growing4

     We see here from these Vs. that we are to grow to maturity in Christ. When we 1st come into the kingdom of God (born again), we are born as spiritual babies. We can & should grow from babies to children to, “A perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Or in other words, GROW TO MATURITY. All of us here today have grown. We are not the same spiritually as we were when we were born again, but we should never think that we've arrived no matter where we are, we still need to grow.

     I. But before a person can grow into the maturity which (EPH 4) is talking about, but the question is, How do we grow?

              A. In order for a person to grow it is essential that they have a revelation of who Jesus is. The Church is built on this revelation.

                        1. Peter had a revelation of who Christ is. MAT. 16:13‑16

              B. Everyone who is born again must have this revelation.

                        1. (Romans 10:9‑10 NIV) “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

                                  a. I really feel that a person has to have the revelation that Jesus is the Lord, the Messiah, the Christ & they have to believe that Jesus is risen from the dead. And I think that the Word bears that out.

              B. There are benefits for having this revelation of Jesus. One of them is listed right here. MAT. 16:17-19 (explain Peter Petros, Rock petra & Christ)

                        1. 1st of all Jesus is saying that if you're saved, if you have this revelation of who Jesus is, then you will have the keys to unlock the treasures of heaven.

                                  a. Things like Peace, Prosperity, Provision, Joy, Love, Fulfillment, Purpose in life, health, & healing.

                        2. 2nd you will be able to unlock or loosen those that are bound.

                                  a. Through your confession over them, by your prayers, & by the things you speak to them, the authority that you have as a believer.

                        3. 3rd you can stop or bind Satan's actives, in your life and with a certain amount of success with others. (The man in Ironwood that wanted me to bind the evil spirits that were tormenting him.)

                                  a. These are the some of the rewards or benefits for those that receive the revelation that Jesus is the Christ.

     II. At the beginning of the message I asked how are we going to grow? Another important step in growing is to get our minds renewed to the Word of God., finding out who we are in Christ & that's when we begin to grow to maturity in Him.

              A. People often wonder, How they are going to maturity in Christ, How is renewing their minds to the Word going to cause them to mature?

                        1. In (JOHN 14:17) it tells us that the Holy Spirit will be in you...

                        2. We have the very presence of God the HS living in our inner man. But there is also something else that happened.

              B. When we received Jesus in our heart, we took on the nature of God.

                        1. 2PE 1:1‑4 We are partakers of the divine nature.

                                  a. This is who we are in Christ. But I like to put it this way; “We are partakers of His Divine Nature when we are living and walking in Christ.”

                                           i. That's why it says in (EPH 5:1) “Be ye therefore followers (imitators) of God, as dear children;” (KJV)

                                  b. 1COR 2:16 The Bible says that you have the mind of Christ.

                                  c. Jesus is God. You have the mind of God. Your partakers of His divine nature.

                        2. In the Word of God we find out that we are supposed to confess the Word. & Not to confess the negative, not the problem.

                        3. In the book of PROVERBS it says in (PRO 18:21) “Death and life {are} in the power of the tongue:”

                        4. JAM 3:3‑5 James compares the tongue to a bit in a horse's mouth.

                                  a. He says that the bit can change the horses' direction in life.

                                  b. The same is true with us, the words that we speak can change our course of life.

                                  c. He says the same thing here in (V 4), with a ship & it's rudder. The rudder can change its whole course.  Same with the tongue.

                        4. REV 12:11 Overcoming the enemy by the word of our testimony is using our divine nature.

                                  a. How did Jesus overcome the enemy? With the Word of God. You can look it up in (MAT 4:1-11). Each time the Devil came to Him, He replied, “It is written.”

              B. Turn with me to JOHN 1:12  We're talking about who we are in Christ.

                        1. Because we are in Christ, we are the sons of God.

                                  i. (Romans 8:17) “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (KJV)

                        2. (1JO 3:24) Says that Christ abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

                        3. (Colossians 2:9‑10) “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: ”

                        4. In (GEN 1:26) God says that we're made in God's image.

                                  a. We're starting to see who we are in Christ.

     III. We're transformed in Christ.  ROM 12:1‑2

              A. Our thoughts are being renewed, our actions are being renewed, & our attitudes are being renewed.

              B. There is a process in being renewed. Eph 4:22‑24

                        1. 1st (V. 22) says to “Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”

                                  a. The NIV says, “to put off your old self.”

                                  b. 2nd it says in (V 23), “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.”

                                           i. The NIV of this V. says, (EPH 4:23) “To be made new in the attitude of your minds;” (NIV)

                                           ii. When you start to get your mind renewed with the Word of God, your attitudes will begin to change.

                                  c. 3rd, it says in (V. 24), “Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

                                           i. Begin to walk in that righteousness & true holiness.

     IV. There are different levels of growth, just like Jesus said in (MAR 4:28) “For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” (KJV)

              A. He wants us to grow from the babe, to the child, & from the child to the mature Christian.

              B. Press on to be that perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

                        1. Or as the NIV puts it, “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (EPH 4:13) (NIV)

5/8/91 WED TFC & WOLCC 1/9/93 SUN AM