Desire the Sincere Milk of the Word to Grow
It is impossible to grow as a Christian without the word of God. You may be genuinely born again, but if you do not eat the word of God, you will not grow. And most likely, you will return to your former sins and be overcome by them.
Your spirit feeds on God’s word to grow.
Your spirit has been made alive in Christ through the word. And it feeds on the word of God (which is spirit) to grow.
“He chose to give us birth through the word of truth.” James 1:18
Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” 1 Peter 2:2
God’s word is spirit and life.
The word of God is not mere words; it is not a normal textbook; it is the very words of God, and his words are spirit, and they are life. The more you consume and meditate on the word of God, relying on the Holy Spirit to teach you and guide you into all truth, the more you will grow and bear fruit.
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
The Holy Spirit teaches us God’s word.
The Holy Spirit’s work is not to give spiritual experiences. He is our teacher and helper. And what he teaches is the words of God. He reminds us of the Lord Jesus’ words, testifies of him, and glorifies him. He inspired the words of scripture, and this is what he teaches us. The Holy Spirit will NEVER teach anything contrary to scripture or outside the scriptures, as this will not glorify Jesus.
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26)
It is therefore necessary to meditate on the word of God day and night as a Christian (Joshua 1:8, Psalms 1:2).
The word of God sanctifies.
We cannot produce the fruit of righteousness and true holiness without the word of God. It is the word itself that washes and sanctifies a Christian so that his life gradually produces the life of his master. Spiritual experiences cannot sanctify or perfect holiness in a person; only the word can.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27
The word is the truth that sets us free.
The main reason most Christians struggle with sin is that they ignore the word. They then seek external experiences like deliverance prayers, prophets, visions, tongues, oils, and so forth to free them from sin. But this is not what sets a man free, and so they live in cycles of defeat. It is the truth that sets us free, and the truth is the word of God.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32
This may shock you, but even fasting and prayer cannot free you from sin without the word of God. It is the word that sanctifies. Fasting and prayer are only as powerful as they are backed by the word. Make time for God’s word each day and eat it as you do daily food. You will grow, and you will be sanctified if you continue therein. But you must continue. Christianity is not a lazy business.
Faith comes by hearing the word, and this leads to maturity.
Faith comes from hearing the word. Without the word in you, faith will grow dim and dull. Faith is from God, and he has linked faith to his word. This means we cannot have true faith apart from his word.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
The word is the key to growing in faith and maturity. And together with the word, prayer, and communion with the Father through the Lord Jesus, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
As you do these things continually, you will grow and produce the nature of Christ in you from glory to glory. God does this work in the believer gradually; the word does not wash you once and for all; it washes you continually. If you are consistent, you will notice yourself changing each day and becoming more like Christ as what is not of him drops off from you.
Abiding in Jesus leads to fruitfulness.
Jesus is the word. When we abide in his word, we abide in him. This leads to bearing fruit.
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5
Our relationship with the Lord Jesus is compared to that of a man and his wife. We are his bride. A newlywed couple never knows everything about each other. It is as they live together and cultivate intimacy day by day that they truly come to know each other deeply. This takes time, and making time for each other. And then one day, many exclaim that they are starting to resemble one another.
This is the mystery of our union with Christ. We cannot know him if we ignore his word.
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Have you given your life to Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior? He loves us so much that he, our creator, left heaven and came to earth, died for us on the cross, taking our sins upon him so that we may be forgiven and receive his righteousness. He conquered death by rising from the dead and made a way for us who were dead in sin to be reconciled back to the Father (God). What’s more, he has prepared a wonderful home for us in Heaven, where those who love him and obey him will spend eternity with him. Learn more here about how to be born again and have eternal life after this brief life on earth.
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