Growing In Spiritual Maturity Series

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Message – Growing in Spiritual Maturity

Series – Abraham - Father of Faith

Scripture: Genesis 18

Introduction: God has a plan and a purpose about each and every child of God. God has a universal plan and God’s plan for you and me fits into the universal plan of God. Jeremiah 1:5 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:12 The Lord said to me, “for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." God is working in fulfilling his plan for you today. We cannot obtain God’s purposes by leading an ordinary life. We have to lift up our faith and life to godly standards for God to use us. In other words, God wants us to grow and mature spiritually. Do you feel you are growing in your spiritual life? Are you growing in your faith and devotion to God or do you feel that you are still a spiritual baby with less or no growth at all who needs a lot of attention? God wants us to grow in spiritual maturity. Today I want to speak to you on ‘growing in spiritual maturity.’ Your desires in life and God’s promises in your life can be achieved only when we fall in line of God’s calling on our life.

1. God works on us as individuals to establish his plans.

God works in us to make us spiritually mature. In Genesis 12 God appeared to Abraham. God gave Abraham a promise, a vision, and a purpose in life. Though Abraham left his house in obedience to God’s calling, the Bible says there were times when his faith was shaken. In Genesis 12, 15, & 17 God appeared to Abraham and strengthened his faith. Finally in chapter 17 of Genesis Abraham responds by complete obedience. By now Abraham begins to mature in his faith. He begins to trust his God wholeheartedly. He obeyed God in circumcising his whole household in one day in Genesis 17 when he was 99 years old and God finally gave him a son when he was 100 years old. It took 25 years for Abraham’s faith to mature. God worked in Abraham all these years and finally God delivered his promise.

Moses was selected to deliver the children of Israel out of bondage when he was a child. It took 80 years (40 years in Egypt & 40 years in Midian) for Moses to fall in line with God’s plan. David was anointed king at age 20 but it was at age 37 that he really became a King. It took 17 years to build up David’s trust and faith in God. Child of God, God constantly works in our lives to make us mature. The circumstances we are in are given by God to establish his ways in our life. Our sickness, financial problems, struggles in life etc. are given by God so that we may mature in our spiritual life. So do not lose heart, God is in control.

An aircraft has so much of difficulties when it starts moving. It needs clearance from ATC, the weather has to be good, there must be no birds in the vicinity etc. Once it gets the clearance, it takes off and gains altitude, it is no more bothered by the condition below where it took off from. Its only focus is to fly forward to reach its destination. Today, God wants us to rise up our spiritual lives according to his calling. When our spiritual life begins to soar the problems of this world become less important to us and our focus will be to reach the destination that God is calling us for. Therefore, understand God works in us individually to achieve his plans. Today, He is working in you, so do not give up, God is in control.

2. God works on others to collectively establish His plans.

Remember, Abraham on his own could do nothing to see God’s plan come through. He needed support from his wife, Sarah. Now what if Sarah wanted a daughter? What if she did not want a child at all by now? God had to work collectively with Sarah after working with Abraham to accomplish his purpose. Let us see how God does that.

Read Genesis 18:1-8. It was noon time and Abraham was probably resting under the shade of great trees of Mamre. Bangalore is very hot nowadays and you can imagine the cool in the shade of our street trees in the afternoon sun. Abraham saw 3 men standing nearby and he met them. He invited them to his tent. Abraham let them rest in his tent and gave them food to eat. Remember Abraham is already in obedience to God and he recognized that these are not ordinary guests, but the Lord and his angels. Hebrews 13:2 2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Abraham showed great hospitality to these guests.