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Reading And Studying The Bible – Steps To Spiritual Growth

Do you want to grow spiritually?  This is the first article in my series Steps To Spiritual Growth.  We all want to keep growing in our relationship with God and I'm going to give a few keys to spiritual growth.  These steps to Spiritual Growth will help you to develop a closer and intimate relationship with Jesus.

 

 

 

reading and studying the Bible

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Importance Of Spiritual Growth

 

The same way that we are to take care of our body physically is the same type of care that we should take care spiritually.  Eating too much junk food and not providing your body with nourishment will have a negative effect on your health. 

 

Although our bodies don't live forever, we still need to take care of them while we are living.  However, your spirit lives on forever, and taking care of your spirit is just as important as taking care of your physical health.

 

What are you putting into your spirit?  Are you feeding it negativity? Doubt, unbelief?  Are you only putting into yourself things that feed the flesh and not thinking about feeding your spirit?

 

We all take the time in our days to do all the important things that need to get done…and we should take care of our responsibilities.  But our relationship with God should also be a top priority on that daily list that we each have. 

 

Reading the Bible, Studying the Bible, and Meditating on the Bible are the first steps that I will give to you for spiritual growth.  Now of course assuming that you have already taken the very first step of receiving Jesus into your heart and making Him the Lord and Savior of your life.

 

If you haven’t, no worries because at the end of this article you will have that opportunity.

 

It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized how important it was for me to read the Bible and to study it as well as meditate on it to get understanding.

 

 

What Are The Keys To Spiritual Growth?

 

We are going to focus on a few keys to spiritual growth, Reading the Bible, Studying the Bible, and Meditating on the Bible.

 

 

How To Grow Spiritually Bible Study

 

Joshua 1:8

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

 

According to this verse if we study the Bible and meditate on it then we will succeed and prosper.  The Bible is so much more than just a book that we read; it is the Word of God. 

 

God speaks to us through the Bible that’s why it’s important to take time out of your day to spend reading, studying, and meditating on it.

 

We need revelation from the Word of God to understand it and apply it to our lives, then we will see a transformation.  That is when you see a change in your life because of your obedience and understanding of the Word.

 

As you study and meditate on it, it opens your eyes to things that you have never seen before.  There have been so many times that I would meditate on a verse and receive revelation from it that I have never seen before. 

 

And it’s a verse that I have read many times, that’s one of the benefits of reading the Bible daily.  It also has to do with your heart.  Is your heart prepared to receive what the Bible is saying to you?  Do you read it and walk away not learning or remembering anything that you read?

 

Or do you receive revelation, and you are excited at the time that you read it, then walk away and not apply it to your life?

 

 

Matthew 13

 

This reminds me of the parable of the Sower in Matthew chapter 13.  I listened to a preaching talk about what this parable really means, and it was amazing to me.  He said that the soil represents our hearts, and the seed is the Word of God. 

 

Some seeds fell on rocky places where the soil was shallow, so it sprang up quickly, but it had no root, so it quickly withered.  That represents how some of us receive the Word of God…it doesn’t stick because we are not grounded in the Word.

 

Then some seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns choked the plants, so here the seeds grew into plants, but they were choked by the cares of life and the problems that we face. 

 

We receive the Word, we believe it but we don’t persevere we allow all the troubles of life to cause us to doubt what the Word says.

 

Then some seed fell on good soil and produced a crop, these are the ones that declare and believe, this is how you strengthen your spirit man.  These are the ones that did not get weary in well-doing as the Bible says and they saw the fruit of what they have believed. 

 

We have to allow the Word of God to get into us so that we can speak it out.  That is how faith is built, it comes from hearing the Word and believing it as the final truth.

 

 

Galatians 6:9

 

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

 

So, we see how the Bible can have an impact on our lives, and how important it is that we read and study it, but also that we prepare our heart to receive so that we can be transformed by the Word.

 

 

Hebrews 4:12

 

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

 

The Bible is living and life-changing as it works inside of us.  It reveals who we really are and what we need to change.  It exposes the good and the bad in each of us and once revealed it requires that we decide whether to change or to stay as we are.  Allow the Word of God to shape your life by being obedient.

 

The Holy Spirit will reveal all that we need to know, we just need to be receptive and to listen to His voice.  God wants us all to live the life that He planned for us.

 

Jeremiah 29:11

 

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

 

He only wants the best for us His children and He has given us all the resources that we need to succeed, but it’s up to us to use them.

 

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

 

Again, here is another scripture that shows us that all scripture was inspired by God.  He gave it to us for a purpose, it’s to teach us, correction, preparation and to equip us so that we can walk in the plan that He has for our lives.

 

So now we have talked about studying, meditating, and reading the Bible, we also need to talk about speaking the Word.

 

 

Growing Spiritually

 

If we truly want to grow spiritually, we need to start speaking what the Word of God says.  If the Word of God is living and active, then we can use those very words to speak to our situations and see a change. 

 

When the enemy comes and he will, we just need to speak the Word of God to him, he has no option but to go when you speak what the Bible says.  Satan wants to get you to look at the situation and all the bad that’s going on around you so that you take your eyes off what God already said.

 

That’s why the Bible says that we walk by faith, not by sight.  I know what my situation looks like in the natural, but do I know what it looks like in the spiritual? That’s what’s true. 

 

Now that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be aware of what’s happening, that’s not what I am saying, you still need to deal with it knowing what God said.  What does the Bible say about the situation that you’re dealing with right now? Speak that, speak the Word, not the problem.

 

Believe me, it’s easier said than done, I know.  I too find myself sometimes caught up in a problem and letting it take precedence over what the Bible says, but I must take a step back and say to myself, this situation is contrary to what the Word of God says, and it must go in Jesus’ name. 

 

When you study and meditate on the word, it’s there for you when you are in a situation and perhaps you don’t have a second to grab your Bible to look up a verse, but the Holy Spirit brings back that scripture you were studying or meditating on, and you immediately speak the Word into that situation.

 

Ask the holy spirit to soften your heart so that your soil will be ready to receive the seed which is the Word of God.  I will leave you with this prayer based on Jeremiah 24:7 that I say every morning. 

 

Heavenly Father, give me a heart to know you, help me to return to you with my whole heart. 

 

If you came across this article and you’re not a believer or you use to be a believer and you strayed away from God and you want to make Jesus the Lord of your life say this prayer :

 

 

Prayer For Salvation

 

Jesus come into my heart.  I turn my back on sin and I repent, and I trust in you.  I confess that Jesus Christ is my personal Lord and Savior.  Thank you, Jesus, for saving me.  I accept by faith the free gift of salvation in Jesus’ name Amen.

 

If you prayed that prayer, then you are saved, congratulations and welcome to the family of God.  I will give you the advice that my pastor gave to us…pray, you need to pray which is talking to God, that is how you build your relationship with Him. 

 

He loves you and cares about everything that concerns you.  Read your Bible every day, find a Bible-believing church and attend, and last tell someone that you are saved.

 

 

Ephesians 1:17-19

 

I pray that the Lord would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

 

Are you going to incorporate these steps into your daily routine?  What are your tips for Spiritual Growth?

 

 

 

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