Praying for Spiritual Growth.
Part 3
By Nick Bibile
We have come to know how important it is to pray for our Spiritual growth, many are concerned of their flesh and not their soul but as Christians we do not walk by sight or flesh but by faith in the spirit.
Let me show you again the importance in prayer for our spiritual growth. The fallen man cannot and will not pray for spiritual growth, the fallen man is in the flesh and will pray only for fleshly desires. First of all remember we are made in the image of God but that image was shattered after the fall. Then we were separated from God, fallen man in Adam, we lived not according to the spirit but according to the flesh.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The Bible is clear as the natural man; our fallen condition cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God and does not understand. So the fallen man may have a religion and they walk according to the flesh, according to the sight so they will pray in the flesh for the flesh asking for fleshly things. You can go to prayer meetings and see how many times they pray for physical fleshly things as God is regarded like a Santa Claus, even the heathen pray for these things.
But God by his spirit brought you from darkness to the light, made you a new man in Christ Jesus. If you are born of the flesh you will ask for fleshly things and if you are born of the Spirit you will ask for spiritual things.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
The true Christians understand the importance of spiritual truth and knowledge as the old man is crucified and we are made new in Christ Jesus.
The image that was shattered is repaired and we have a new nature, the new image and renewed in knowledge.
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved ;)
Then eyes open and we see it is the spiritual things that is more important not the physical. There is a change in our prayer as we begin to pray in the spirit as we see the priority is for spiritual things rather than fleshly things. Jesus said:
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Ro 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh
cannot please God.
We cannot worship and communicate to God
who is a spiritual being in our flesh but the only way we can communicate to
God is in spirit. Flesh cannot reveal spiritual things of God to us.
Mt 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto
him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it
unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Some may say what about Jesus when he told
us to pray, he told us ask anything and he will give to us.
Lu 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it
shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you.
So we can pray and ask for a Mercedes, a
boat, an airplane, a mansion, a million dollar job. Is Jesus speaking of
physical things or spiritual things. There are many false teachers who use this
scripture for their benefit as these false teachers are immensely wealthy so
they take this scripture to support their position. On the other hand let us see what the devil
wants to give.
Mt 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into
an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and
the glory of them;
9
And saith unto him, all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down
and worship me.
Yes, the devil wants to give those physical
things, the worldly things, if you follow your will you are following the will
of the devil and he can make you feel very comfortable. But Jesus said the
words that he speaks consist of the spirit and not the fleshly things.
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickened;
the flesh profited nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit,
and they are life.
When the Lord said in Luke 11:9, “Ask, and
it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
unto you.” Here is talking of spiritual things and not fleshly desires.
1Jo
But don’t we need the physical things, the
needs for our life. Remember How the
Lord said the spiritual things are the priority and physical things are
secondary as he will provide us our food, clothing and shelter.
Mt
33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these
things shall be added unto you.
Now we have a spiritual birth and we are
more concerned of spiritual things.
Ro 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do
mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of
the Spirit.
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Let us see some of the effects when you
pray for spiritual growth.