Managing My Spiritual Growth - Next Steps
Message Summary
Keeping Jesus at the center of our lives is the key to spiritual health and a better life. For Jesus said, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Spiritual health begins by exercising our faith. It is strengthened by reading and studying the Bible, God’s love letter to his children. Spiritual health requires alignment with God’s will daily. The spiritual discipline of regular prayer helps us to remain centered on Christ each day and throughout the day. And relationships with other Christians are crucial as they encourage and help keep us accountable.
1) Why is spiritual health so important?
2) What does spiritual health look like to you?
3) What do you think is the most important thing for your personal spiritual health?
Consider This
Faith is a key component to our spiritual health, for Christians live by faith. But what is faith? Hebrews 1:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” The key is trusting in what we do not see. “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). That means that if we could actually see God, or see the answer to our prayers/needs, we wouldn’t need faith.
1) What is the foundation of our relationship with God and therefore our spiritual health according to Romans 3:28?
2) Why is faith crucial to our spiritual health according to Hebrews 11:6? How does Romans 8:28 relate to this idea? What are the promises?
3) When we pray for something, what should be our mindset according to Mark 11:24?
4) Giving thanks is a practical way to demonstrate faith. What are we commanded to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18?
5) How can you increase your faith according to Romans 10:17?
Alignment is yielding our will to God even when we don’t agree, even when it hurts. This is sometimes easier said than done.
6) In the disciple’s prayer recorded in Matthew 6:9-13, what is involved with aligning our lives with God’s will?
a. Verse 9
b. Verse 11
c. Verse 12
d. Verse 13
e. Why are these principles important?
f. How well are you at implementing them?
Prayer is simply communicating with God, a dialogue between two who love each other. In a sense, we pray without ceasing—talk to God many times throughout the day about everything. We need to see everything in relation to God, and to converse with Him about it.
7) What does Mark 1:35 teach about scheduling specific times of prayer daily?
8) We speak to God through prayer. He speaks to us through His word, the Bible. According to Jeremiah 33:3, why is reading the Bible so important?
9) List some other principles about prayer from the following verses. Ephesians 6:18, Psalm 46:10, and 66:18. Which strikes you as important today?
Moving Forward
Keeping Jesus at the center of your life is the key to the abundant life that Jesus promised, a life of joy and purpose regardless of circumstances.
1) How can you practically “walk by faith and not by sight” this week?
2) Is there something between you and God that you need to confess this week? Will you?
3) Is there something between another person and you that you could forgive this week? Will you?
Next week we will focus on Managing our Relational Health.