Growth In The Word Of God

For many, many years I struggled in the word.  I struggled to understand the words that I read.  I knew that there was more to the Bible than it being a history book with great stories of our kingdom heritage but truthfully I never got any more out of it than just that.  I would read the stories of the different characters but I didn’t know how they all related to me.  It was when I tried to study the word to understand what biblical scholars got out of it is where I really struggled.  I was frustrated in my lack of growth.

As believers in order for us to grow in God our spirit man needs to grow.  That growth comes from being rooted in the word and having a close relationship with our Lord through praise, worship and prayer.

For the longest time my spirit man was stunted to the size of a newborn, no growth, no true life.  My life didn’t show the fruit that preachers talked about.  I was one of those miserable Christians that enemy rejoiced over.  I spoke negativity bringing more negativity down on myself.   I claimed the illnesses that the enemy dumped on me as if they were something to be proud of.  I was angry and so mean tempered that I was the furthest thing from being Christ like! 

When I joined my current church back in late 2010 I was still struggling and in the beginning of 2011 I confessed at our women’s ministry group to my pastor that I didn’t know how to read the Bible. 

I had bought books upon books on “how” to read the Bible, with no success.  I begged people to teach me how to read the bible, disappointed that I couldn’t get a one on one lessons from anyone.  I joined Bible Study groups that would have me dropping out after the second class because I felt so stupid that I couldn’t do “any” of the homework.  I would pray and pray for God to help me gain knowledge of His word and all that would happen is that I would end up in the fetal position in tears giving up.  Not only did I not study my Bible, I avoided opening my Bible.

My pastor approached me one Sunday telling me, “Joela you have such a passion for children you should be a teacher in the children’s church.”  Up went my hands as I took a step back stating, “Sorry pastor but you got the wrong girl, I don’t know the Bible I can’t teach.” 

Truth be known, I tried teaching Sunday School before and I truly felt that my lack of “knowledge” was cheating the young Disciples of Christ that were put in my charge.  It wasn’t fair to them to be stuck with a teacher that couldn’t even teach herself.

I want you to know right here and now, that if God wants you to do something He is not going to let you throw up your hands and step back when He sent that man to ask you to do something for His kingdom.  (Especially when it was in my heart to teach them and “I” was the one disqualifying “myself”.)

It wasn’t long before I said yes I would be a teacher to help out.  I was teaching the kids, getting by with the bare minimum.  The curriculum did all the work so I was able to volunteer and be somewhat of a teacher to them kids.  (Looking back it was out of heart of duty rather than a giving heart.  I wanted to play with the kids and teach them things I knew about, like crafts – not as a Sunday School teacher.) 

As time went on I was introduced to different television evangelist that I would watch in between my attending church on Sundays.  I was getting teachings from several different sources.  What I missed on this teacher, I would pick up on a different teacher.  These men and women of God would be assisting my pastors in teaching me the word.  Where I had prayed for one on one lessons, I was getting even more than I asked for as I getting personalize lessons from several teachers.  (Funny part is that I didn’t even realize that until yesterday!)

Slowly I was I getting more and more out of the word through others teachings.  In the beginning of 2013 I had stepped up in a probationary leadership role in the children’s church.  I remember the day that I was going over the curriculum that we were to have on the 10 commandments and I was looking on line for additional lessons on it.  The stuff I found was either not in line with the word of God or it was highly inappropriate for me to teach other folk’s children.  I went to God asking His help on the lesson and dove into the word.  Next thing I knew I had wrote a sermon / lesson.

That fire sparked and before I knew what had happened, God was answering my prayers loud and clear.  As I would study the word to write the lesson for the children, God was teaching me what He needed me to know in my life.

Before I would study I would pray.  This time I wasn’t trying to teach myself to prove I wasn’t stupid.  This time my prayers weren’t self-centered prayers about ME ME ME for My knowledge like before.  This time my prayers were heartfelt sincere prayers about knowing Him, His Son, His Spirit and His word.  Asking Him to show me, not only what He wanted me to know, but also what He wanted me to teach the children.

I’ve come a long way however I know that I have a long, long way to go.  I truly believe that even if you know the Bible from cover to cover there is still more for God to show you.  We can never stop reading His word and having a relationship with Him.  We never stop growing in Him. 

With that being said I want to tell you that the enemy was thrilled with my Bible avoiding days.  He loved the fact that I didn’t know that I had authority over him.  He said amen every time I opened my mouth speaking negativity over my life.  He loved me not opening my bible and not understanding that he had me in bondage.  If I truly understood then what I understand now I wouldn’t have let the enemy get the upper hand over me.

My pastor recently taught us this simple formula of studying the word:

Understanding + Retainage + Application = Fruitfulness

We need to understand the word, we need retain the word, and we need to apply the word into our daily lives for us to have fruitful lives.

My pastor also taught us the goals of enemy in regards to us getting into the word  

1. The enemy wants to prevent us from getting access to the word. 
2. The enemy wants to prevent us from understanding the word. 
3. The enemy wants to prevent us from retaining of what we do understand.    
4. The enemy wants to prevent us from applying the word to our lives.

Back in the day, I had access to the word as a matter of fact I have never been without a Bible sitting on the coffee table or my night stand.  It was there gathering dust as my spirit was dying of malnutrition needing to be put on life support – as satan was preparing to dance a jig on my grave.  I thank God that He sent me teachers that saved my spirit man from the demise the devil was so anxiously anticipating.  Now I am able to teach others the word as I am growing in the word of the kingdom of God.  To God Be All The Glory!

Is your spirit man on life support or in a state of stunted growth like mine was?  Please don’t fall into the same traps of the enemy that I did.  Pray and if your prayers aren’t working, change your prayers.   Contact your church leader for guidance.  Don’t give up.  You are not stupid.  You are a child of God and need to grow in Him and His word.

Also please understand this truth.  The Bible is a Spirit Filled book, written with the inspiration from the Holy Spirit.  Just reading the Bible will be like reading a history book.  To dig deep and study the word, you need the Spiritual guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Let Him be your Source, your Study partner.  Let Him show Himself in the word and let Him teach you what He needs you to know in this season.

I pray that your growth in God surpasses anything that you have ever dreamt of or even tried to imagine!

Until next time, God Bless!