“Let our lives lovingly express truth…. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him, Who is the Head, (even) Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One” (Eph. 4:15 AMP).
The Church, as a whole, is discontent with carnal ways and immaturity. We want to put childish things behind us and grow up spiritually. We want to be more like Jesus.
The Apostle Paul had that same desire. He prayed fervently for the day when we would all arrive “at really mature manhood—the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection—the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ, and the completeness found in Him” (Eph. 4:13).
Paul not only prayed about that kind of spiritual maturity, he exhorted us as believers to move actively toward it (Eph. 4:15).
As I’ve studied the fruit of the spirit, I’ve come to realize more and more that love is the single most important key to growing up in God. I’ve seen that if we don’t grow up in love, then we won’t grow up at all.
We won’t enjoy the fullness of God we’ve been longing for until we start walking consistently in love. Our love life has everything to do with the manifestation of God’s presence and His power in our lives.
That might come as a surprise to some people. They think that love is so basic, something only beginners need to study. They might consider the gifts of the Spirit—things like tongues and interpretation, gifts of healings and miracles—as more relevant to the mature believer. But according to 1 Corinthians, the gifts are not marks of spiritual maturity. Paul referred to the Corinthian church as mere infants in Christ, still unspiritual, ruled by the flesh (1 Cor. 3:1-3).
As wonderful as the gifts are, it’s the fruit of the spirit that indicate a person is walking in the spirit and not in the flesh.
So, if you want to know whether you’re a spiritual person or not, don’t look to see what mighty gifts of the Spirit are flowing out of you, look at the fruit in your life. Specifically, look to see if you are walking in love.
You simply can’t walk in the spirit or be a spiritual person without being ruled by love. The quality of our life depends on it. Living a life ruled by the love of God is what opens us up to walk in the spirit and live in the highest measure of blessing and power of God!
Speak the Word: I grow up in every way and in all things into Him by walking in love. (Eph. 4:15)
For Further Study: 1 Cor. 3:1-3
Daily Scripture Reading: Jer. 24-25; Ps. 74
Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc.
aka: Kenneth Copeland Ministries
For the last 50 years Kenneth and Gloria Copeland have been passionately teaching Christians all over the world how to apply the principles of faith found in God's WORD to their lives.
They have seven ministry offices around the world: United States, Canada, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Ukraine and Latin America. Their God-given directive is to preach and teach the uncompromised WORD of God on every available voice, which is being accomplished through a variety of channels, including our Believer's Voice of Victory TV and radio broadcasts, podcast and magazine; Believers' Conventions, Victory Campaigns and Living Victory meetings; published books, website, and social media channels, to name a few.
With the expansion of technology, they have more work to do now than ever. They are determined to let the world know Jesus is LORD, and they are not slowing down anytime soon!
Website: https://www.kcm.org