01/17

Growing in the Spirit

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” II Corinthians 3:18

Living in the Spirit is a term that is used to describe being encompassed by the Holy Spirit like being in a sphere. As we live in the Spirit, all that we do, we do together with Him. We are not on our own. As we choose to rely upon Him, we have all the help, power, encouragement, and counsel the Spirit of God has to offer, a help that is beyond colossal.

As we live in the Spirit, we also grow in the Spirit. We don’t grow on our own; the Holy Spirit is leading us, teaching us, correcting us, and strengthening us. He has a plan for our development and seasons for our training. As Christians, we are all at a stage of development in our relationship with God. There is always more to learn! As we pursue God, we are gaining new experiences with the Holy Spirit, causing us to increase in our understanding of spiritual matters and learn how to function together with the Holy Spirit. As we grow older, our bodies will weaken, but our spirits can continue to strengthen and be revived. Life gets better and better as we grow in the Lord.

Not only are we learning and growing through spiritual experiences; but we also are growing through receiving revelation knowledge. Revelation knowledge isn’t knowledge that we intellectually attain, but rather knowledge that we spiritual receive as the Holy Spirit reveals it to our hearts. It is the Holy Spirit who is our teacher. His truth is not a natural truth that can be fully grasped simply with our intellect or natural senses, but it is understood from our heart, our spirit. This is not to say that you are to turn off your brain and emotions; rather, let your spiritual understanding lead your mind to renewal and your emotions to healthy expression.

We are spirit beings. We can mature, gain strength, and develop our ability to operate together with the Holy Spirit. He is the One who will meet us where we are at and then take us up a level in our spiritual understanding and function. Our growth comes from yielding to the Holy Spirit, looking to Him for understanding, submitting to Him for training and discipline, and being diligent to honor His presence in our lives.

Application: Read I Corinthians 2:6-16 and ask God to reveal spiritual truth by the Holy Spirit. Give yourself to study of the Word, prayer, worship, and corporate church service. The Holy Spirit will cause you to grow into a mature spiritual person, strong in the Lord and in His power.

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