Steps to Spiritual Maturity

I.                   A PREVIEW OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY.

1.   The Mindset of Maturity.

          Philippians 3:12-15

¹² Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.¹⁵ Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

2.   The Goal of Maturity.

         Matthew 22:37

³⁵ Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.

II.                 PROGRESSIVE STEPS TO MATURITY.

1.   Awakening of Desire.

Song of Solomon 1:2-4

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—For your love is better than wine. ³ Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you. ⁴ Draw me away! We will run after you. The king has brought me into his chambers.We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will remember your love more than wine.

2.   Self Discovery and Revelation of Grace.

Song of Solomon 1:5-6

⁵ I am dark, but lovely,…But my own vineyard I have not kept.

3.   Revelation of the Grandeur of our Savior.

Song of Solomon 2:3-5

³ Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste. ⁴ He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love. ⁵ Sustain me with cakes of raisins, Refresh me with apples, For I am lovesick.

4.   The Challenge to Leave our Nest (Comfort Zone).

Song of Solomon 2:8-17

⁸The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes Leaping upon the mountains, Skipping upon the hills. ⁹ My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, he stands behind our wall; He is looking through the windows, Gazing through the lattice. ¹⁰ My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. ¹¹ For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. ¹² The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.¹³ The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away! ^…

¹⁵ Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes. ¹⁶ My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feeds his flock among the lilies. ¹⁷ Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, Turn, my beloved, And be like a gazelle Or a young stag Upon the mountains of Bether.

5.   The Season of Discipline.

Song of Solomon 3:1-5

By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. ² “I will rise now,” I said, “And go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him, but I did not find him. ³ The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said, “Have you seen the one I love?” ⁴ Scarcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, Until I had brought him to the house of my mother, And into the chamber of her who conceived me. ⁵ I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the does of the field, Do not stir up nor awaken love Until it pleases.

6.   Greater Revelation of Jesus as a Trustworthy Savior.

Song of Solomon 3:6-11

⁶ Who is this coming out of the wilderness Like pillars of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, With all the merchant’s fragrant powders? ⁷ Behold, it is Solomon’s couch, With sixty valiant men around it, Of the valiant of Israel. ⁸ They all hold swords, Being expert in war. Every man has his sword on his thigh Because of fear in the night. ⁹ Of the wood of Lebanon Solomon the King Made himself a palanquin: ¹⁰          He made its pillars of silver, Its support of gold, Its seat of purple, Its interior paved with love By the daughters of Jerusalem. ¹¹ Go forth, O daughters of Zion, And see King Solomon with the crown With which his mother crowned him On the day of his wedding, The day of the gladness of his heart.

7.   Prophetic Declaration of Budding Virtues and Future Realities.

Song of Solomon 4:1-8

(King Speaking)

Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, Going down from Mount Gilead. ² Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep Which have come up from the washing, Every one of which bears twins, And none is barren among them. ³Your lips are like a strand of scarlet, And your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil Are like a piece of pomegranate. ⁴Your neck is like the tower of David, Built for an armory, On which hang a thousand bucklers, All shields of mighty men. ⁵ Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle, Which feed among the lilies.

(Bride Speaking)

⁶ Until the day breaks And the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh And to the hill of frankincense.

(King Speaking)

⁷ You are all fair, my love, And there is no spot in you. ⁸     Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, With me from Lebanon. Look from the top of Amana, From the top of Senir and Hermon, From the lions’ dens, From the mountains of the leopards.

8.   God’s Reaction to Our Steps of Obedience.

Song of Solomon 4:9-15

⁹ You have ravished my heart, My sister, my spouse; You have ravished my heart With one look of your eyes. With one link of your necklace…¹² A garden enclosed Is my sister, my spouse, A spring shut up, A fountain sealed. ¹³ Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates With pleasant fruits, Fragrant henna with spikenard, ¹⁴ Spikenard and saffron, Calamus and cinnamon, With all trees of frankincense, Myrrh and aloes, With all the chief spices—¹⁵ A fountain of gardens, A well of living waters, And streams from Lebanon.

(Brides Reply)

¹⁶ Awake, O north wind, And come, O south! Blow upon my garden, That its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come to his garden And eat its pleasant fruits.

(King’s Reply)

I have come to my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey;I have drunk my wine with my milk.