The spiritual journey of Christians is vastly different from a journey towards spirituality without Christ. The Christian journey involves growing deeper in knowledge of God through daily conversations with Him in prayer, as the Bible instructs. Christians are called to follow the one true path of Christ, not choose their own path. The spiritual journey of Christians progresses from being infants fed milk to becoming mature followers able to feed others. It is a lifelong process of purification and growing in holiness through obedience to God's word, not empty chanting, in order to find the narrow path that leads to eternal life.

1. A spiritual journey –25th
May 2016
“ Fightthe goodfightof the faith.Take holdof the eternal life to whichyou were calledwhen you
made your goodconfessioninthe presence ofmany witnesses”.(1 Timothy6:12).
Spiritual journey isaphrase usedby manydifferentreligionstomeanthe natural progressionof a
personas theygrowin understandingof God,the world,andhimself. Itisanintentional lifestyleof
growingdeeperinknowledgeandwisdom.Butwhatismeantbya spiritual journeytoward Christ-
likeness isvastlydifferentfromajourneytowardsome kindof “spirituality”thatdoesnotinclude,andis
not basedupon,the Personandworkof the Lord JesusChrist.
There are several differencesbetweenthe Christianspiritualjourneyandthe New Age version.New
Agerssay to chantmantras for several hoursaday. The Bible saysto have dailyconversationswithGod
throughprayeras we readfrom 1 Thessalonians5:17, “pray continually”.NewAgersbelieve that
people canchoose theirownpathin theirjourneyandthatall pathsleadto the same destination.The
Bible says muchdifferentlyand thatthere isonlyone path—Christ.We canlearnfrom John14:6, “Jesus
answered, “Iam the way and the truth and the life. Noone comes to the Father except throughme”.
NewAgersbelieve aspiritual journeywill resultinharmonywiththe universe.The Bible teachesthat we
needtobe at war againstthe powersof thisdark worldandagainstthe spiritual forcesof evil.We learn
thisfromEphesians6:12, “Forour struggleis not againstfleshand blood,but againstthe rulers,
againstthe authorities,againstthe powers ofthis dark worldand againstthe spiritual forcesof evil in
the heavenly realms”. We can also learnthatpart of our journeyisfightingforothersoulsandourown
walkas we can learnfrom 1 Timothy 6:12, “ Fightthe good fightofthe faith.Take hold ofthe eternal
lifeto whichyou were called when youmade your goodconfessioninthe presence of many
witnesses”.
Anotherdifference isthatthe Bible actuallytalksaboutaspiritual journeyandthe stepsthroughit.A
Christianstartsas a child:“WhenI was a child,I talkedlike a child,I thought likea child,I reasoned like
a child.WhenI became a man,I put the waysof childhoodbehindme” (1 Corinthians13:11).We were
still seeingthe worldthroughnaïve eyes,stillinfluencedbythe flesh,andinneedof basiceducation
aboutGod and theirpositionwithGod.We can learnfrom 1 Corinthians 3:1–2, “Brothersand sisters,I
couldnot address youas people wholive by the Spirit but aspeople who are still worldly—mere
infantsinChrist. 2
I gave youmilk,not solidfood,for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed,you are still
not ready”.We can alsolearnsimilarlyfrom 1Peter 2:2, “Like newborn babies,crave pure spiritual
milk,so that by it you maygrow up in your salvation”.
We can learnthat inour spiritual journeyasnew Christians, we are givenresponsibilities inthe church
appropriate totheirpositionasyounginthe faith.Because inonesspiritual journeyandif nothandles
carefullyitcanleadto disasteraswe can readin 1 Timothy 3:6,” He must not be a recent convert, or he
may become conceited andfall under the same judgmentas the devil”. In the same teachingwe are
toldthat as ChristiansgrowinunderstandingaboutGodandthe world,theylearnmore abouthowto
act and how to relate to the world.We can learnfrom Titus2:6–8, “Similarly,encouragetheyoung

2. men to be self-controlled.7
Ineverything set them an exampleby doingwhat is good.In your teaching
show integrity,seriousness 8
andsoundnessofspeech that cannot be condemned,so that those who
opposeyou may be ashamedbecause they have nothingbadto say about us”. As Christianswe must
alsobear inmindthat as we proceed furtheralongin one’sspiritual journey,they becomeanexample
to the younger*new“ whocome to God.We can also learnthat,sometimesone mayprogressto
becomingevenaleaderinthe church.
At the heartof the spiritual journeyisthe understandingthatit is a journey. We shouldknow thatone
may face ups and downs inthisjourney. None of usare perfect. ThereforeasChristianswe mustknow
that once we become believers,we are notexpectedtoachieve instantspiritual maturity.Rather,the
Christianlife isaprocess:Firstinvolvingbothourattention:aswe learnfrom 2 Corinthians7:1,
“Therefore, since we have these promises,dear friends,let uspurifyourselves from everythingthat
contaminatesbodyand spirit,perfectingholinessout ofreverence for God”.Steadfastly involvingin
God’swork as we learnfrom Philippians1:6,“… beingconfidentofthis,that he whobegan a good
work in you will carry it on to completionuntil the day ofChrist Jesus..We needtounderstandthat it
has more to do withopportunityandintentionalitythanwithage.We learnfrom1 Timothy4:12, “Don’t
let anyone lookdown onyou because youare young,but set an examplefor the believersin speech, in
conduct,in love,in faithand inpurity”.
Jesussaidin Matthew 7:14, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leadsto life,and onlya
few findit”.AuthorJohn Bunyan,inhisbook The Pilgrim’s Progress,picturedthe spiritual journeyasa
road full of trials,dangers,andblessings,startingwiththe crossandendingatthe Celestial City.
Therefore asChristiansembarkedonour spiritual journey shouldNOTbe one filledwithemptychanting
because itwill onlyleadtoanemptyheart. Our journeyshouldbe alearningproves…a journeyfilled
withstudyingthe Bible,obediencetowhatitsays, andtrustingGod isa lifelongadventure thatwill bring
true understandingof the worldanda deeplove forGodas our Creator. In our spiritual journey, we
shouldseekto enterthrough the difficultnarrow path that will leadto eternal life andalways
consciouslyavoid taking the easyand broad path… that leadsto destruction!.“Enter throughthe
narrow gate. For wide isthe gate andbroad isthe road thatleads to destruction,and manyenter
throughit. 14
But small is the gate and narrowthe road that leadsto life,and onlya few findit.
Matthew 7:13-14