The Christian’s number one priority

As a Christian, what should be your number one priority?

In this post, I want to talk about how to make spiritual progress. If there is one thing a Christian should desire most, is, making spiritual progress – that is, to be dissatisfied with the present state and to be continually dissatisfied

Why is it a priority to make spiritual progress?

The consequences of not growing spiritually is clear from the Scripture. When a christian fails to make progress spiritually, it is a gradual path to backsliding and apostasy. If there’s no progression, there will be retrogression. That’s why 2 Peter 3:18 command us to, “…grow in grace”

Everyone would love to grow or make progress in life, but, spiritually speaking, and unfortunately, many Christians do not seek to make progress spiritually. They are satisfied where they are and with what they already have and see no need for striving to becoming better. But the truth is, when once a person stops growing, they start dying. Every Christian who will be special, unique, and usable in the kingdom and service of God must be one who desires spiritual growth and who makes it his or her number one priority. (See 2 Timothy 2:21). However, there are some factors that hinder spiritual growth or causes a Christian not to make spiritual progress. They include;

Lack of in depth knowledge of God’s word – when a christian do not know what they are or have in Christ and what He has said concerning them, there may be unwillingness on their part to make any meaningful progress. It is when one grow in the knowledge of the Lord and his word that spiritual growth will also occur (See 2 Peter 3:18)

The fear of man – when one seek the approval of men or fear their frown more than they care of God, then growing spiritually will be hard. Christ told his disciples and followers (and all children of God present today) not to fear what men may do to them because of their faith in Him, but that they should rather fear Him and depend on him – who is All in All. Fear will hinder growth but when this supposed ‘fear’ is faced with courage, then, there will be room for growth.

Love for the world – when all the trend, fads and the lifestyle of the world secretly or openly appeals to you, making spiritual progress will not be your utmost desire because the mind will be preoccupied with keeping abreast with the latest happenings per se. It may not be something sinful, but your care for what’s in the world and for the world simply passes your care for what’s in God. See also, Receiving the second work of grace

Covetousness – because of a lesser desire for God, there will be the more desire for other things. This is what the love for the world may bring along the path of such kind of people who are already enslaved to it. When God fills the heart of a christian, there is satisfaction and contentment. 1 Timothy 6:6 says, that, godliness with contentment is great gain. The excessive desire to get more of earthly things and possessions may be detrimental to one’s spiritual well being and causes lack of spiritual growth.

All these and more are some calls for the lack of spiritual progress. However, it’s never too late to take up the challenge and start making progress from today. You only need to get determined and make up your mind for the process to set in. I will list out there steps you can follow below

Steps to spiritual progress

Desire – 1 Peter 2:2 says,
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” Desire is the starting point of any great innovation. There is nothing as nourishing as the sincere milk of God’s word. When you desire it, you desire growth.

Forget the past and reach out – Philippians 3:13 says, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do , forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…” Whether you’ve been making spiritual progress before or, for you, all you can just say is, “I’m trying”, you have to forget about past and forgotten glory or failures and strife to be victorious today. This is the secret of success and progress. It can be tempting to hang on to the past achievements or failures while forgetting to make progress today. God is more interested in what we are now than what we were then

Grow in grace – 2 Peter 3:18
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
there are different levels of grace, and, to make progress spiritually, you must grow in grace. (see 2 Peter 1:5-10)

• You may want to read: Receiving and remaining in the grace of God

Pray fervently – It won’t go without saying that there is a place and need for fervent prayers to God to eliminate every coldness and the unwillingness for spiritual growth. It is His utmost desire that his children grow, and it displeases him when they don’t. Wait on him in prayer while you earnestly desire this growth and progress in your life

Have patient and trust him – patiently wait and keep trusting him as you pray, he will answer and grant all your hearts desire. (See Psalm 37:3, 7)

Growing in grace
2 Peter 1:5-10 KJV
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. [10] Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: