GROWING IN THE SPIRIT

[Albert Finch]

We let the Lord take our heart through a process. 

Just as Peter had to go through a series of events to be ready to be used in an extraordinary way, we realize that God has a process for all of us. What the Lord worked in Peter was a NEW IDENTITY, a dependency upon the Lord so that he would not trust in His own strength. We learn to lean on the strength of God, not taking things into our own hands.

WE WALK IN DISCERNMENT BEING AN INFLUENCE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Philippians 1:9-11 - "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

Keep your discernment. Love and discernment work together. They always do. We do not turn on love and turn off discernment. We do not turn on discernment and turn off love. Rather, we use them both together. True discernment comes from the Holy Spirit Who pours the love of God in our hearts.

Jesus comes to bring the cure. That cure can only happen because He sees what is needed.

WE KEEP OUR HEART FREE AND WALK IN LOVE

Matthew 5:9 - "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Be willing to reconcile with others who are embittered against you. Some may be in a bitter place not wanting to reconcile. Just realize you need to be willing to be a peacemaker. Pray that the Lord will tenderize their heart and fill them with the love of God.

Bitterness blinds people. He who has a bitter root defiles many because they spread evil reports with gossip. Walk in love and pray that God gives them the gift of repentance.

WE GET UNDERSTANDING ON SOWING SEED AND HARVEST TIME

2 Corinthians 9:6,7 - "But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."

Make an effort to understand the power of SOWING and REAPING.
Realize that all God has entrusted to us we are the steward of. In that way, all that we have is seed that can be sown into different places.
Our time invested in the spiritual development of others, work, money, prayers, worship is all seed that is sown.
If we want increase in our life, both in the spirit and in the natural, we need to get the revelation of SEEDTIME and HARVEST. Who doesn't want a HARVEST in their lives? But we have to sow in order to REAP.

WE DRINK HIS NEW WINE!

Hebrews 1:8,9 - "But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."

We take time to not only seek the Lord, but to receive from the Lord the new wine of His PRESENCE. We allow God to fill us with His joy as the Holy Spirit saturates us. For it is the joy that comes in His PRESENCE that strengthens us. God will give us a fresh anointing as we simply receive in His PRESENCE. Jesus was anointed with the oil of joy far above all others. How much more do we need His oil upon our lives.

WE ARE ALL COMMANDED TO DO THE WORK OF MINISTRY

John 21:17 - "He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love Me?' And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.'"

One of the unique things about the Church of the New Covenant is that God has authorized and commanded every believer to do the work of the ministry! God wants an entire army of workers out doing the vital work of DISCIPLESHIP of the saints and building up His Body, the Church.

Many churches are so focused on the salvation message that they fail to feed and help mature the sheep who have already come to salvation. Believers should be equipped to DISCIPLE the new believers so they will be effective in personal ministry.

"My children with who I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.." - Galatians 4:19

The true success of our ministry to others will be by how it brought forth the formation of Christ within the person God has given us to DISCIPLE.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY