EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL GROWTH IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

Ephesians 4:11–14, “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.” (NLT)

Many sincere Christians spend their entire lives earnestly searching for an experience, a conference, a revival or a book that will transform their lives. Their search is futile. Although we have instant coffee, instant potatoes, and now even instant weight-loss methods, there is no such thing as instant spiritual maturity. The truth is this: Spiritual growth, just like physical maturity, is a process that takes time. There are no shortcuts to maturity.

Discipleship isn’t just one of the things the church does; it is what the church does. It’s not just part of the advancement of God’s kingdom; the existence of serious disciples is the most important evidence of God’s work on earth.

Bill Hull writes about five dimensions of discipleship, which can be used to evaluate our spiritual growth over time.

1. Transformed thinking: Someone who believes what Jesus believed. This changes our thought life as we begin to think about the world differently and change our desires.
2. Transformed character: Someone who lives as Jesus lived. This connects our beliefs to our behavior and changes who we are in regards to humility, honesty, integrity, etc. 
3. Transformed relationships: Someone who loves as Jesus loved. This breaks down the walls that separate us and brings healing to broken lives.
4. Transformed service: Someone who ministers as Jesus ministered, responding to the needs around him. 
5. Transformed influence: Someone who leads as Jesus leads, taking on the role of a servant. 

(“Five Dimensions of Discipleship,” Bill Hull, (Choose the Life)

Based on Bill Hull’s five dimensions of discipleship, how do you evaluate your present condition of spiritual growth?

Based on Bill Hull’s five dimensions of discipleship, is there one particular area that the Lord challenging you in at the present time?

Based on what you have read and what God is saying to you, what decision do you need to make?

Experience Forgiveness In the Body of Christ

Colossians 3:12–14, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Corrie Ten Boom shares this true story in her book, The Hiding Place: 

It was a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck.  He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time.  And suddenly it was all there – the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie's pain-blanched face. He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. "How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein," he said. "To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!"  His hand was thrust out to shake mine.  And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more?  Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him. I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand.  I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer.  Jesus, I cannot forgive him.  Give me Your forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened.  From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.

Take a moment and reflect on the story of Corrie Ten Boom. How can this story help us to forgive those who have wounded us?

Are you harboring anger and bitterness toward any people in your life?  Are there people in your life that you need to extend forgiveness to?

EXPERIENCE UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

1 Corinthians 1:10, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

Paul desperately pleads with the Corinthian church to come together and agree. He asks them to eliminate divisions and to be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. The phrase from the Greek, "that you all agree" is translated literally, "that you all speak the same thing." What a fantastic statement.

When God saves people, He puts them into a community called the Body of Christ: the Church. It’s the primary place where He teaches us to love one another and live in unity. Along with love, unity in a church is one of the most potent witnessing tools to a community.

The early church was so united that the Book of Acts describes them as having everything in common. They saw themselves as one body of believers in Christ. It was not every man for himself, but rather, one for all and all for one. They had not joined an organization; they were joined together as an organism, a living, multi-membered body, of which Jesus was the head. They had genuine unity.

Unity can be found in three areas in the church: a unity of hope, a unity of heart, and a unity of mission. We are united in a common belief that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. We listen to His voice, and we obey His commands. It is our hope in Him that brings us together until our every desire is to follow Jesus. We are also united in our hearts: the seat of our emotions. It is a feeling of togetherness and belonging.  Furthermore, we are united in mission: to bring others to Jesus where they can experience the abundant life he has for them.

When a church is working in harmony of hope, heart, and mission, it is a dominant force in the community because it is singularly focused and led by the Holy Spirit.

Do you think it is possible for a church today to live in the same kind of unity as the early church? Why or why not?

In what ways do you see unity in the local church being expressed?

In what ways do you see a lack of unity in the local church?  What can you do about it?

Experience Love in the Body of Christ

1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, love one another deeply”

John 13:34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

{https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bb/1e/1c/bb1e1cfe585da4886aeeec6911137d72.jpg}

Ouch! I wonder if that is how the world sees the church? Listening to some of our rhetoric and reading some of our Facebook posts, I would not be surprised. Like “peace,” the word “love” is another word that is overused and under-experienced. It is effortless to talk about and sing about love. Years ago Pepsi capitalized on a song that says, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.” Perhaps the reason there is so little is that it costs so much.

Mother Teresa heard vows from 11 new members of her growing order, the Society of the Missionaries of Charity, and spoke briefly about this weekend to a crowd of about 700 people. "Love, to be real, must cost," said the frail and stooped Mother Teresa, 75, whose big voice belies her stature, "It must hurt. It must empty us of self."(From article written by Anne L. Meskey, “What’s the Big Deal About Love?,” Discipleship Journal 1994)

What does Mother Teresa mean when she says, “Love, to be real, must cost”?

Jesus told us to love one another “as I have loved you.”  Take a moment and think about the extent Jesus went through to demonstrate His love for us. How can we love others the same way?

When have you experienced sacrificial love?

Who around you needs to experience God’s love?
-->

EXPERIENCE THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Scriptures:

Romans 12:6–8, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

Thought: It takes all the people of God to do all the work of God.

I was awake at 3 am sitting in the recliner complaining to God about something I had no reason to. It was immature for sure, but it bothered me enough that I could no longer sleep. As I sat in my pity party, God was not pleased, and He let me know it. Like a Father disciplining His son, he said to me, “You can continue to sit there and sulk, but you are cursing and not a blessing. I have given you gifts that that can bless the situation, but you are choosing to curse.” I had a decision to make; I could use my gifts, or I could withhold them.

God has uniquely gifted each of us by the Holy Spirit to be a blessing to The Body of Christ, our community, and the world. Instead of withholding our gifts, we are to be good stewards of our gifts and use them for the sake of the Kingdom.

From our January 30^th devotional, we discovered the ways the Holy Spirit works in our lives to help us live transformed lives. However, our experience with The Holy Spirit does not stop there; He gives us gifts to work through us. All of the gifts are to bring glory to Jesus, build up the Body of Christ, and empower us to reach the world for Christ.

Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-13; and 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 list the different spiritual gifts which are categorized in the following ways:

Leadership gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, (These are called the five-fold ministry gifts).

Verbal gifts: preaching, teaching, prophesying, evangelizing, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues

Manifestation gifts: prophecy, faith, miracles, and healing 

Serving gifts: generosity, hospitality, and encouragement

Some gifts are more expressive and prominent, but none are more significant. Whatever gifts we have, we are to steward and strengthen. At Centerpointe, we encourage everyone to go through a group called Focus where you will discover your spiritual gifts and personality style in order to find your divine design.

You may also be interested in an online assessment. This free link can be taken before your Life Group meeting: https://spiritualgiftstest.com/spiritual-gifts-test-landing

Refection:

What are your spiritual gifts and how did you discover them?

How are they helpful in your life?

How are you using your spiritual gifts to serve the Body of Christ and your local community?

Prayer:

For a list of spiritual gifts, also read Ephesians 4:11–13 and 1 Corinthians 12:7–11, 

EXPERIENCE THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Scripture:

Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT)

Thought:

On our kitchen table, you will find a small, round, metal dish holding a variety of fruit. You might discover bananas, oranges, tangerines, grapes, apples, peaches, or grapefruits. They are meant to be snacks if you get hungry or something to grab as you go out the door. At the moment of this writing, four small oranges look like they have been there for a while. No doubt they will be replaced after Esther comes home from the grocery store.

Imagine for a moment our lives being as that dish on God’s table, containing fruit for others to enjoy as they interact with us. The fruits of the Spirit are the character traits found in our lives that reflect the nature of Christ.

As we grow in our walk with Jesus, fruit begins to naturally grow because He is daily transforming our lives to be more like Him.  Fruit is the by-product of Christ’s control; it will naturally improve as your relationship in Christ grows.

It is from our fruit that the world gets a taste of who God is. The Spiritual fruit we bear makes the unbelievers hungry for the things of God. Dr. Dell Tarr, one of my university presidents, taught that the fruit produced in our lives is for the weary travelers around us. It becomes one of the most dynamic evangelical tools God has ever created. Here’s the way it works:

When you find a weary traveler and when he says, "I am sick of the church," you say to him, "Have a grape." He takes it and tastes it. He says, "That is the sweetest thing I have ever tasted," and you invite him to take another. So when he comes struggling and limping to you and plucks a grape from your hand, he says, "Wow! That’s good! You must be a real Christian.

The true sweetness of service, the care, the genuine love, the giving, and sacrifice are something that blows him away because the world doesn’t have it. The world is alien to this. When you are full of meekness, joy, peace, faith, and love, he will say, "Where did you get that and where can I get some?"

The Fruit Inspection Quiz

Think about each fruit in your life. Give yourself a grade, 1 being the weakest and 7 being the strongest.

LOVE                        1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

JOY                            1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

PEACE                     1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

PATIENCE              1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

KINDNESS             1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

MEEKNESS           1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

FAITHFULNESS 1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

GENTLENESS     1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

SELF CONTROL  1………..2…………3………..4………..5………..6……..…7

Decision:

Based on what you read and the results of your quiz, what areas of your life need to be adjusted?

What are ways a person can improve on the quality of spiritual fruit?

  

EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Scripture:

Acts 1:4–5, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.””

Acts 1:8, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 6:7, “So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”

Thought: Empowered for Purpose

Before Jesus departed for Heaven, he told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received power from Heaven. On the day of Pentecost, that is exactly what happened: they received power which resulted in a large number of people being saved. Isn’t it interesting that the people closest to Jesus were not yet equipped to do the work of Jesus until they received the power of the Holy Spirit? What was true then is true today. 

I often define a Pentecostal church as a Christ centered, Bible believing Body of Christ that believes the Holy Spirit is actively working today. All of the gifts of the Spirit found in the New Testament are still available for the purpose of proclaiming the Good News to the world.

The power of pentecost is purposeful

The word “power” in the original language is the Greek word dunamei. From dunamei we derive our words dynamic and dynamite; however, dynamite was not invented at the time of the early church. Jesus is talking about a force that is so powerful it cannot be stopped. This is a divine power imparted to us through His Spirit.

In the past, the Pentecostal Church was often thought of as strange. Many people did not believe that the gifts of the Spirit were still in operation today, but the results are now in: millions of people around the world are coming to Christ because the power of the Holy Spirit is breaking through difficult places. Today, the Pentecostal Church is the fastest growing Christian church in the world. 

EXPERIENCE THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Thought:

Life is full of challenges. We can count on that. The good news is that we can rely on someone who can help us, and sometimes carry us through life’s ups and downs: the Holy Spirit, which resides in every follower of Jesus. It is empowering to occasionally review just precisely what the Holy Spirit does so we can boldly face life. Scripture gives us clear job descriptions of The Holy Spirit. Below is a list with scriptural references.

As you read through this list, reflect on the times in which the Holy Spirit worked in each area. For example, as a pastor, one of my daily prayers is for wisdom. Many things come up that I am ill-equipped to handle on my own. Some decisions impact people’s lives, and I want to make sure I am not operating in my strength and understanding. I know that many times, the Holy Spirit gave me insight into a situation when I was stuck.

Writing this devotional is another example. I thought I would be able to whip these out without a problem. I had collected my notes all year, but when I started writing, I found myself overwhelmed with the task. I had no idea of the time it took to write three paragraphs for each day.  If it had not been for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you would not be reading this today. 

The Works of the Holy Spirit with Scripture Reference:

1.           The Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. 1 Peter 3:18

2.          The Spirit calls us to God. Revelation 22:17

3.          The Spirit convicts us of sin. John 16:8-11

4.          The Spirit sanctifies us. 1 Corinthians 6:11

5.          The Spirit testifies to Jesus. 1 John 4:13; Hebrews 10:15

6.          The Spirit gives us new life. Ephesians 2:1-5

7.           The Spirit leads us into a deeper relationship with God. Titus 3:5

8.          The Spirit leads us away from worldly desires. Romans 8:5

9.          The Spirit resides within us. 1 Corinthians 6:19

10.      The Spirit seals our salvation.  Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:30

11.       The Spirit guides us. Acts 13:2; 16:6

12.      The Spirit prompts us in worship. Luke 10:21

13.      The Spirit empowers us to witness. Acts 1:8

14.      The Spirit helps us pray. Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; Ephesians 6:17,18

15.      The Spirit teaches us. John 14:26.

16.      The Spirit leads us into truth. John 15:26; 1 John 4:6

17.       The Spirit comforts us. John 16:7

18.      The Spirit transforms us. 1 Corinthians 6:11

19.      The Spirit helps us remember God’s word. John 14:26

20.     The Spirit helps us lead a godly life. Galatians 5:22-23

21.      The Spirit gives us spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

22.     The Spirit speaks to The Church. Revelation 2

23.     The Spirit works to unite believers. Philippians 2:1-2; Ephesians 4:3

24.     The Spirit gives us strength. Ephesians 3:16

25.     The Spirit gives wisdom and revelation. Ephesians 1:17

26.     The Spirit gives us a new prayer language. 1 Corinthians 14:2, 14-16

27.      The Spirit gives us spiritual gifts for the Church. 1 Corinthians 12

28.     The Spirit produces fruit in us. Galatians 5:22

Experience the Presence of The Holy Spirit

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 3:16, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”

Romans 8:15, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Thought:

Some quasi-Christian groups describe the Holy Spirit as a force, like in a Star Wars movie: impersonal, external, and able to be harnessed. However, the Holy Spirit is not an external force to be called up by some experience; He is a person that resides within us, confirming our relationship with Jesus and the Father. If we only think of Him as a force, we will be tempted to try and use him for our purposes, when the opposite should be true: he wants to use us for His purposes, as we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 

Daniel Henderson writes in his book, Transforming Presence:

If we think of the Holy Spirit, as so many do, as merely a power or influence, our constant thought will be, ‘How can I get more of the Holy Spirit,’ but if we think of him in a biblical way as a Divine Person, our thought will rather be, “How can the Holy Spirit have more of me?’ The conception of the Holy Spirit as a divine influence or power that we are somehow to get a hold of and use leads to self-exaltation and self-sufficiency. One who so thinks of the Holy Spirit and who at the same time imagines that he has received the Holy Spirit will almost inevitably be full of spiritual pride and strut about as if he belonged to some superior order of Christians. —R.A. TORREY  (pg 85)

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, where he has permanent residence and is the constant reminder that we belong to God.

A helpful illustration for me, when thinking about the Holy Spirit, is one of water and a glass. Before we come to Christ, the Spirit is around us, drawing us to Jesus and convicting us of sin. When we accept Jesus as Savior, He fills us the Holy Spirit, and no one gets less of the Holy Spirit than another person. He dwells within us and works in many ways, including the supernatural.

What does it mean to you to know the Holy Spirit is not an outside force, but one that resides within you?

Take a moment to celebrate and thank God for the Holy Spirit that resides in our hearts.

How do you maintain an awareness of the Holy Spirit within you?

Experience the Person of The Holy Spirit

Introduction:

Over the next six days we will take a journey down a familiar path for some readers and an anxious one for others; however, it just might have the most profound impact on your Christian development. When we take this path, we will meet the one Jesus left to reside in us. Although it is likely you have heard of Him; you may not have been exposed to His personhood, purpose, or His transformational presence. He is the third person of the Trinity: The Holy Spirit.

Scripture:

John 14:26, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Acts 10:37–38, “You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”

Thought:

People love mysteries. Writers and filmmakers depend on this fact. How many CSI television shows can there be? One for every city I guess. We watch and our minds work to solve the mystery with every clue given to us along the way. We don’t like mysteries we can solve right away, but we also can’t tolerate mysteries that can’t be solved in the end. We want to be in suspense, but we are not built to live there. We simply can’t put up with things we don’t understand, and the spiritual life is no exception.

Trying to understand the Trinity is like trying to solve an unsolvable mystery. The Father is fully God, Jesus is fully God, and The Holy Spirit is fully God. It doesn’t make sense.  It’s not reasonable or logical that God could be both three and one, yet the Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. John 14:26 show us Jesus speaking about The Holy Spirit, which the Father would send to believers. Our Acts 10:37-38 passage demonstrates three distinct persons were working together for one common purpose: “doing good.” Jesus’ baptism gives us another example. The Spirit descended on Jesus and God, the Father, declared from heaven, “This is My beloved Son in whom I’m well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).

The Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. John 14:26 show us Jesus speaking about The Holy Spirit, which the Father would send to believers. Our Acts 10:37-38 passage demonstrates three distinct persons were working together for one common purpose: “doing good.” Jesus’ baptism gives us another example. The Spirit descended on Jesus and God, the Father, declared from heaven, “This is My beloved Son in whom I’m well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).

John Bevere explains it this way:

“Water (H2O) can manifest as three different forms. Temperature determines whether H2O will appear as a solid, liquid, or gas. Water’s substance – its molecular structure – never changes one iota, but its expression will change based on its environment (the temperature). In the same way, God’s central makeup doesn’t change. When you see the Son, you see the Father; and the Spirit was sent to reveal the Son to us (see John 17:21; Ephesians 1:17-18). God is one in purpose, and yet He has three expressions (Persons) who perform unique functions. Though there are three Persons, there is only one God.”

John Bevere uses H2O to illustrate the Holy Spirit. What other ways have you heard that help you understand the idea of Three in One?

Experience Jesus' Commission

Day 26: Experience Jesus' Commission

Matthew 28:16–20, “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

Thought:
The Great Commission is the end of Matthew’s gospel but it is the beginning of faith in action for all Christians. Jesus did not tell us to build extravagant buildings, gather large crowds, or sing contemporary songs. Jesus gave us one goal: make disciples. Furthermore, he did not say that it is only the job for pastors and missionaries; it is for all who are followers of Jesus.

Just like the commandments were not the “ten suggestions,” the great commission is not just a good idea. J. Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) was an English missionary to China who founded the China Inland Mission, which at his death included 205 mission stations with over 800 missionaries and 125,000 Chinese Christians. He said, "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed."

Our assignment is to carry out God’s mission, which includes two primary objectives: 1) to spread the gospel to all nations, and 2) to nurture those who receive the gospel so that they grow into spiritual maturity. It is about evangelism and discipleship.

I love being part of a great fellowship called the Assemblies of God. We are committed to the work of missions. In 2000, a vision statement was written that included this passage:

We commit ourselves with an unrelenting passion to the great cause of worldwide missions. The Lord of the harvest clearly spoke to the hearts of our founding fathers that our church shall, without reservation, be of one mind in the task of world missions. We pledge the greatest of all investments—men and women who will take their places in the vast, unreached fields of end-time harvest.

Jesus said that all authority in heaven and earth had been given to him. It is this authority that sends us and empowers us to carry out God’s mission to the nations, both at home and abroad.

Reflection:
When you leave our times of corporate worship and teaching, how are you investing in others?

Is the Great Commission a part of how you conduct your life?  If not, how can you incorporate the commissioning of Jesus into your lifestyle?