But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

We now have spiritual life because the Spirit of Christ lives within us, and we have the potential to grow in Christlikeness. It is impossible to live the Christian life without the Spirit of Christ. There must be birth before there can be life and growth.

Many who are trying hard to live good Christian lives are not in fat Christians at all. Such efforts to be Christlike without the Spirit of Christ are futile. Sooner or later, such a person will become frustrated with his or her efforts and will fall by the wayside.

Spiritual growth is much like marital growth. It takes time, open communication, and commitment. Spiritual growth is the result of our cooperating with the Holy Spirit’s work within us and allowing the attitudes of Christ to become our attitudes. In our own efforts, we cannot attain to Christlikeness. Only as we allow God’s Spirit the freedom to work in our lives can He produce the qualities of Christ in us.

For maximal spiritual growth, our daily prayer should be, “Father, I yield my life to Your Spirit today, to work in me the things that will make me more like Christ. Give me a clearer understanding of Your ways as I read the Scriptures, and give me power to follow Christ’s teachings.” This is not a mechanical process. It is a genuine, growing relationship with God that satisfies the deepest longings of the human heart. And when you pursue personal spiritual growth, you create a climate for spiritual intimacy in your marriage.

Take time to pray…

Ask God what specific area of your heart/life He is targeting right now;

Yield your will to His Spirit today, to make you more like Jesus.

Discuss

What is your part in your own spiritual growth, and what is the Holy Spirit’s part?

When have you felt frustrated with your lack of spiritual progress?

When have you clearly seen the Holy Spirit at work in you?

Consider these passages for further study on Spiritual Growth:

Psalm 51:9-11

Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Acts 2:38

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

Romans 8:9-11

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

John 1:1-18

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.”

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing local election and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

What are you doing to grow Spiritually?