SPIRITUAL GROWTH

AND MATURITY IS
GODS WILL
 EPHESIANS 4:11-16
Now these are the gifts
11

Christ gave to the church:

the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists,
and the pastors and
teachers.
 Their
12

responsibility is to
equip Gods people
to do his work and
build up the
EPHESIANS 4:11-16
 13This will continue until we
all come to such unity in our
faith and knowledge of Gods
Son that we will be mature in
the Lord, measuring up to the
full and complete standard of
Christ.
EPHESIANS 4:13
 Then we will no longer be
14

immature like children. We

wont 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
EPHESIANS 4:14
 Instead, we will
15

speak the truth in

love, growing in
every way more and
more like Christ,
EPHESIANS 4:15
 He makes the whole body fit
16

together perfectly. As each

part does its own special
work, it helps the other parts
grow, so that the whole body
is healthy and growing and
full of love.
EPHESIANS 4:16
 2 CORINTHIANS 13:11
Dear brothers and sisters,I
close my letter with these
last words: Be joyful. Grow
to maturity. Encourage
each other. Live in
harmony and peace. Then
 HEBREWS 5:12
You have been believers so long
now that you ought to be teaching
others. Instead, you need
someone to teach you again the
basic things about Gods word.
You are like babies who need milk
and cannot eat solid food.
 DEUTERONOMY 7:21-23
No, do not be afraid
21

of those nations, for

theLORDyour God is
among you, and he is
a great and awesome
22TheLORDyour God will
drive those nations out
ahead of you little by
little. You will not clear
them away all at once,
otherwise the wild
animals would multiply
DEUTERONOMY 7:22
 But theLORDyour
23

God will hand them

over to you. He will
throw them into
complete confusion
DEUTERONOMY 7:23
 ROMANS 6:13

Do not let any part of your
body become an instrument of
evil to serve sin. Instead, give
yourselves completely to God,
for you were dead, but now
you have new life. So use your
whole body as an instrument
 1 TIMOTHY 4:7-16
7Do not waste time
arguing over godless
ideas and old wives
tales. Instead, train
yourself to be godly.
8
Physical training
is good, but training
for godliness is
much better,
promising benefits
1 TIMOTHY 4:8
9This is a trustworthy saying,
and everyone should accept
it.10This is why we work hard
and continue to struggle, for
our hope is in the living God,
who is the Savior of all people
and particularly of all believers.

1 TIMOTHY 4:9-10
 11
Teach these things and
insist that everyone learn
them.12Dont let anyone
think less of you because
you are young. Be an
example to all believers in
what you say, in the way you
1 TIMOTHY 4:11-12
 13Until I get there, focus on
reading the Scriptures to the
church, encouraging the believers,
and teaching them. 14Do not
neglect the spiritual gift you
received through the prophecy
spoken over you when the elders of
the church laid their hands on you.
1 TIMOTHY 4:13-14
 Give your complete
15

attention to these
matters. Throw yourself
into your tasks so that
everyone will see your
progress.
1 TIMOTHY 4:15
 Keep a close watch on how
16

you live and on your

teaching. Stay true to what
is right for the sake of your
own salvation and the
salvation of those who hear
you.
1 TIMOTHY 4:16
 PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13
Dear friends, you always
12

followed my instructions when I

was with you. And now that I am
away, it is even more important.
Work hard to show the results of
your salvation, obeying God with
deep reverence and fear.13For
God is working in you, giving you
 HEBREWS 3:13
13
You must warn each
other every day, while it
is still today, so that
none of you will be
deceived by sin and
 EPHESIANS 5:8-9
For once you were full of
8

darkness, but now you have

light from the Lord. So live
as people of light! For this
9

light within you produces

only what is good and right
 DEUTERONOMY 11:1-7
You must love
theLORDyour God and
always obey his
requirements, decrees,
regulations, and
2Keep in mind that I am not
talking now to your children,
who have never experienced
the discipline of
theLORDyour God or seen
his greatness and his strong
hand and powerful arm.
DEUTERONOMY 11:2
 They didnt see the
3

miraculous signs and

wonders he performed in
Egypt against Pharaoh
and all his land.

DEUTERONOMY 11:3
 4They didnt see what
theLORDdid to the armies of
Egypt and to their horses and
chariotshow he drowned them
in the Red Sea as they were
chasing you. He destroyed them,
and they have not recovered to
this very day!
DEUTERONOMY 11:4
5Your children didnt
see how
theLORDcared for
you in the wilderness
until you arrived here.
DEUTERONOMY 11:5
6They didnt see what he did
to Dathan and Abiram (the
sons of Eliab, a descendant of
Reuben) when the earth
opened its mouth in the
Israelite camp and swallowed
them, along with their
households and tents and
DEUTERONOMY 11:6
 But you have
7

seen
theLORDperform
all these mighty
deeds with your11:7
DEUTERONOMY
 PROVERBS 20:29-30
29
The glory of the young is
their strength; the gray hair
of experience is the
splendor of the old.
30
Physical punishment
cleanses away evil; such
 EPHESIANS 5:15-17
15
So be careful how you live.
Dont live like fools, but like
those who are wise.16Make the
most of every opportunity in
these evil days.17Dont act
thoughtlessly, but understand
what the Lord wants you to do.
 EPHESIANS 3:16-19
16
I pray that from his glorious,
unlimited resources he will
empower you with inner
strength through his
Spirit.17Then Christ will make
his home in your hearts as you
trust in him. Your roots will
 And may you have
18

the power to
understand, as all
Gods people should,
how wide, how long,
how high, andEPHESIANS
how 3:18
 19May you experience
the love of Christ, though
it is too great to
understand fully. Then
you will be made
complete with all the
fullness of life and power
EPHESIANS 3:19
 ROMANS 12:4-11
4
Just as our bodies have
many parts and each part
has a special function,5so
it is with Christs body. We
are many parts of one body,
and we all belong to each
 In his grace, God has given us
6

different gifts for doing certain

things well. So if God has
given you the ability to
prophesy, speak out with as
much faith as God has given
you.7If your gift is serving
others, serve them well. If you
Romans 12:6-7
 8
If your gift is to encourage
others, be encouraging. If it
is giving, give generously. If
God has given you leadership
ability, take the
responsibility seriously. And
if you have a gift for showing
kindness to others, Romans
do it 12:8
 Dont just pretend to love
9

others. Really love them. Hate

what is wrong. Hold tightly to
what is good.10Love each
other with genuine
affection,and take delight in
honoring each other.11Never
be lazy, but work hard and
Romans 12:9-11
 JAMES 2:17-18
So you see, faith by itself isnt
17

enough. Unless it produces good

deeds, it is dead and useless.
18
Now someone may argue,
Some people have faith; others
have good deeds. But I say,
How can you show me your
 I. GOD WANTS TO BUILD THE
CHURCH; THE BODY OF
CHRIST, TO A POSITION OF
STRENGTH AND MATURITY.
A. The ultimate goal of
spiritual growth is to
become like Jesus.
B. God wants every
II. SPIRITUAL GROWTH
IS INTENTIONAL
A. Spiritual growth doesnt just
happen.
B. It requires commitment and
effort to grow.
It begins with a decision and sincere
effort to grow.
III. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS VERY
PRACTICAL. (1 TIM. 4:7-16)
A. Spiritual fitness is simply a
matter of learning certain
spiritual exercise and being
disciplined to do them until
they become a habit.
Character is shaped by the
III. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS VERY
PRACTICAL. (1 TIM. 4:7-16)

B. Be an example to all
believers in what you say
In the way you live
In your love, your faith and
your purity

IV. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS A
PROCESS THAT TAKES TIME
(DEUTERONOMY 7:21-23)
A. There are no shortcuts
to maturity. It is a slow
process, a journey that
will last a lifetime. (Eph.
4:12-13)
 V. SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS
DEMONSTRATED MORE BY
BEHAVIOR THAN BY BELIEFS.
(JAMES 2:17-18)
A. It includes
conducts and
character.
 VI. IT TAKES A VARIETY OF
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES WITH
GOD TO PRODUCE SPIRITUAL
A.
MATURITY.
Maturity must include all of these
experiences:
(Deut. 11:1-7)
1. Worship
2. Fellowship
3. Bible study
4. Evangelism
VI. IT TAKES A VARIETY OF
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES
WITH GOD TO PRODUCE
SPIRITUAL MATURITY.
B. Experience is a
great teacher.
(Prov. 20:29-30)