But Test The Spirit To See Whether They Are From God,
1 John 4:1
Per Frances Chan in his book Letters to the Church, “encouraging signs of growth is when people rarely talk about a great ‘sermon’ but often discuss what they’ve discovered in their Bible reading.” While reading this book in my Bible Study this phrase resonated with me. The Bible is where we should feel awed not what our pastors say about the Bible.
We should be able to read the Bible and say I get what you are saying Lord, or you are speaking to me Lord, or this is where I need to change Lord. The Bible should be speaking to your heart and growing you. These are signs of growth in your walk with Christ.
A great sermon is what, if not tested by your own reading and meditation to see if it is of God. How does one know if the doctrine is sound, or if the message is from God? God’s love letters should speak to us individually for his purpose and glory. The truth should be tested by us.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1 ESV
A great sermon is what, if not tested by your own reading and meditation to see if it is of God.
Read The Word for Signs Of Growth
We must read the Bible for ourselves. We need to be meditating on the Word. Let the Lord speak to us and let the Holy Spirit flow discernment through our minds. We should always look to test what is being preached in a sermon, never taking man’s words for Truth. I get that the Bible is not always easy to understand. I find that I sometimes have more questions than answers.
Then reach out to reliable sources, such as a pastor, or expert commentary, or history of the times. It can be hard to understand if you are not aware of the full content of the passage. However, when we do get it, it is a great sign of growth. A breakthrough spiritually.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 ESV
Blind Faith is Signs of Growth
I like to start my day with God’s love for me. His direction for me. His “whom shall I send” for me. It is my greatest and scariest pleasure to be called to do the Lord’s work by sharing the gospel. I like when He asks me to do something and it is completely unbeknownst to me. It works best for me when I am unaware that I am being called. I simply obey in my ignorance not knowing I am clearly stepping out on faith.
I am not sure if this makes sense, but it works for me. However, I find ignorance is truly a blessing for me. Hence, I guess you can say blind faith works best for me. I have found I do not always need to know when I have arrived until I have gotten there. Then I look back and see all that God has done in and through my life. To learn more read my blog Old Testament vs. New Testament.
And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6
The Helper is Signs of Growth
I digress, the point is that we need to be in our Bibles with the Lord to learn to know the truth. We need to speak of what good news we have learned from our Bibles and not solely rely on what is being taught by man. Yes, the Lord can use many people in powerful ways, but we need to do our own heavy lifting with the Helper so that we can do our part.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever John 14:16
The helper is a great resource for us, but you will have to be very open to hear his voice and accept his revelation. Our mind and heart must be fully open, and we must be willing to accept what we hear. We must be able to do our own discernment when it comes to God’s word. This is when we can truly see signs of growth in our faith. Read my blog Christians and The Bible for my thoughts on reading the Bible.
Peace to all,
Sabrina