Spiritual Growth | jesusforgives.co.uk

Fellowship with other Christians

An important thing to do when you become a follower of Jesus is to join a church for fellowship with other Christians to listen to the word, grow in your faith and to worship God as He is worthy of our praise. You can also meet up with believers in house groups, just like the early disciples did.

We as believers are the church. The church is the body of Christ. We can take church out to the streets when we go and pray for the sick and share the Gospel with people.

It is good to ask God in prayer as to what church you should go to. The Holy Spirit will lead you.

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" - John 4:24

Fellowship of Believers - Acts 2:42-47

'They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.

With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.'

Read the Bible daily

It is important to read God's word daily to help you grow in your faith and grow in your relationship with God. The Bible is essential for getting to know God and knowing His will for our lives. It is also vital that we know who we are in Christ and to stand firm in the faith.

- Jesus used Scripture to defeat Satan:

'Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."

Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.' - Matthew 4:1-11

- We should therefore follow Jesus' example and come back with the Word of God which is alive and active, sharper than any double edged sword.

Find out why the Bible is trustworthy at this link - Biblical Evidence

Pray often

You can communicate with God through prayer. In order to grow in any relationship there must be communication. Without any communication, a relationship will not develop and can eventually bring separation. You can talk to God just like you would talk to anyone else. Go to Him with your requests, your worries, your troubles and your fears for God is able to carry them all for you. He has loved you with an everlasting love.

1. We have to pray with the right motive, 'When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures' - James 4:3

2. Without faith we cannot please God, 'And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him' - Hebrews 11:6

3. Therefore we need to have faith when we pray and we must know that when we are praying God can hear us. 'This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us' - 1 John 5:14

4. We need to believe we have recieved it, expect it to happen. Never underestimate the power of a prayer. "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" - Mark 11:24

5. God wants you to give all your worries to Him. Cast all your anxiety on Him, He will help you and strengthen you. 'Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you' - 1 Peter 5:7

6. Spend some time alone with God, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" - Matthew 6:6

7. Pray in the name of Jesus. Jesus said, "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." - John 14:14

8. Present your requests to God because He cares for you and loves you, 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.' - Philippians 4:6

9. It is God's will for us to pray without ceasing! 'Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus' - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Baptism in water - following Christ's example

After you get saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, you will be excited to tell all your friends and family and to be baptised in water! Water baptism is important in obedience to the Lord´s command and to show everyone that you have committed yourself to Jesus. It is done out of your love for the Lord.

'There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ' - 1 Peter 3:21

Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire

You can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands by someone who has already received Him. Evidence of this is the ability to speak in tongues. This baptism of the Spirit gives you freedom, boldness, unspeakable joy and a passion for Jesus, to tell everyone about Him without any fear.

¨I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." - Matthew 3:1

Speaking in Tongues

Speaking in tongues is your prayer language to God. It is a special Heavenly language. Only God is able to understand. You are speaking real words with meaning that you are unable to understand yourself but it builds you up in the faith, as you are letting yourself go and letting the Holy Spirit take over you. It is wonderful.

'For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.' - 1 Corinthians 14:2

'And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues...' - Mark 16:17

Put on the full armour of God

'Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people' - Ephesians 6:10-18

God wants us to bear fruit for His glory

Our salvation is secure in Christ alone who is our firm foundation, but what we do with our lives after that will determine our rewards.

"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done."- Revelation 22:12

God wants us to be fruitful and bear much fruit for His glory. We do good works as a result of having been saved, not in order to earn salvation.

'For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.' - Ephesians 2:10

When we put our faith in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross to be sufficient alone for our salvation, God gives our heart new desires. We become born again which is a supernatural transformation only God can do. If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. We become dead to sin but alive in Christ.

Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments" ~ John 14:15

Jesus' greatest commandments are:

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and will all your mind"

"Love your neighbour as yourself"

Although we may still sin from time to time as Christian's, we will feel conviction and have to confess it to God. God helps us to overcome any sin in increasing measures. The big difference is that we don't have a lifestyle of sin, Jesus not only takes away our past sin; He does a supernatural transformation in our hearts so that we no longer will desire it (Colossians 2:13-14).

The Holy Spirit inside of us helps us to live holy lives which are pleasing to God. Paul asked, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2).

Although Christians will still sin after being saved, the heart change that the Holy Spirit brings will result in a new attitude toward sin. Sin cannot continue being a lifestyle choice if we have surrendered our lives to Jesus. That’s what it means to say that Jesus is Lord of our life. (Romans 10:9; Colossians 2:6).

Todd White, a former drug addict and atheist radically transformed by Jesus, said

"Grace isn't a licence to sin. Grace is the ability to walk holy."

We cannot be followers of Christ and follow sin at the same time. They go in opposite directions (Luke 9:23; 14:33). Romans 12:12 tells us, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This is a process which changes our behaviour.

There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain. Command and take authority over any sickness or addiction you may have. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, command it to leave. Believers have been given the authority to lay hands on the sick, set the captives free, cast out demons and raise the dead!

'In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus' - Romans 6:11

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. - James 2:17

This is because true saving faith will produce fruit in our lives. When we have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, our lives will demonstrate that new life. Give thanks to God for His glorious gift!

Sharing the Gospel - Jesus said "Go"

After hearing the Good News and becoming born again, you will be eager to see other souls being saved, healed, delivered and set free.

And He said to them,

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." - Mark 16:15

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. - Matthew 28:19-20

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have recieved; freely give." - Matthew 10:8

An example on how to share the Gospel

Resources - reaching people through gospel tracts, booklets and DVD's

Billy Graham 'My Hope UK' resources - http://shop.myhopewithbillygraham.org.uk/

Living Waters Gospel tracts - http://store.livingwaters.com/gospel-tracts.html

The Good Book Company, booklets and tracts - https://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/outreach/booklets-and-tracts/

Alpha Shop UK - Why Jesus? Booklets - https://shop.alpha.org/why-jesus-nicky-gumbel

Eden.co.uk tracts - https://www.eden.co.uk/shop/search.php?q=tracts

God can use these to bring souls to Christ and you never know what might happen with the seed that you sow into someone's life. They may become a follower of Jesus and then start spreading the Gospel to all of their family and friends so they also get saved.