Many Christians measure their spiritual lives according to how they feel and are convinced that they do not grow spiritually. They go regularly to church, hear the sermons of the Word of God, read their Bible and pray with perseverance. But they feel they are not making progress. A saint once said to me : "I was crying easily before the Lord at one time, but I am not so sensitive now. I just do not grow up."

The Apostle Paul compared our spiritual growth to the growth of our body. He says that our soul is nourished in the same way as our body : "Christ, who is the head, the head. It is from him that the whole body gets its growth as God wants it, thanks to the unity and cohesion of the joints and ligaments" (Colossians 2:19).

To put it simply, when you trust and reside in Christ (the Head), a measure of His life flows continually into your soul. Jesus is a constant living force in your being, a torrent of living water that never dries up. It is for this reason that His life is constantly pouring into you, even when you sleep. He provides a renewal of His life in you every day, no matter how you feel externally.

Jesus is the bread that was sent from heaven to build our spiritual immune system against sins of all kinds. We may not see any outward signs (just as we do not see our physical immune system getting stronger). But the Word of God promises that all who love Jesus will become stronger in their spiritual immune system.

Think about it. You will sometimes be tempted, but over the years you have found a growing strength to resist the seductions of the world. You may think that your growth is over, without further progression forward. But God has given us this promise by Covenant : "Planted in the house of the Lord, they prosper in the courts of our God" (Psalms 92:13). So be encouraged : you're growing up !

David Wilkerson