Let The Lord Finish His Work In You

Not long ago, someone brought up the example of someone who has been “saved” for more than 20 years,  however, they are  still the same person with the same mindset and actions that they possessed prior to their salvation. 

Now off bat, I’m like yea, no, this person cannot possibly have known Jesus and accepted their salvation, and be saved, because the scriptures tell us become new creations in Christ Jesus, once we know Him (2 Corinthians 5:17), but I was also reminded of an important characteristic that results from true salvation, and that is spiritual maturity. 

Receiving salvation can be likened to executing  a transaction. Simply stated, once Christ Jesus is accepted as your Lord and Savior,  you are trading in  your old life which was of the world to receive your true life in Christ Jesus. Thus, becoming your true self in Christ. 

Thus, salvation  is a processthat requires submission and obedience. Just as your years of sinning were normal to you, so will living for Christ Jesus  have to be as well. Obeying and following His lead will have to become instinctual.  Yes, it takes one time to make a resolve to follow Christ, but the development of who you were created to be requires maturing and learning; which is a continual process. 

1 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT) — “ 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”

Apostle Paul was referring to when Christ Jesus returns and this world passes away. He knew that was the only time he would know everything completely because in this life, he knew everything in part. You see, he appreciated the ever-learning aspect of  relationship with Christ Jesus because he understood that was the ONLY way to have a relationship with Him. 

Essentially, if you believe you can still be the same once you’re saved, you’ll have no reason to mature or grow in The Lord because it is assumed you already have it. 

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NLT) with emphasis added— 1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?

Here, we see the church of Corinth being reprimanded because they are not maturing or advancing in the things of The Lord. They were not ready for any deeper teachings or revelations of who The Lord is not because it was unnecessary, but because they were still controlled by their sinful nature… (Selah hmmm) Plainly, not spiritually maturing is a clear indication that you are still in this world, and remember we are called to be in this world, but not of this world 

To be spiritually maturing is to always be expanding upon your understanding and knowledge of The Word and be in constant fellowship with The Lord.  This is the only way to execute your purpose and calling. Think of it this way, we start off as an infant, then we become a toddler and so on and through each cycle, our needs change because our bodies develop and change. It is the same with our maturity in Christ. 

Yes, to start our relationship it is important we understand God’s love, Jesus Christ and the Cross, and their power to move us to repentance, but as we grow and become advanced, our needs become whatever is needed to walk in our calling which serves the greater purpose of expanding the kingdom of God.

When David said taste and see that The Lord is good (Psalm 34:8), I imagine myself when I try a food I really really like. My friends say I make this face which indicates that I will be going back for seconds (and sometimes thirds and fourths). That is how it is with The Lord. Once you have a glimpse of who He is, you WILL want more. 

Like Hebrews 6:1 encourages us, you will no longer be satisfied with elementary teachings because you recognize there is more to this. You realize the severity of Ephesians 6:12  and 2 Corinthians 10:4 that explains we have a spiritual enemy and to defeat him requires spiritual weapons. Any solider that goes out for war, is skilled and mature enough to engage in combat.

As a believer, you can not remain on elementary teaching. Satan anticipates  you will not mature and will stay ignorant so that you will not recognize  the truth of who he is and the truth of who you are (more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus Romans 8:31-39). 

While repentance and the elementary teachings are important because they serve as our foundation, when it comes to destroying strongholds in our life, we can't conquer and have the victory  solely with Jesus Loves Me, we need to be well-versed in The Word with a strong relationship with Christ.

Howdoes one become Spiritually Mature you might ask; and the answer is so simple, submission. Once you have submitted your life to Christ and you allow Him to live in you, He will start to change you from the inside out. It takes nothing from us, but all of Him to live a life pleasing to The Lord. He was the only one to walk this earth and not sin, so only through Him can you do the same. Submittance allows you to develop the mind of Christ so that His ways become your own and you continue at it. 

Philippians 1:6 encourages us that “God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ returns.” This tells us two things; His work in us is a process and never a one-stop-shop and that it is HIS WORK. If you are ready to get serious and let The Lord finish His Work in you say the following prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank You for knowing me and calling me to Yourself before the foundations of the earth. Thank You for including me in Your plan to reach those without hope and that are lost without You. I praise Your Name, the Name above every other name, Jesus, for setting me free. I repent for getting complacent and not willing to submit my life and its entirety into your hands. Even when I can not see your hands, help me with my disbelief as You did the man who wanted you to heal his son, because I believe and trust in You Father. Show me my plan and my purpose and place in me the desire to continue at it until the coming of Jesus Christ. I come against any spirits of laziness, confusion, pride, and doubt that may distract me from my calling in the Name of Jesus. Help me stay focused on running the race you set out before me. 

In Jesus Name, 

Amen