A spiritual Journey

1. A spiritual journey – 9th
August 2016
“ Like newbornbabies,you shouldlongfor the pure milk ofGod’sword. It will help you growup as
believers”(1Peter 2:2).
A Spiritual journeyisaphrase usedby manydifferentreligionstomeanthe natural progressionof a
personas theygrowin understandingof God,the world,andhimself.Itisanintentional lifestyleof
growingdeeperinknowledgeandwisdom.Butwhatismeantbya spiritual journeytoward
‘Christlikeness’isvastlydifferentfromajourneytowardsome kindof “spirituality”.Itdoesnotinclude,
and isnot basedupon,the Personandworkof the Lord JesusChrist withinthatperson.
There are several differencesbetweenthe Christianspiritualjourneyandthe New Age versionof same.
NewAge believers saytochantmantras for several hoursaday. The Bible saystohave daily
conversationswithGodthroughprayer.Infact the bible tellsus: “Neverstoppraying” (1 Thessalonians
5:17). NewAge believerssay thatpeople canchoose theirownpathintheirjourneyandthat all paths
leadto the same destination.The Bible teachesus thatthere isonlyone path—andthatisOnlythrough
Christ as we can learnfrom John14:6, “Jesusanswered, “Iam the way and the truth and the life.No
one comes to the Father except throughme”.
Some believe aspiritual journeywill resultinharmonywiththe universe. Butthe Bible teachesthatthe
universe wascreatedbyGodbut now is at war withthe evil thatistryingto destroyGod’screation.We
can learnfromEphesians6:12, “ Ourfightis not againsthumanbeings.It is againstthe rulers, the
authoritiesandthe powers ofthis dark world.It isagainstthe spiritual forces ofevil in the heavenly
world”.Therefore part of our journeyisfighting againstevil andsinfulness…andthatis forother souls
and us.We can learnthisfrom 1 Timothy 6:12, “Fightthe goodfightalongwith all other believers.
Take holdofeternal life. Youwere chosen forit when you openlytold others what youbelieve. Many
witnessesheard you”.
Anotherimportantdeference isthatthe Bible actuallytalksaboutaspiritual journeyandthe steps
throughit. Our Christianlife startsasa child wouldbutwithreadingandlearningfromthe bible we
grow instature:“WhenI was a child,I talked likea child.I thoughtlike a child.I hadthe understanding
of a child.WhenI became a man, I put the ways of childhoodbehindme”(1Corinthians13:11). But
until receive adeepunderstandingof God,one seesthe world throughnaïve eyes,still influencedbythe
flesh,and therefore inneedof clearunderstandingand educationaboutGodandtheir ownposition
withGod. We can learnfrom 1 Corinthians3:1–2, “Brothers andsisters, I couldn’tspeak to you as
people wholive by the Holy Spirit.I hadto speak to you as peoplewho were still followingtheways of
the world. Youaren’t growingas Christwants you to. Youare still likebabies. 2
The wordsI spoke to
you were likemilk,not like solidfood.Youweren’t ready for solidfoodyet. And you still aren’t ready
for it”.We can alsolearnwhenthe apostle Peteradvisesaswe readin 1 Peter 2:2, “ Like newborn
babies,you shouldlongforthe pure milkof God’sword.It will helpyou grow up as believers”.

2. The general tendencyisthatnewChristiansare given activitiesinthe churchappropriatedtotheir
positionasyounginthe faith.AsChristiansgrow inunderstandingaboutGodandthe world,theylearn
more about howto act and howto relate to the world.We can read thisin Titus 2:5–8, “…learn to be
self-controlledandpure,to be busyat home, to be kind,and to be subject to their husbands,sothat
no one will malignthe word ofGod.6
Similarly,encouragetheyoungmen to be self-controlled.7
In
everything set them an exampleby doingwhat is good.In your teachingshowintegrity, seriousness
8
andsoundnessof speech that cannotbe condemned,so that those who opposeyou may be ashamed
because they have nothingbadto say aboutus”. Thiswaya person whohasprogressed furtheralong
inhis spiritual journeybecomesanexampletothe new or even youngChristiansembarkingontheir
spiritual journey.
At the heartof the spiritual journeyisthe understandingthatit is a journey. Itisan act of travelingfrom
one place to another.A Christiansspiritual Journeyisacontinuouslearningprocessassistedbythe Holy
spiritof God. None of us are perfect.Once we become believers,we are notexpectedtoachieveinstant
spiritual maturity. Asstatedabove,the Christianlife isaprocessinvolvingour contestantandcareful
attention.“Therefore,sincewe havethese promises,dear friends,let us purifyourselves from
everything that contaminatesbodyandspirit,perfecting holinessoutof reverence for God” (2
Corinthians7:1).We cannot dothisby ourselves,butitismade possiblethrough God’sworkinus.
“… beingconfidentofthis,that he who began a goodwork in you will carry it on to completionuntil
the day of ChristJesus. (Philippians1:6).
AuthorJohnBunyan,inhisbook The Pilgrim’sProgress,picturedthe spiritual journeyasaroad full of
trials,dangers,andblessings,startingwiththe crossandendingatthe Celestial City –Heaven. A spiritual
journeyfilledwithemptychantingwill onlyleadtoanemptyheart.A Christian’s journey shouldbe filled
withlearningfromthe Bible,obedience towhatitsays,and trustingGod.Thisis a lifelongadventure
that will bringtrue understanding tothe Christian.Thisenablesustoclearlyknow whatshouldand
shouldNOTbe done…the goodthe bad andugly! Thisawarenesswill alsohelptogenerateadeeplove
for God our Creator.