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If I asked you to name one person you know who is a mature Christian, who walks what they talk and is a good example of a life lived in the power of God’s Spirit, who would you name? My guess is, that person would be one who has learned to let the fruit of God’s Spirit within her or him grow and as a result that person has become more and more like Jesus.
Well, here’s the good news: That’s possible for every true Christ-follower because when you’re born from above through faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to reside in you and empower you to grow into the likeness of Jesus. And the evidence of that is what is called the “fruit of the Spirit,” as described in Galatians 5:22-23. 25:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. . . Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
So, if you want to grow spiritually—to keep in step with the Spirit, then this fruit has to grow bigger and bigger, stronger and stronger in your daily life. And that means you have to nourish this growth and focus on it regularly.
To help you do this, I’ve prepared a small booklet that I want to give you, which I’m calling “Growing Spiritually; how to live an abundant life.” It’s a simple structure to help you focus on each fruit, one at a time, and it gives you helps and Scripture to practice and pray that fruit into your life. You can work through it at your own pace, but if you will seriously focus on each of those fruits, asking God to do in you and through you what he will gladly empower you to do, growth will happen! It will just happen because it’s based on God’s Word and your willingness to obey it.
Honestly, as simple as it is, it could be life-changing for you if it causes you to become very intentional about growing up in Christ and becoming all he’s created you to be, doing all the good works he has planned for you to do. That is the abundant life that Jesus intends for every Christ-follower, and I want to help you grow in your pursuit of spiritual maturity.