Words of the Lord:
"This is a time and season to prepare and keep building yourselves in the Word and in your spirit. Build yourselves in the most holy faith. Dig into the Word and pray in the spirit. There’s so much more I want to show you. There’s so much more I want to build in you and prepare you for the greater glory that’s coming!"
As much as you grow in the inside of you - in the Word and in the Spirit - that's how much you grow in the outside of you in this physical world. This is a spiritual truth we all need to know.
Whatever that happens in the 'inside' will be reflected in the 'outside'. A change in the 'inside' will lead to a change in the 'outside'. A transformation in the 'inside' will lead to a transformation in the 'outside'.
One example in the Bible is Daniel. In Daniel chapter 1, you can see how Daniel grew in spiritual stature. And after that, in Daniel chapter 2, he was in turn promoted by King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.
Daniel 1:8-13 (NKJV) says, 'But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank... So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants."'
Here, instead of the king's delicacies, Daniel chose to eat only vegetables and drink only water.
Now, what does 'vegetables' and 'water' represent here?
These are 'pictures' of God's Word and God's Spirit!
In our usual Bible-study, we learn that Daniel lived a lifestyle of seeking the Lord, fasting from the king's delicacies, and not defiling or contaminating himself with the pleasures of the world. That's true, of course. Daniel's features then appeared better and more radiant than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. The king was impressed and found Daniel (and his three friends) ten times better than all the others! (Daniel 1:18-20)
But today, I want to point you to these 'vegetables' and 'water'. Why do I say these are 'pictures' of God's Word and God's Spirit?
Now, 'vegetables' here in New King James Version (NKJV) is translated as 'pulse' in King James Version (KJV). 'Pulse', as you know in English means 'edible seeds', and it can be lentils or any form of seeds. So, it's not just vegetables, but the root of these vegetables are all these seeds!
In Hebrew, this word 'pulse' (edible seeds) is 'zeroa', and it simply means 'something sown'. This word comes from the word 'zara' in Hebrew, which means 'to sow seed, to conceive seed, to plant seed'.
Do you see that now? This 'zeroa' symbolizes 'the seed of God's Word'!
Let's do a cross-reference to a familiar parable - Parable of the sower - in Matthew chapter 13. In Matthew 13:23 (NKJV), Jesus said, "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
So, people of God, dig into the Word and pray in the spirit often!
These are keys to growing in the spirit!
Apart from growing in the Word and in the Spirit, spiritual growth can also happen through your experiences in life, as long as you are open to the Lord and yielded to the Lord.
One example in the Bible is Joseph. In Genesis chapter 37, you can see how 'unrefined' Joseph was, and how he brought a bad report about his brothers to their father.
The brothers hated him even more when he shared his dream that they would bow down to him! (Genesis 37:1-7)
What happened next? He was then thrown into a pit and sold as a slave by his brothers. Later on, in Egypt, he was thrown into a prison, being accused of something he never did (Genesis 39:19-20).
You see, experiences in life can either make or break us. It depends on how we respond to an experience (or experiences) in life. We can either choose to humble and be open to the Lord's training (and even correction), or we can choose to be angry and bitter.
As for Joseph, I believe he chose to humble and be open to the Lord.
It's therefore no surprise that by Genesis chapter 40, he was a changed man. When the chief butler and chief baker of the Pharaoh were looking sad (because they didn't know how to interpret their dreams), Joseph showed care and concern for them, and he helped them (Genesis 40:1-7). This is a far cry from the Joseph we read about in Genesis 37!
Fast forward two years later, the chief butler then remembered Joseph when the Pharaoh needed someone to interpret his dream. Joseph duly interpreted Pharaoh's dream, and the rest is history. He was promoted to be the prime minister of Egypt, only second in command to the Pharaoh himself! (Genesis 41:37-44)
You see again? A change in the 'inside' will eventually lead to a change in the 'outside'!
Prayer for today:
"O Lord, there's so much more that You want to show us, both in the Word and in the Spirit. Teach us to grow from faith to faith, from glory to glory, from grace to grace. Teach us to grow deeper in the spirit. Teach us to progress from level to level, to grow spiritually and to grow in spiritual maturity. Change us in any area that we need to be changed, and transform us in any area that we need to be transformed. We present our lives before You this day. In the name of Jesus. Amen."
