WHEN WILL YOU GROW?

"Then He said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'" - Luke 13:7


There are those who have been babes all through their spiritual life from birth even till now, nothing has matured and they are still crawling even as believers. They need their pastors like a baby needs the mother, if they are left alone for a while, something destructive can happen...these spiritual babes seem not to do anything about their growth.


Unlike the physical growth, something has to be done about spiritual growth and it is very intentional, spiritual growth does not come by accident or a wishing, it takes a conscious effort sealed in the grace of God to be able to grow, it takes the Holy Spirit engagement for the Word to be food unto the spirit man.


Just like the owner of the vineyard asked the keeper, maybe you will appreciate if I ask your pastor the question about your growth, but we know from the opening text that the keeper was diligent and even pleaded for more time. Your growth is self determinant by grace that has been made available, if you are not growing then it's your fault, because grace is available to all who wants to grow.


Isaiah 61:3, feels us that we would be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. You have been planted the day you gave your life to Christ, but there has not been any form of growth in you ever since. That is why the Lord is worried about your state. One of the things John the Baptist preached about is that, the ax is laid to the tree - if you are not growing, you who was planted, will be axed.


SUPERFICIAL GROWTH
"Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, 'Let no fruit grow on you ever again.' Immediately the fig tree withered away." - Matt 21:18-19


The trick in the Christendom today is reaching an alarming rate, many Christians can raise the hope of many, but these Christians are but a shadow, there is no substance. Many so pay attention to the outward that they don't make any effort to deal with the inner man.


We often erroneously think that an improved standard of living is an improved spiritual life, I am often sad by this impression so much that I often can't express it in words. Friend, money and luxury cannot substitute for the life of Jesus, increased charisma cannot be mistaken for fruits, what He saw was leaves, but getting closer He found no fruit. The Lord is indeed hungry for fruits in you, but He found nothing!


The reason why He called you as a believer is so that you can go and bear fruit (John 15:16), anything short of that is a wasting of His time, using up the ground unnecessary. Leaves can be good indicators that all may be well, but not the proof that all is well. When all you have is charisma and a loud voice, those are leaves and not fruits.


"having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" - 2Tim 3:5


I hope you noticed the exclamation mark in the above text, though we may not have the power to curse the barren people, but it is in out best interest to always avoid them. Those brothers who have 'learnt' and 'mastered' tongues speaking, but don't have a single fruit of the spirit. It is a serious matter we point to today, and blessed is he who takes heed.


Dear brother, how did you handle that woman who seem to be against you all the time? How do you treat your wife? When you were under pressure of trials and persecution, have you become resentful? Sometimes, for many Christians, they are just the old man, putting on the mask of a new man, nothing has really changed.


So many have this form, and it is heartbreaking to see that there is no fruit. Many have been in the faith for so many years and if they tell you their several experience you will be wowed, but God does not count years to be growth, these years a person may just carry leaves. The Lord is asking you today, when will you grow.


In case you have closed your mind and say I am not referring to you, please just take a look at Galatians 5, to see if those fruits resides in you or not. Long-suffering, joy, peace, love - check if they reside inside of you. If not, then you are a cloud without rain. The grass will surely wither and the flowers will fade but it is the word that stands, that flower Christianity will surely not last, it is the word that abides forever.


TAKE YOUR ROOTS DOWNWARD
"And the remnant who have escaped of the household of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward." - Isaiah 37:31


Many want to bear fruit upward before taking a downward root; this makes the believer shaky in the time of storm and trials, because the root isn't firm, everything blows them away. Such a people are full of lamentations when trouble arise. Anything that isn't exciting doesn't interest them, this is wrong.


Just as it would take a while for the flowers of a plant to sprout because the root has to be firm, it could take some obscurity for a Christain to bear fruit, but that in itself is growth and the Lord approves of that, but what He is against is those with flowers without fruit. Would you take some time to invest in your rooting rather than in your charisma, I even see a lot of babes becoming teachers without a life to underscore their points.


The Christain takes root by being teachable, and also having tested teachers as counsellors and instructors over his or her life. These people sometimes may not be known or may be strict, but they are the ones that you may need to give you roots, you need to understand that teachers sometimes aren't loud, but they are deep people.


"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; but has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles." - Matt 13:20-21


I get a little uneasy when I hear people saying the word with so much assurance but when it is time to do the word, they don't move a muscles. But it is in the doing that we also find root and not in excitement of saying. I agree that we must confess what we have found, but those who speak must also do.


It is important for the believer to know that, we all will be tested by the word we hear, and everyone should pray for grace to pass the test that arise from that same word. Those who want to take root must be patient to allow the word take root.


WHAT'S YOUR FEED?
"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." - Acts 20:32


When a crop is not yielding fruits that are satisfactory, then the seeds needs to be checked among other things. It will not be too good for you who have been attending church for over 3years now and still, you are in the same spot. It is time to check your feed. If it is not the right kind of word, the undiluted kind, then you will never grow.


If we are not producing as we ought to, then the seeds may need to be checked, heresies are selling like anything, it attracts the ears and it is appealing to the sight, yet they are just chaff to keep the soul dry like a rock.


Motivational messages using events of the world are good, but we must surely get to a point where 'sermons' should begin to make sense to us, because, in some of those 'boring' messages lie your recipe for a healthy growth. It should even get to a point that when the minister is 'not making sense', you should be able to glean invaluable lesson on your own.


All scriptures are given by the inspiration of God, therefore you must not just concentrate on a certain portion and expect to be a balanced and matured Christain, it doesn't work that way; all scriptures are profitable for your growth, therefore you must desire this full diet in no small measure.


"And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything." - Like 15:16


That person that is lost, though still a Christain has changed his diet for pig's food. Though it is edible but it is not for the believer in the faith. It is him that is lost, that seeks strange mentors or pastors to join themselves with, and those people do not have anything good to offer. What is your feed dear friend, does it taste like what you were being fed when you were still in the faith? He who has tasted the word of life should not be satisfied with worthless food.


Some have been served poison in place of feeds, those teachers who are not grounded in the word themselves will serve poison, and all these will definitely lead a follower to hell. When a life is filled with efforts and void of grace, then the feed is poisonous, when a believer is so conscious of the pastor rather than Jesus, poison have been shoved down his throat.


If you don't pay attention to the feed, though they seem palatable, their side effects can kill. It is necessary for you yourself to start engaging the Holy Spirit in your study of the word, else it is chaff that you will be fed with. The Holy Spirit makes the Word edifying for the believer, who really wants to grow.


TIME FOR PRUNING
"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." - John 15:2


It is easy for the believer to become complacent because of past achievements, it is easy for the old believer to become a mere story teller of the past; yet remaining in a spot just producing leaves without fruits. Such a one will preach about himself till the members can predict the lines verbatim. Such a believer needs a pruning.


It was pruning that made Apostle Paul to strive for more in the race, it is pruning that will make the believer flourishing even after many years in the faith, it is those who surrender their lives to a pruning, that stay attached to vine. When a person is pruned, the zeal of the present will overshadow that of the past.


If you remember the revival of old that was stirred up in you, and you find out that grace is no longer there, would you do a humble return to the feet of Jesus, praying, searching and learning again at His feet as it was in those days. When a man has lost his zeal, if by any chance he remembers the altar that was built while ascending, he could return to that point and seek for a rebuilding.


"and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become like little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matt 18:3


Dear senior minister, you haven't passed the stage of learning, you shouldn't always be at the upper room 'seeking', you too can be under a teacher learning, and submitting yourself to the chastening of the Lord.


When last did you hold a fast for personal spiritual growth? when last did you pray and ask that the Holy Spirit burns up every chaff in you. Have you decided that you cannot stumble again and you have passed the stage of consecration? Being humble enough to receive this piece is bringing yourself down to the point of a pruning.


We often allow activities of the church choke so us so much that we have allowed our fellowship with the Lord to suffer, we excuse ourselves and say that it is God's work. The implication may just be a leafy Christain who has many flowers and not yielding any personal fruit to please the master. You will do well to return to the place of pruning, so that you can blossom again.


CONCLUSION:
You are responsible for your spiritual growth, and it should not be superficial; take your roots downward and grow upward. If you're feeding and not growing, check the quality of the word and make sure you always return for a pruning.


God bless you and I love you
Akinsuroju Femi
© The Fundamentals