GROWING UP SPIRITUALLY PART 1

AFTER THE SERVICE IS OVER, AFTER THE PRAISING IS OVER, AFTER THE SINGING IS OVER, AND AFTER THE FELLOWSHIP IS DONE, AND WE DEPART FROM HERE ,WE WILL SEE PEOPLE IN THE HALLS, AND SITTING IN THEIR ROOMS, AND GOING ABOUT IN ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION. DO THESE PEOPLE EVEN HAVE A CLUE AS TO THE LIFE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM IN AND THROUGH JESUS? THE ANSWER IS A VERY RESOUNDING NO IN MOST OF THEIR LIVES THEY DON’T HAVE A CLUE AS TO THE LIFE THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM THROUGH JESUS. WE HAVE A PURPOSE AND THAT IS TO GIVE THEM A CLUE ABOUT THIS LIFE THAT IS WAITING FOR THEM. MANY PEOPLE IN CHURCH DON’T HAVE A CLUE AS WELL. IT IS TIME FOR US TO GROW UP AS CHRISTIANS AND BEGIN TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN HAVE AN INFLUENCE IN THIS WORLD FOR CHRIST. THANK GOD FOR THE BLESSING, THANK GOD FOR THE BENEFITS, THANK GOD FOR THE VICTORY, AND THANK GOD FOR EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT, BUT IT’S TIME WE GET BACK TO BASICS AND REMEMBER THERE IS A DYING WORLD OUT THERE HEADED FOR HELL.
INFLUENCE: THE ACT OR THE POWER OF PRODUCING AN EFFECT WITHOUT APPARENT FORCE OR DIRECT AUTHORITY.
IN OTHER WORDS WE ARE GOING TO LEAD THEM BY HOW WE LIVE AND CONDUCT OURSELVES.
Hebrews 5:12-14
12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
PAUL SEEMED TO THINK THAT A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME HAD PASSED IN THE CHRISTIANS LIVES HERE THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE GROWN AND MATURED ENOUGH TO BE TEACHER, HOWEVER THEY HAD NOT. SAD TO SAY BUT A LOT OF CHRISTIANS TODAY ARE IN THAT BOAT. THEY HAVE BEEN IN CHURCH A LONG TIME AND THINK THEY ARE SO SPIRITUAL, BUT THEY ARE NOT, FOR THEY HAVE NOT GROWN AND MATURED. THEY ARE STILL BABES.

1 Corinthians 3: 1-3
1. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
PAUL FOUND ANOTHER BUNCH THAT WASN’T GROWING HERE AT CORINTH.
1 COR. 3:4-8
4. For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
PAUL SHOWS THEM AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THEY WERE YET CARNAL AND INTO HERO WORSHIP AND PRIDE. THEN IN VERSE NINE PAUL BEGINS TO INSTRUCT THEM IN THE MILK OF THE WORD. HE STARTS TO LAY THE FOUNDATION THAT WE MUST ALL LEARN AND BUILD UPON.
1 COR. 3:9 PAUL TEACHES A VERY BASIC YET VERY NEEDED TRUTH IN THIS VERSE.
9. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
WORDS AND WORD PLACEMENT SPEAKS VOLUMES. THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND THIS THE MORE WE CAN INCREASE OUR INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD. SMALL WORDS CAN HAVE BIG MEANINGS.
3. THINGS WE MUST KNOW IN ORDER TO INCREASE OUR INFLUENCE IN THIS EARTH.
NUMBER ONE IS THAT WE ARE LABOURERS TOGETHER WITH GOD.
THERE IS A SMALL WORD IN THAT STATEMENT THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES. THAT WORD IS WITH, AND IT TELLS US FOUR THINGS. IF WE UNDERSTAND THESE FOUR THINGS AND SETTLE THEM IN OUR HEARTS WE WILL BE ON OUR WAY TO A GREATER INFLUENCE ON OTHERS IN THE WORLD. GOD WILL BE ABLE TO USE US TO BRING MANY INTO THE KINGDOM AND TO HELP THEM GROW.

1. THE WORD WITH IMPLIES GOD IS THE LEADER. HE IS THE LEADER.
2. WE ARE THE FOLLOWERS
EXAMPLE. SAY I WAS ASKED BY THE PASTOR IF I WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF CLEARING OFF EVERYTHING ON THE PLATFORM. ALL THE CHAIRS AND EQUIPMENT SO THEY COULD RE-CARPET. I ACCEPT THE JOB, HOWEVER I CAN’T DO IT ALONE SO I GO ASK ANOTHER MAN IF HE WOULD HELP ME DO THIS TASK. WHEN HE SAYS YES HE BECOMES A FOLLOWER AND I BECOME THE LEADER IN THE TASK. IF WE ARE GOING TO BE FOLLOWERS, LABOURERS TOGETHER WITH THE LORD THEN WE MUST SETTLE IT ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT HE IS THE LEADER, AND WE ARE THE FOLLOWERS.
3. HE DETERMINES WHERE WE ARE TO WORK. HE DETERMINES WHERE WE ARE TO WORK. WHO DETERMINES WHERE WE ARE TO WORK? HE DOES. HE LORD DOES. THERE MAY BE SOME AREAS HE WANTS US TO WORK IN THAT WE MAY NOT WANT TO WORK IN, HOWEVER WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE DETERMINES WHERE WE ARE TO WORK AND THAT WE AS FOLLOWERS MUST WORK WHERE HE SAYS.
4. HE DETERMINES WHAT WORK IS TO BE DONE.
THAT MEAN ONLY WHAT HE SAYS TO DO IS WHAT WE DO. WE MIGHT SEE SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO STICK OUR HANDS INTO BUT WE MUST NOT. ONLY WHAT HE SAYS TO DO IS WHAT WE DO. WE MUST FOLLOW AND NOT TRY TO LEAD.
THERE IS A SIMILAR WORD TO LABOURERS AND THAT IS AMBASSADORS.
11 COR. 5:20
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
WE ARE LABOURERS TOGETHER AND AMBASSADORS FOR HIM.
AN AMBASSADOR SPEAKS ON THE BEHALF OF THE ONE HE REPRESENTS.
IF WE ARE GOING TO BE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS THEN WE MUST TAKE TIME TO LISTEN TO HIM. WE MUST FIND OUT WHAT WE SHOULD SAY WHEN WE ARE FUNCTIONING IN OUR ROLE AS AMBASSADOR.
1. WE SPEAK ON THE BEHALF OF THE ONE WE REPRESENT
2. AN AMBASSADOR PROMOTES THE INTERESTS OF THE ONE HE REPRESENTS.
THAT TELLS ME THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO PROMOTE THE INTERESTS OF THE FATHER WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO DISCOVER THE INTERESTS OF THE FATHER.
FIRST WE MUST HAVE A FOUNDATION IN OUR LIVES IN ORDER TO BE THE RIGHT INFLUENCE , AND TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE THE TRUE INTEREST OF THE FATHER.
THAT FOUNDATION IS THIS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST THE NUMBER ONE WE HAVE TO KNOW WHO OUR FATHER IS. THE FIRST NECESSARY NEED OF THE CHRISTIAN IS TO KNOW THE FATHER, NOT JUST KNOW OF HIM. IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE FATHER YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO LOVE AS HE LOVES, YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO FORGIVE AS HE FORGIVES, WE ARE TO IMITATE OUR FATHER.
Ephesians 5:1-2 KJV.
1. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
FOLLOWER IN THIS SCRIPTURE MEANS TO IMITATE
Ephesians 5:1-2 NEW LIVING BIBLE
1. Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us[a] and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Amplified Bible (AMP)Passage Ephesians 5:1-2:
1. THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].
2. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a [a]slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.(A
THE MAIN PURPOSE IN JESUS COMING TO EARTH WAS TO RECONCILE US AND REDEEM US BACK TO GOD, HOWEVER HE HAD MANY OTHER THINGS HE DID ALONG THE WAY. HE ALSO WAS A FOLLOWER AND AN AMBASSADOR OF THE FATHER. HE CAME TO SHOW US THE FATHER.
JOHN 14:8-11
8. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.


JESUS WAS SAYING IF YOU HAVE SEEN ME THEN YOU HAVE SEEN THE FATHER. HE IMITATED HIS FATHER , HE DID WHAT THE FATHER SAID WHERE HE SAID TO DO IT, AND IN DOING SO SHOWED US THE FATHER. WE ARE TO DO THE SAME THUS SHOWING THE FATHER TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD, AND INFLUENCING THEM TO COME TO THE FATHER.