©2003 Charles Darby
1 Pet 2:1-3 Wherefore
laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and
all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Rom 10:17 So
then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The Bible speaks clearly of spiritual growth for all that are in Christ Jesus. I wonder if we truly understand what this growth consists of? We are commanded to desire the sincere milk of the Word so we can grow. So, it follows that for growth it requires we desire to know the Word of God. We are told that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Our growth and our faith depend on us knowing the word of God.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
We are commanded to put on the whole armour of God. As we study what the armour consists of we find that it is all, the Word of God.
2 Cor 5:21 For
he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him.
Col 2:9-10 For
in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete
in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
James 5:16 Confess
your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
We are told that the righteous man can pray the prayer of faith. Then we try to become righteous so we can pray the prayer of faith. We set about by study and prayer to become what God desires of us. There is never an end to what we try to become in Christ. Why are we trying to “become” what we already are? We do need to study and pray so we can stay in fellowship with our Lord. Also we need to know the Word so we can please God, submit to Him and resist satan so he will flee from us.
May I tell you where this all started? It started in the Garden of Eden. The devil told Eve, and Adam with her, that if they ate of the forbidden fruit they would become as God. The fact of the matter was they were already like God! God had created them like Himself and gave them authority over all that was created. Now satan was telling them there was something they needed to do to become as God! Satan is telling the children of God the same lie today and many are falling for it. Many ministries are saying if we will do this or that we will have a break through into greater things in Christ. The break through will happen when we believe God’s Word and act on it.
1 John 4:17 Herein
is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment:
because as he is, so are we in this world.
Eph 4:15 But
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is
the head, even Christ:
Real spiritual growth is, just like the Bible says, growing up into Christ in all things. As we grow we don't attain to greater things in Christ. We just learn who we are because of Christ and His finished work. A bird doesn't become a bird because he flies. The bird flies because God made it a bird. When we repented and asked Christ to come into our heart we became complete, in Him. As with the bird our protection lies in doing what we are created to do. Knowing the Word is not enough, we must become a doer of truth. As the scripture says, “as He is so are we in this present world”.
Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
As we pray, study and fellowship with our Lord we learn we are His offspring's we are now sons and daughters of God. This is what Adam and Eve forfeited in the Garden of Eden. God would come down to walk and talk with them. All they needed to know He would have told them! They set out to become as God their way instead of His way. Look what happened because of it. The reason we need the armour is so we can tell satan who we are instead of him telling us who we are! We can shine the light, the Word of God, on him and he must flee from us!
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
We have been given authority to use the name of Jesus because we are His bride. Every good husband, who loves his wife, gives his bride the authority to use his name. The name of Jesus Christ is above every name and will cause every knee to bow and submit to His authority.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. The Vine supplies all the branches need to bear the fruit of the Vine. Let's let the life of the Vine flow through us. He will supply all our needs to grow and bear fruit.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We are to be changed by the renewing of our mind. The renewed mind quits thinking according to the way the world thinks. The Word of God is what the renewed mind believes. If God says I am righteous, then I am righteous. If God says I am complete in Him, then I am complete. If God says I am one of His, then I am one of His. If He says I can use His name, then I can.
Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
All God desires out of any of His children is that we find out who we are, in Him, and live accordingly. Some may be called to preach, sing, or some other ministry but all are called to live according to the Word of God. Use the Word of God as a weapon against satan and let it be the lamp to our feet and the light to our path. If by our own efforts or works we could attain to something great it would not be of faith and would be something we could boast about. We earn nothing from God, all His gifts are just that, “gifts” to be received, used and walked in to the glory of God.
Father God, open our understanding, to who we are in Jesus Christ. The Word says "As He is so are we in this present world". Give us Your grace to walk in that, to Your glory. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that guides us into all truth. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
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