What is it?

What does a spiritual adult look like?  Here are some things we should see in mature believers:

They get their prayers answered. (John 15:7, I John 3:21-22, & 5:14-15)

The fruit of the spirit is evident in them.  Gal. 5:22-23, Love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness faith, meekness (humble or is teachable), and self- control.  So never say you don’t have one of these. You have it; you’re just not using it. 

They spend much private time with God, in the word and in prayer.  (Josh. 1:8, Psa. 1:2-3, Psa. 91:1, John 15:4.)   Spending regular time with God will enable Him to develop these qualities in you.

God can use them in the gifts of the Spirit.  (I Cor. 12:7-11)

They are fully developed in love. (Eph. 3: 17-19, I Cor. 13:4-7, I  John 2:3-6)

And therefore, they have no fear, anxiety, or worry!  (I John 4:18, II Tim. 1:7)

They are very wealthy and very generous.
(Psa. 112:1-5, II Cor. 9:7-11, Prov. 22:9 and 28:27,) 

They are totally yielded and guided by the Holy Spirit.  (Rom. 8:14)

And therefore, are able to do everything Jesus did.  (John 14:12, Mark 16:17-18,
I John 2:6, Luke 6:46, I John 4:17, and Rom. 8:29.)  Please realize that not everyone is called or ready to be a speaker to crowds.   But God wants and needs people who are attuned to Him in every neighborhood and place of business in order to love and help people.

Do I want it?

Is there anything in the previous list that would make your life better?  If you have a problem with the wealth issue, please read my brochure Objections to the prosperity message answered.  It will help you see that what you’ve probably been taught all your life are lies!

Consider doing what Jesus did.  My brochures, Growing in Faith I and II tells my testimonies of beginning this adventure.  Learning that I could talk to my body and command it to stop hurting was a thrill to me!  I have written several brochures to help you get started in this.  But if you try it and nothing happens, please realize it will take some time to grow.   And that brings us to this:

What must I do?

A brochure I wrote with the answer to this question is, God wants to make your life beautiful.  This will help you get started in the right things.  Do you know that it’s been scientifically proven that habits can be changed in twenty-one days?   Here are some steps to change that God gave to Dr. Creflo Dollar Jr. to teach to his congregation of about 5,000.

1.  Make a quality decision to change.
You won’t change because someone told you that you need to, or even because you know you need to.  Say, “I am determined to change!”

2.  Turn your will over to God totally!
Not my will, but Yours be done.  Realize that the Holy spirit wants to lead you and help you become all God wants you to be. You must learn to be sensitive to His leading, and to be willing and obedient.  (Rom. 8:14, Isa. 1:19)  And if you don’t want to exert any effort, you will not change.

3.  Possess a strong desire to change.  Desire comes from what we give our attention to.  If you attend to pornography that’s what you will desire.  You may initially have a desire for something, but if you don’t give it any attention, it will go away.  Attention will motivate you.

4.  Deepen your knowledge base.  This is vital!  Your knowledge must increase if your life experience is to change.  If your knowledge base is small and shallow, your life will be small and shallow.  If you want your marriage to improve but you aren’t willing to read up on it, listen to teachings or attend a good Bible-teaching church, your marriage will not improve!

5.  Look into the Word as a mirror to change.  You get up every morning and look into a mirror to see what you look like, and to help you to make the changes needed so you can go to work.  The Bible is like that.  If you are in the Word as you should be, you will read things that show you where you need to change.  Let these guide you.

6.  Diligently apply the truths you learn day after day.  No teaching will do you any good if you do not apply it diligently and consistently.  Your mind isn’t renewed by getting some new information.  Failure comes because we don’t keep doing it.  Consistency is the key to break-though.

7.  Guard the entrances to your heart.  You have an enemy who is seeking your destruction. He will give you ample opportunities to take things in through the gates to your heart; your eyes and ears.  Prov. 4:23, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it come the issues of life.”   Your life is a result of what you have allowed into your heart in the past.  But you have the power to change that!

8.  Defend your mind against old thought patterns.   When you were born again, your mind wasn’t saved.  Rom. 12: 2, “…be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  This is something you must do.  II Cor. 10:3-5 tells us to capture our thoughts and make them obey the Word.  Open your mouth and say an appropriate verse.  My brochure, How to use your Sword and Shield can help you more.

9.  Be selective to what you expose yourself.  Some people drag you down, or places you go.  No, you are not ready to help them.  You need to grow up more first.  T.V. shows, what you used to like will drag you down.  Stop watching those.

10.  Disassociate from the past.  Phil. 3: 13, “Forgetting those things that are behind, and pressing toward the things that are ahead.” 

11.  Be open to correction and be teachable.  A person who makes excuses is not teachable.