The Bible speaks of at least three stages in spiritual development which correspond to three stages in physical development.
Babyhood
Childhood
Manhood
MANHOOD
There are many scriptural characteristics of the Manhood stage of spirituality and these teachings are aimed at seeing this spiritual man.
Let’s look at three characteristics:
- Esteeming Earthly Things Lightly
One characteristic of growing up is to esteem earthly things lightly.
You cannot put earthly things above spiritual things and grow spiritually.
Hebrews 11:24-26 TPT
“Faith enabled Moses to choose God’s will, for although he was raised as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he refused to make that his identity, choosing instead to suffer mistreatment with the people of God. Moses preferred faith’s certainty above the momentary enjoyment of sin’s pleasures. He found his true wealth in suffering abuse for being anointed, more than in anything the world could offer him, for his eyes looked with wonder not on the immediate, but on the ultimate—faith’s great reward!”
Spiritually mature Christians understand that spiritual wealth is greater than material wealth.
Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness then all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
God does not mind you having things, He doesn’t want things having you.
You need to maintain a proper relationship with the material world.
Many of us have learned to believe God to prosper us but now end up spending so much time and energy taking care of the natural “things” of life that we unconsciously give the attention of our heart over to this natural world instead of to God.
When we are in desperate circumstances it’s easy to give ou. rselves to prayer and to the Word. And then as we honor God, He begins to honor and prosper us.
Now we come to a place where we are no longer desperate. Now comes the real test of our faith
Will we serve God out of our love for Him or out of our desperation.
It takes a lot more dedication to serve God when you’re prosperous than it takes when you’re desperate! There’s a constant temptation to get so caught up in the earthly things that your desire for the things of God fades into the background.
As the material blessings of God come your way, remember, God has not trained you in His Word so you can consume it on your own lusts. He has revealed His Word to you so you can walk in the spirit and do the job He’s called you to do.
Things should be in your hand, not in your heart.
You can serve God with your money but you can’t serve God and money.
Mark 10:21-22 NKJV
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful for he had great possessions.
He went away sorrowful and sorrow is associated with loss.
He thought he was losing when Jesus asked him to give and follow Him. He saw giving as loss.
See giving as gain, as multiplication, as increase.
Verse 28-31 NKJV
Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.” Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time – houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions – and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
You never lose when you follow Jesus and His way of doing things. You always gain. Jesus will reward you now in this time, in this life.
Determine in your heart to put spiritual things first. Esteem earthly things lightly.
Even if it’s your own relatives, put God before them. Put God before your own self-life.
You will be blessed spiritually and better off physically – both you and your family.
- Deafness to Criticism or Praise.
A Spiritually mature Christian is not in bondage to anyone.
He is not influenced or affected by what others say or think of him.
Paul the Apostle grew up to such an extent that he sought only to commend himself to God.
1 Corinthians 4:3-4 MSG
It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don’t even rank myself. Comparisons in these matters are pointless. I’m not aware of anything that would disqualify me from being a good guide for you, but that doesn’t mean much. The Master makes that judgment.
Paul was not concerned about being judged by people.
The law of love governed Paul. He was not easily puffed up when people praised him, nor was he touchy or resentful when they criticized him.
His spirit, where the love of God was poured into – dominated him. He was love-ruled.
Immature Christians become very restless, uneasy and full of self-pity when they are criticized or even imagine that they are.
On the other hand, if they are noticed and appreciated they feel lifted up and full of self-importance.
Don’t let your life be dependent on other people’s praises of you.
Baby Christians are self-conscious and ever conscious of what others are thinking about them.
The mature believer is God-conscious and ever conscious of what God’s Word says about him and to him.
Because the mature believer is able to say like Paul, “It matters very little to me what you think of me”, he is free to walk in and voice his convictions.
Spiritually mature Christians do not make adjustments to please their critics.
To succeed in life you must overcome the many efforts of others to pull you down.
The first and great commandment of critics is, “Don’t let them scare you”.
Don’t allow other people’s words to stop you.
Don’t surrender your dreams to noisy negatives.
Nothing significant has ever been accomplished without controversy, without criticism.
Criticism is a compliment when you know what you are doing is right.
Don’t internalise criticism or praise.
- Ability to Recognize God at Work
A Spiritually mature Christian is able to recognize when God is at work.
When you can see God at work in things, you can rejoice no matter what is going on in your life.
One of the best spiritual examples of this characteristic is Joseph. Joseph had the ability to see God at work in his situation.
Joseph was forsaken
He was forsaken and sold into slavery by his jealous brothers.
Genesis 37:23-24 NKJV
23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Verse 28
28 Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
Joseph was falsely accused
Joseph refused to bow to the wishes of his master’s wife, he was falsely accused and thrown into prison.
Genesis 39:7-12 NKJV
And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”
8 But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. 9 There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. Howthen can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
10 So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her.
11 But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, 12 that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.
Verse 19-23 NKJV
19 So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. 20 Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison.
21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. 23 The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.
Joseph stays in prison for seven years.
He is pursuing God’s dream for his life but watch out for dream thieves.
By this time most people would be bitter and twisted saying, “Why has God forsaken me”.
Joseph was forgotten
Joseph then interprets the butlers dream in prison, the butler comes out and Joseph asks him to please mention him to Pharaoh but the butler forgets all about Joseph.
Genesis 40:13-15 NKJV
13 Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler. 14 But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. 15 For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.”
Verse 20-23 NKJV
20 Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. 21 Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
It was still another two years before Joseph got out.
In those two years most people would have grown bitter saying, “You see, you help people but when you need help, they are not there for you”.
Joseph was fully favoured
The time came when Joseph was brought out of prison and eventually he was made Prime Minister of Egypt.
Genesis 41:37-41 NKJV
37 So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be [g]over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
Joseph had the ability to recognize God at work.
But Joseph’s father Jacob, did not know that his son Joseph was alive. Jacob did not understand what God was busy doing during that time.
Jacob grieved so much for his son that it shortened his life. He was constantly in pain and sadness crying over someone who was not even dead.
How many parents and people are grieving over loved ones who have gone home to be with the Lord.
Jacob could not see how God was at work.
Genesis 42:36 NKJV
And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me”.
Jacob thought all these things were against him yet all these things were for him.
In the natural it might look like everything is against you but everything is for you. If God is for you, who can be against you.
When you can see God at work in your life, you can rejoice no matter what is going on in your life.
Closing
As we examine ourselves, we will find that in some areas we are growing pretty well and we are well matured but as we look at another place, it will seem that we are still babies in that area and if we look at another area in our lives, it seems as if we are in the childhood stage.
But don’t give up on yourself and don’t become discouraged. Allow the Spirit of God to keep creating a clean heart and renewing a right spirit within you.
God loves you the way you are but He loves you too much to leave you the same.
God has plans to prosper you and not to harm you; He has plans to give you a hope and a future.