the same storm that opened crevices
          in the earth around the trunk of the tree has helped
          the roots to go deeper. The tree now has access to new,
          deeper sources of nutrition and water. And it has been
          purged of all its dead branches. The buds may be gone,
          but others will grow back more fully. I tell you, that
          tree is now stronger, growing in unseen ways. And just
          wait till harvest -- because it's going to bear much
          fruit!

          Maybe you're in a storm right now. The wind is blowing
          hard, shaking you violently, and you think you're going
          down. Beloved, don't panic! You've got to know that in
          the midst of the tempest, you're putting down deep
          spiritual roots. God is developing in you a deepening
          humility, a greater mourning and sorrow for sin, a
          heightened hunger for his righteousness.

          Other Christians who haven't known spiritual warfare
          may look down their noses at their brothers and sisters
          who struggle in ways they don't. But you no longer have
          that attitude. Now, because of your own struggles,
          you're more tenderhearted toward the weaknesses and
          failings of others. Though you haven't been aware of
          it, the Lord has used the storm to deepen in you the
          roots of Christ's compassion.

          In short, God is making you a seasoned soldier of the
          cross -- battle-scarred, but battle-smart and
          courageous. You may get down on yourself at times --
          but the Lord never does. The fact is, he could have
          acted sovereignly at any time to pluck out your
          struggle. But he didn't -- because he saw it producing
          in you a greater thirst for him!

          Think about it all: Your new humility, your new sorrow
          for sin, your new hunger for Christ -- none of these
          things was present in you when you weren't engaged in
          spiritual warfare. And now you're growing ever
          stronger, in spite of your ongoing battle. You've
          resisted by faith alone. And although you've stumbled,
          you always get back up and return to the cross. You're
          holding onto a promise of covenant power. And in the
          process, you're growing holier, more humble -- more
          like Jesus!

          Yet the devil wants to convince you that your
          sin-struggle proves you're wicked and hell-bound. No --
          he's a liar! And he has trapped countless Christians
          with this hellish lie!

          Just a few weeks ago our ministry received a call from
          a pastor's wife who was obviously inebriated when she
          called. With a shaky voice she said, "I just want to
          let you know there are thousands of pastors' wives out
          there who drink to cover their pain. That's what I do.
          I drink in secret to dull the ache. I also want to
          thank you for your lovely messages. Good day."

          My heart goes out to this woman and to countless other
          ministers' wives like her. Some endure cold marriages
          that are slowly destroying their souls. And they
          secretly turn to drugs and alcohol to dull their inner
          pain. Yet they're only descending further into the
          depths and torments of hell.

          Scripture says God will not break a bruised reed. And
          that's what this poor minister's wife is right now -- a
          reed that's been battered and bruised. I believe God's
          Spirit is going to reach her and minister to her.

          The Bible also says God won't quench a smoking flax.
          This word applies particularly to the pastor who's
          hooked on internet pornography. God is saying,
          "Wherever I see even a small spark remaining, I won't
          extinguish it. In fact, I'll continue to fan that spark
          until it catches fire and flames up again!"

          Do you want to grow spiritually? If so, ask the Holy
          Ghost to shine his light on your one area of weakness
          or sin. And cry out to him, "Lord, I want to measure up
          to your word. And I know only you have the power to
          accomplish that in me. Please -- help me to grasp by
          faith that you're at work in me, growing me up
          spiritually!"

          God wants you to know that right now, in the midst of
          your storm, he stands beside you. He's watering your
          spirit, feeding your soul, putting down his strong
          roots in you. So, let the winds of struggle blow hard.
          Your father is preparing you for a great harvest!

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771, USA.

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