The same
principle that is applicable in the conception, growth and development of the
physical life is also applicable to the life in the Sprit and it is being
conducted by the Holy Spirit and proceeds as follows:
- Coming to know and believe in Jesus Christ.
Being
drawn by the Father to come to know Jesus Christ begins the gestation period of
the life in the Spirit as Jesus clearly said; “, No one can come to Me unless
the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the
prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has
heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. (John 6:44-45).
Jesus
Christ is the source of life in the spirit and God the Father has made from one
blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has
determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so
that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and
find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move
and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also
His offspring” (Acts 17:26-28).
So
the state of spiritual gestation is when the individual is drawn to Jesus
Christ by the Father, and is being taught by the Father and so we have been
duly instructed saying; “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know
all things... But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you,
and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches
you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught
you, you will abide in Him” (1John 2:20;27).
But
being drawn to Jesus Christ by the Father and received the anointing a only the
state of gestation. A typical example is the life of the apostles whilst they
were following Jesus Christ before His death and resurrection. They all
believed in Jesus Christ and followed Him, they trusted Him and were willing to
fight and die with Him.
Peter
for example braved it out to walk on water when he saw the Lord walking on the
sea and said to Him; “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the
water” (Matthew 14:28).
When
Jesus Christ began to explain and show His disciples what He must go through,
Peter actually took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him saying; “Far be it from
You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" (Matthew 16:21-23).
When
Jesus Christ was in the garden praying before Judas betrayed Him, Peter having
a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right
ear. The servant's name was Malchus” (John 18:10; Matthew 26:51).
Now
despite of all this Peter and the rest of the disciples were still in their
embryonic, gestation stage they were still spiritual fetuses.
The
fact that Peter and the rest of the disciples knew and believed that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God was a clear indication that the Spirit of God was
working with them because, when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea
Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son
of Man, am?"
So
they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or
one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I
am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God."
Jesus
answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and
blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew
16: 13-17; 11:27; 1Corinthians 12:3).
But
again, even at this point in time the disciples were still in the embryonic
stage because when Jesus said to them; “All of you will be made to stumble
because of Me this night, for it is written: ' I will strike the Shepherd, and
the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'
Peter
and the rest of the disciples replied; “Even if all are made to stumble because
of You, I will never be made to stumble." Jesus said to him,
"Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you
will deny Me three times." Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die
with You, I will not deny You!" And so said all the disciples” (Matthew
26:31-35).
What
happened next confirmed how much the disciples were still in their infancy?
Because as Peter sat outside the courtyard when people start associating Peter
with Jesus Christ, he vehemently denied knowing Jesus Christ even at the point
of cursing and swearing saying; “I do not know the Man!" (Matthew
26:69-72).
The
reality is, at this point in time the disciples did not fully understand the
teachings of Jesus Christ but
when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written
about Him and that they had done these things to Him” (John 12:16).
And
so the crux of the matter is, it is possible for one to be zealous and
enthusiastic about Jesus Christ and still be in the embryonic stage and will
not inherit the kingdom.
As
Jesus plainly said; “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will
say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast
out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will
declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!' (Matthew 7:21-23).
There
is more to the spiritual life than simply professing to know Jesus Christ and
in works we deny Him. It is imperative therefore, that we truly know,
understand and believe the three dimensions of the life in the Spirit.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/145385777X
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFP1SMV
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ATINGS6
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077M5T68T
To be continued
Lucius Joseph
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