The greatest miracle in the world today is when a person is born again. In an instant, their spirit is transformed from darkness to light. It’s such a powerful event because it signifies a great shift in the spiritual realm—where once someone was under the kingdom of darkness, now they have been transferred into the kingdom of light, becoming part of the family of God. No wonder it’s a miracle because it’s a defining moment that alters your eternity. But that glorious change happens on the inside which is your spirit where your physical eye cannot see or grasp. The Bible says in John “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 NKJV
Jesus gave a promise of the new birth that will lead to everlasting life! What a promise from God that we can inherit eternal life through Jesus. Eternal life is in the spirit, so when we are born again it’s our spirit that enters into the promise of God instantly but our bodies and soul remain the same. For instance if you had black hair before being born again, your hair will remain the same color after being born again because it’s of the spirit not the flesh. So it’s in the spirit that we receive the promise of God as we hear the Word, believe in it and confess Him as our Lord. The new birth is the beginning of every good thing because now you are in the light, and you no longer walk alone.
However experiencing the new birth doesn’t instantly lead to spiritual maturity. It’s a gradual process, much like any other form of growth, requiring time and patience.But the good news is that we have the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised would be our helper. It’s comforting and encouraging to know that spiritual growth is not only a process but also comes with divine help along the way.
God doesn’t demand instant spiritual growth but most of the time we put that kind of pressure on ourselves and end up beating ourselves or discouraged because of comparison with others who are spiritually ahead of us.
Your spiritual growth journey won’t be the same as anyone else’s, and that’s okay. You are unique, and your journey is your own, so embrace it and work with what you have. Allow for the Word and the Spirit to shape you where you are.
“He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” Titus 2:14 NLT
Think about the enormity of this powerful truth in Titus. This is how much Jesus believes in our spiritual growth so much so that He gave Himself for us to live a life of significance and freedom. I take great comfort and strength in this passage because it reveals to me the sacrifice Jesus willingly made so that I can be free from any kind of sin, live a life of holiness and be zealous for good works that He has ordained for me.
So it is possible to live that way and fully pursue God’s grand purposes for our life because He paid a price for us to do so.
Spiritual growth requires intentional effort but it’s freeing to know that it does not have to be instant. It frees us from religion and insecurity to know that growth is a process. It frees us from condemnation because the next time you make a mistake, you ask God for forgiveness and get back up instead of living in the same old pit and beating yourself up for not measuring up to the standards you have created in your mind.
There is something powerful about recognizing where you are in your spiritual life instead of pretending or ignoring. When you are aware of your spiritual life, you do something about it. There is a sense of dissatisfaction because you know there is more and better. It’s vital to locate yourself first, ask the Holy Spirit to help you move ahead and do what it takes to level up. Nothing happens by chance but for anything to grow it takes some sort of movement. God will not force you or move you without your will or participation. I think sometimes believers expect God to do all the moving and changing we want in our life with zero participation. But spiritual growth takes participation from both sides.
When you are honest with yourself and recognize that you are in a process of growing up spiritually, it’s easier to get back up when you make mistakes instead of making a tent and living in a pool of discouragement and condemnation. You get yourself back up and keep moving with the Holy Spirit as your helper.
Jesus promised us divine help.
“He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” John 14:17 NLT
Whenever I’m in need of help, I always remind myself of this scripture and it brings me great comfort and faith in knowing that I have the ultimate Helper from above to help me through anything. Someone I know recently made a powerful statement: ‘There is no fast way to grow’. Anything that’s of value takes time to develop. There is no fast approach to the things of God and especially when it comes to growing up spiritually, there is time and effort involved. As you read this, ask for the Holy Spirit to help you pursue spiritual maturity everyday and know that you are growing everyday to become like Jesus. It’s not instant but a process that is worth it.