7/32 Continued Personal Growth as a Steward
So far in our discussion on the growth from Slave to Steward, we have discussed the basics on who and what the Holy Spirit does in our walk with God and the importance of learning to hear His voice.
Are we going to stay true to Him or give into doubt and our fears with enemy at our backs? This is the place where we dedicate our lives to Him, usually followed by water baptism as the symbol of crossing the Red Sea.
Then we are led to places where the Holy Spirit writes His laws on our Heart. That’s the Rhema and Logos Word we have talked about. Will we follow what He has taught us …or go round the mountain again?
Did you realise that we also have a ‘Kadish Barnea’ experience where we too much chose faith and obedience or our own way. If we continue in our doubt and hard heart, we will wander in our ‘wilderness’ for however long it takes to find Him. Sad to say, some people never come back to His provisions and promises.
A. An encounter with the Living Jesus,
It begins by being ‘born again’ into His Kingdom.
1. “Salvation” was God’s idea!
When we accept Him, a loving God expects us to change into the image of Jesus because this is the best Pattern ever made. God ‘pre-planned’ this as the answer to life’s ‘sin-sickness’. This is how He is going to change the world – by bringing us into His kingdom. (Ephesians 1:11, 2 Corinthians 3:18) 2. We are all called to become the person God created us to be When we make our spiritual life in Christ a priority, everything else falls into place, Matthew 6:33
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well”.
We need to learn to expect, accept and help create Holy Spirit ‘transformation” in our Christian growth. As we walk with the King, we are being transformed into ‘new creatures’ in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17). C. Being ‘born again’ is only part of wholeness
1. The meaning of ‘Being born Again’ – being saved:
a. ‘Solteria’ is a New Testament Greek word meaning “To be made WHOLE, to be delivered, made safe, preserved from destruction”. It is a word that both infers completeness and an on-going process. We are in need of salvation from the evil world, from ourselves and from the Enemy who wants us destroyed. It is God’s intention “to make us whole”, in spirit, soul and (future) body.
b. In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist talked about THREE baptisms: in water for repentance, with the Holy Spirit and then the one we all need, the baptism of fire. It is this refining fire that brings about Solteria.
“I (John the Baptist) baptise you with water for repentance. But after me will come One who is more powerful than I …… He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
2. Jesus finished His work when He joined Father God in heaven
Jesus’ redemption work is so total that it applies to our PAST. Our ‘saving’ is accomplished on the cross of Calvary. (Galatians 3:13, Romans 3:24, Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:18-19). It is applied to our PRESENT, an ongoing process as we walk with God. (Philippians 2:12-13, Titus 2:14). It is applied to our FUTURE, to be fully accomplished at the Second Coming of Jesus. (Romans 8:22-23, Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:52).
3. Legal versus Experiential – paid for, yet a process
This salvation and redemption has been legally given to us by what Jesus has done at the Cross. He has fulfilled all God’s requirements (1 Peter 1:20, Hebrews 9:14, John 6:38). However, just like Israel in the Promised Land, we must ‘claim’ the territory and learn to ‘fight’ in the right way, to gain our freedom. They would never have received God’s promises if they hadn’t taken that first step into the Enemy’s territory. It is the same with us – if we haven’t taken that active step to work with the Holy Spirit to change!
4. We are a work in progress
“Solteria” is an event! It was all done at the Cross (John 19:30) but it is also process, a journey as well! (Philippians 2:12) Paul wrote this in the Greek ‘present continuous tense’. It’s like a ‘metamorphosis’ a transforming from the inside to the outside; the way a grub changes into a butterfly. Persistence is part of the key to change.
D. So why do we (you and I) need to change?
What might be three reasons to change? Here are some ideas: to be more like Christ, to please and know God more, to gain a better lifestyle, more dignity and self-worth, to discover God’s plan for our life, to be released from strongholds, bad habits and painful memories, to integrate our beliefs with our lifestyle, etc.
Can you add any more?
E. We know we need to change, what stops us?
1. Barriers to Change: It’s often about motivation! If you were offered a million dollars to learn to play the guitar, could you? Would you? We don’t learn new ways without enough motivation, priority or inspiration. So why don’t we grow more? 2. List some points that might keep you from being willing to change: Do any of these fit you: Lack of motivation, procrastination, knowing what to change, pride, religious attitudes, self esteem issues and personal judgements, rationalism, spiritual blindness, generational curses, demonic oppression, unbelief, fear of the rejection by others if we do change, co-dependency, unmet needs leading to the addiction for approval, Performance Trap, trying to be perfect. Our faulty view of Father God and His judgements, faulty expectations, unrealistic goals. Unwilling to be vulnerable in new territory, low toleration for ambiguity, not having role models that inspired change, few skills, fear of failure, etc.
Christians do have The Answer to Life’s problems! God expects us to go through a refining process of growth; it’s the norm not the exception! It is two-fold: both a legal standing we have with Him and an experiential one in practical living, an everyday process. Salvation is Father God’s plan of rescuing His creation from the effects of sin and rebellion.
If anything we have touched on in this post needs to be worked through in your own life, ask the Lord “What do You want me to do, Lord Jesus?” …. or if you haven’t learned to hear His voice yet, find a good mentor, helper – one that will turn you to Jesus rather than just to more head knowledge!
Susanne Fengler, Blog Author
www.christianfoundations.jesus-treeoflife.info
Tags: Growth as Steward
Filed under: From Slave to Sonship
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