Growth can’t be rushed. Growth is not programmed to be rushed in any aspect of life. In all areas of life, there is no way you can hurry growth.
Luke 2:40 NKJV “And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”
The outcome of the growth we saw in Jesus was that he became strong as a result of growth, he was filled with wisdom as a result of growth.
Jesus also grew stage by stage. He was consistently growing despite that he is the son of God. If Jesus grew, why won’t you grow?
The scripture documented Jesus’ growth process specifically. Jesus needed to grow into the assignment God has for him.
It was because Jesus grew that was what made him wax strong in the spirit and filled with the wisdom.
2 Peter 1:1-2 KJV “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord”
This scripture is saying we have the same faith, our salvation is equal. There is no seniority or superiority in salvation. It is on a common ground. It is through our rightousness that is in Christ Jesus.
Salvation is through the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, growth is through the knowledge of God.
When it comes to salvation, it is the same. You are not properly or specially saved than another believer. Don’t be deceived and believe that your salvation is not genuine, not proper or not complete. Because we got saved through the righteousness of Christ.
I just want you to be settled once and for all, to let you know that your salvation is okay, there is nothing wrong with your salvation. You don’t have a salvation problem, but growth problem. What produced your salvation is the incorruptible seed of God. It can’t be improved upon.
Your salvation is not an issue of concern, but your growth is a concern for heaven. The basis for meeting Jesus is salvation, but the basis for being rewarded when we meet Jesus is not salvation. With this in mind, it becomes important to pay attention to your salvation and growth.
You should not only be satisfied that you are saved, but that you are growing in him. Grace brought us to him, but we should also grow in grace. Salvation does not come with a responsibility for you, God has done everything, but growth comes with responsibility. Salvation is produced as a gift for us as a result of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.
If grace will be multiplied unto you then you must be willing to deepen your knowledge and experience of him. That is how to grow in grace.
2 Peter 3:18 reveals that growing in grace is the saints responsibility, but salvation is our Savior’s responsibility.
There are people called helpers of faith, like Apostles, teachers, etc but the primary actor for faith is you. This is the reason why you might attend a powerful conference but it seems like nothing has changed, this is because the preachers are just helpers of faith, it is your sole responsibility to ponder and act on what you heard.
Salvation is instantaneous but growth is continuous. Salvation comes by faith and receiving what Christ has done. As powerful as that is, a man can remain a baby Christian forever. This is the problem of the Church today. People refused to grow. That is why we should be patient with people and give them time to grow. There are people who were given certain positions in Church but behaved contrary to God’s principles, it’s not that they are not saved, they are just not growing.
Who is responsible for your growth? The saints. There are people in the local church that can help one grow. These are called the helpers of faith.
The main player is us. He gave pastor, evangelist and teacher for the equipping of the saints. Paul describes somewhere that they are helpers of faith and not be laid over the believer.
2 Corinthians 1:24, Ephesians 4:11
The primary actor for growth is you. The pastor or any other ministerial gift to any believer is that they are helpers of faith. In spite of attending any conference or meeting, the primary responsibility lies in us. You will need to take from what is being taught and you will see grace being multiplied. This is why you should take responsibility on the word of God and you’d see grace being multiplied.
This is why we must understand that salvation is the responsibility of the Saviour; and spiritual growth is the responsible of the believer. This is why spiritual growth process cannot be rushed. Salvation is instantaneous but growth is continuous.
In one second a sinner may be a saint. A typical example of this was Paul. In one of his letters as being saved that he persecuted the church and was injurious to the church. Afterwards, he said in another place that he has done no man wrong.
2 Corinthians 7:2, Galatians 1:13-14.
In the court of man he may have records of wrong. That change is instantaneous. This change is as a result of the faith in what Christ has done. In that instant they are now saved. In that instant they are changed. Without spiritual growth they will remain as a baby – not spiritually mature.
Most believers are saved but they do not leave the stage of the babyhood. This is why as a believer we must not be found condemning a believer and pastor concerning his or her actions. it is a growth process. Spiritual growth is not about title or position.
There are people who became leaders and pastor, they are not growing, yet they are saved but not growing. They are not paying attention to their growth. It is not salvation but growth problem. They have put their faith into the finished of Christ . Our salvation is common and equal, according to Peter. It came from the righteousness of God, that is why we are the same. It comes from the righteousness of God. This is why a spiritual leader cannot say he is different and better to than every other believers.
We need to believe this because this is the reason for our journey. It is why some people come out frequently for altar call. This is because they are not sure. That is why the foundational class of salvation to every believer should be hinged on the assurance of their salvation.
However many people got saved and jumped foundational class of salvation to receive leadership role in the church. They were not growing in Christ as they were given such position
Expectation from men may not be different from every other person that has taken time to grow. Since they are called deacons and elders
Most of the times they step in to roles and offices that they do not have growth experience to back it up. This is why it is not all titles that should be collected. It is better for one to say he or she is still growing as every other believer.
We must have an attitude of a learner. If you are laced with title or position you may not grow up in the faith again. There are messages that are healthy for you that you may not want to hear again. It can short-change and slowdown your process.
The followings of the dangers of rushing growth and the benefit of gradual growth
Concerning the dangers of rushing growth, firstly, is the lack of depth. A typical example of this in the scripture is Apollos.
Acts 18:24-26 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly (KJV).
This shows that when you are not growing you will be superficial and loud without substance. From the aforementioned verses above, eloquence is not a proof of growth.
Apollos did not learn completely. However, the little he knew, he was fervent with it. This is why some believers may be bold as being in ignorance. Also, this is why boldness is not a proof of growth. That you are eloquent and bold is not growth. Also, fervency and zealousness are not proof of growth. This shows you bear fruit upward and you will not grow downward.
Fervency must also find itself in the root. If we would bear fruit upward then we must grow downward. So we must be diligent growing our root downward so as to bear fruit upward.
Most believers can be current and not correct. Apollos knew only John the Baptist. This means John the Baptist is a body of knowledge.
The goal is that you are established and rooted. You’re not being tossed about by every wind of doctrine. It’s that you know your left from your right. No one can use scriptures to turn you away from the truth you have known.
It doesn’t matter how long one has been in church, what’s matters is that they know Him for themselves and are stable in faith.
DANGERS OF RUSHING GROWTH
The benefit of growing in grace is depth and maturity which reduces burn out. Those who rush burnout because they don’t have what is required to sustain the journey. Apollos before meeting Acquila and Priscilla, had no problem with boldness and fervency but he had limitation with correct knowledge. It is safer to add correct knowledge to boldness, eloquence and fervency.
2. Humility and dependency on God.
1 Corinthians 15:10
Paul showed us what grace has done. He spoke of how he laboured fervently yet, referencing grace.
3. Fruitfulness and Effectiveness
Paul after his conversion did not rush, he went three years off the radar and after three years he went to meet the apostles that were before him.
Galatians 1:15
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
Gal 1:15-19 KJV
Paul even when he had the encounter, he didn’t rush.
He knew that God wants to reveal his son in him. He spent the most time away from the disciples and more with God knowing there was need for growth.
Paul was not a cloud without water. He was a deep well men came to drink from. His depth was with no measure. You need to stay under your teacher and learn at his feet. You should know what the Lord said, you don’t have to go by popular teaching. Face your growth and stay in the place of learning.