Devotions based on week 8 of Joy in the Journey: Growth (WATCH HERE)
Philippians 3:18-19 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
Spiritual growth is a spiritual battle!
Every Christian will probably agree with the statement, “I want to grow spiritually.”
However, not all would agree with the statement, “I am growing spiritually.”
Wanting and doing are two different things.
Like with every goal we might set, setting the goal is the easy part. Actually accomplishing it is the difficult part. Losing weight means daily discipline to eat the right thing and get adequate exercise. Graduating debt free from college means discipline in spending and curbing impulse outings with friends. Building greater intimacy and romance in your marriage means investing in your spouse on a daily basis.
But each one of these has obstacles that get in the way…most of them from our own mind, our own narratives, our own weaknesses.
Just one brownie, just one concert with friends, just one moment of selfishness and the goals we set are challenged.
Spiritual growth is, as Paul wrote, like an athlete training for competition. It’s easy to WANT to win the race. It’s hard to actually WIN the race.
To add to it, Satan is working hard on every Christian who desires to grow spiritually to get them to give up, question the value, or simply to get them to feel its too hard and not worth it.
Paul saw people give up on growth. But it wasn’t just growth, they were giving up on the goal, heaven. With tears he points out what is happening. It was emotionally hard for him. But his heart for people leads him to write what was happening…so we can know the enemy and with God’s help over come his lies and temptations.
What gets in the way of growth?
We dismiss forgiveness in Christ and live in guilt. An “enemy of the cross of Christ” is one who moves away from the saving grace of Christ and to his own effort and performance. This shift leads one to self-centered pride or deep despair. Going at heaven on our own will leave us way short. Satan wants us to oppose the cross. The Spirit invites us to live in the joy of full and free forgiveness found in the cross.
A second thing that gets in the way of growth is living for personal pleasure or personal prestige. Our goals become simply to build our pride or build our prestige. These may be satisfying in the moment, but always leave the appetite for more. Satan loves to lead us to think the time we are reading the word, in church, or fellowshiping with other Christians has minimal value compared to investing all your time in career, running your kids to any and every extracurricular event or trying to gain the sales person or parent of the year award. Paul points out that Satan loves to get us to be driven by our stomachs and propelled by self-promotion. All of these take us away from what matters most, growing in the grace and truth of Jesus and his Word.
The third thing that gets in the way is the earthly mindset and cultural pressures that surround us. In many ways the Christian faith and life runs contrary to much of what the world proposes. Satan leads us to believe that the ways of the world are more acceptable than the Word of God. He gets us to believe that following the ways of the world will gain us more friends, more wealth, and more happiness. It’s a lie as nothing of this world carries the benefits and blessings as walking as a child of God each and every day.
So don’t buy the lies. Satan will seek to get us away from “straining to what is ahead” and get us focused on everything but Christ.
Seek the Spirit of God to discern the deceptions and stay focused on the heavenly prize!
Apply: What are you glorifying that is only focused on yourself or worldly ambitions? How can you ensure you are shaped by the cross rather than your cravings? Take a moment today to ask God to shift your mind and your heart. To live as a friend of the cross is to live with eternity in mind.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross that saves me from myself. I confess that I have often chased after comfort, pride, and earthly things. Forgive me for living with a shallow focus. Fix my eyes on You. Lift my heart to long for heaven. Teach me to glory in grace, not shame, and to live as a true friend of the cross. In Your name, Amen.