Article By Shana Parker // EEW Magazine // Christian Growth

Do you want to be full of joy, strength and assurance that you’re in the will of God instead of being defeated, discouraged and ensnared by sin?

God desires for you to grow in your faith and elevate to a higher level. No matter what spiritual rut you may find yourself in, you can get out by practicing the 4 things strong Christians do.

1. Desire milk. Not cows’ milk, but rather, the spiritual kind. 1 Peter 2:2 says, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” Have you ever seen how desperate a baby is for milk? Develop that same desperation for the word of God, where your soul cries out for it and you have to have it!

Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” If you don’t currently feel that desire, don’t worry. Ask God to awaken a greater longing in your soul for spiritual things. He’ll answer you!

2. Don’t just read the Bible. Study it. Many believers are weak because they have a very basic—if any—understanding of Scripture. If you want to go deeper and experience the fullness of God’s riches, dig deeper into the word. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

This isn’t about simply reading your Bible app’s suggested verse of the day. No, study independently and seek to know all you can about God. It will only benefit you in the end. As your understanding grows, your foundation will be stronger and you will yield greater spiritual fruit.

3. Ask for wisdom. Knowing what to do, how to live and what path you should take requires asking God for wisdom. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally, and reproaches not; and it shall be given him.” Strong Christians don’t walk around in darkness, hoping to stumble their way into halfway decent choices. They don’t settle for less than God’s wisdom, which is the key to a fulfilled life that reflects God’s glory.

James 3:7 describes the wisdom of God this way: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” We all want and need that kind of wisdom, so get to asking.

4. Be accountable to other believers. Your spiritual growth journey will not be fruitful without help. You need a strong community of faith to provide support, hold you accountable, offer biblically-sound insight, and encourage you to honor God daily. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”

In other words, you can’t be an island unto yourself and expect to develop a healthy faith walk. Join a small group Bible study. Become a member of Bible-teaching local assembly and foster relationships with your brothers and sisters in Christ will do wonders for your growth.

God doesn’t want you to remain stagnant and get comfortable on this level. He wants you to put forth an effort to get closer to Him. And guess what? He will reciprocate. James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

Prayer: God I want to grow and please You daily. As I submit to Your will, please guide me and help me to become what You desire me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.