LAWS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH

       

Laws of Spiritual Growth

I.            SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS EXPECTED

1.     Must be desired

Hebrews 5:11 – 6:3

¹¹ Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. ¹² For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. ¹³ For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. ⁶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, ² Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And this will we do, if God permit.

2.     We must be diligent to grow

2 Peter 1:5-8

⁵ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; ⁶ And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; ⁷ And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. ⁸ For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3.     There are various levels of spiritual growth

1 John 2:13-14

¹³ I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. ¹⁴ I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one

    II.            PERSONAL GROWTH IS ALSO EXPECTED

1.      Lack of Growth caused Loss

Matthew 25:14-18

¹⁴ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ ²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ²⁹ ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Laws of Personal Growth

1.     THE LAW OF INTENTIONALITY

Growth Doesn’t Just Happen

Miss-assumption/Hindrances

a.    Assumption of Automatic Growth

b.   Knowledge of how to grow

c.    Procrastination

d.   Fear of Failure

e.    Low MO         

f.     Reality – Growth is not easy.

g.    Satisfaction with organic growth rather than intentional growth

Accidental Growth	Intentional Growth
Plans to Start Tomorrow Waits for Growth to Come Learns only from Mistakes Depends on Good Luck Quits Early and Often Falls into Bad Habits Talks Big Plays It Safe Thinks Like a Victim Relies on Talent Stops Learning after Graduation	Insists on Starting Today Takes Complete Responsibility to Grow Often Learns Before Mistakes Relies on Hard Work Perseveres Long and Hard Fights for Good Habits Follows Through Takes Risks Thinks Like a Learner Relies on Character Never Stops Growing

2.     THE LAW OF AWARENESS

You Must Know Yourself to Grow Yourself

a.    How Do You Like You Now?

b.   What Do You Want To Do?

c.    Can You Do What You Would Like To Do?

d.   Will You Pay the Price to Do What You Want To Do?

e.    What Will It Be Like When You Get to Do What You’d Like To Do?

3.     THE LAW OF THE MIRROR

You Must See Value in Yourself to Add Value to Others

a.    Guard Your Self-Talk.

b.   Stop Comparing Yourself to Others.

c.    Move Beyond Your Limiting Beliefs.

d.   Add Value to Others

e.    Do the Right Thing, Even If it’s the Hard Thing.

f.     Practice a Small Discipline Daily in a Specific Area of Your Life.

g.    Celebrate Small Victories.

h.   Embrace a Positive Vision for Your Life Based on What You Value.

i.      Practice the One-Word Strategy:

j.      Take Responsibility for Your Life.

4.     THE LAW OF REFLECTION

Learning to Pause Allows Growth to Catch Up with You

a.    Reflection Causes Experience to become Insight

b.   The Roman emperor Julius Caesar wrote, “Experience is the teacher of all things,” in De Bello Civili.1 With all due respect, I have to disagree with that statement.

c.    Everyone Needs a Time and a Place to Pause

d.   If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn’t need motivation to speed up. He needs to stop.

e.    Pausing with Intention Expands and Enriches Thinking

f.     Study the lives of the great people who have made an impact on the world, and you will find that in virtually every case, they spent a considerable amount of time alone thinking.

g.    A minute of thought is worth more than an hour of talk.

h.   Do These Things When You Pause

·         Examine

·         Meditate

·         Picture

·         Personal Awareness Questions

                                                                                       i.      What Is My Biggest Asset?

                                                                                     ii.      What Is My Biggest Liability?

                                                                                   iii.      What Is My Highest High?

                                                                                   iv.      What Is My Lowest Low?

                                                                                     v.      What Is My Most Worthwhile Emotion?

                                                                                   vi.      What Is My Least Worthwhile Emotion?

                                                                                 vii.      What Is My Best Habit?

                                                                               viii.      What Is My Worst Habit?

                                                                                   ix.      What Is Most Fulfilling to Me?

                                                                                     x.      What Do I Prize Most Highly?

5.     The Law of Consistency

Motivation Gets You Going – Discipline Keeps You Growing

How to Grow in Consistency

a.    Discover what you need to improve

b.   Realize you need to Improve

c.    Match Your Motivation to Your Personality Type

1)           Phlegmatic: Strength - easygoing and likable. Weakness – inertia. Motivation - Finding the value in what you need to do.

2)           Choleric: Strength - take charge easily and make decisions quickly. Weakness – If not “in charge,” they refuse to participate. Motivation: Focusing on the choices you can make.

3)           Sanguine: Strength - The most fun-loving of all the personality types. Weakness - Lack of focus.  Motivation: Make a Game of it.

4)           Melancholic: Strength - Attention to detail. Weakness – Afraid of making mistakes. Motivation: The joy of developing details and discovering Personal Growth

d.    “Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.” —  Saadi

e.    Know Why You Want to Keep Improving?

            Question 1: Do you constantly procrastinate on important                                                                                tasks?

            Question 2: Do you require coaxing to do small chores?

            Question 3: Do you perform duties just to get by?

            Question 4: Do you constantly talk negatively about your                                                                               work?

            Question 5: Do efforts of friends encourage you or irritate                                                                             you?

            Question 6: Do you start small projects and abandon                                                                                        them?

            Question 7: Do you avoid self-improvement opportunities?

f.   Do You Know When You Are Supposed to Improve?

      You will never change your life until you change something you do                                                 daily.

Consistency isn’t easy.

“Consistency is contrary to nature, contrary to life. The only     completely consistent people are the dead.” - Aldous Huxley (Novelist)

GOAL CONSCIOUSNESS GROWTH CONSCIOUSNESS

  

Focuses on a destination Focuses on the journey Motivates you and others Matures you and others Seasonal Lifelong Challenges you Changes you Stops when a goal is reached Keeps you “If you 

6.     The Law of Environment

Growth Thrives in Conducive Surroundings

Change Depends on Your Choices

“Whether you are a success or failure in life has little to do with your circumstances; I believe we need to make the following six choices to put ourselves in a better place for growth:

a.    Assess Your Current Environment

Here’s a list of questions to help you get started:

Music—what songs lift me?

Thoughts—what ideas speak to me?

Experiences—what experiences rejuvenate me?

Friends—what people encourage me?

Recreation—what activities revive me?

Soul—what spiritual exercises strengthen me?

Hopes—what dreams inspire me?

Home—what family members care for me?

Giftedness—what blessings activate me?

Memories—what recollections make me smile?

Books—what have I read that changed me?

b.   Change yourself and Your Environment will Change

c.    Change Who You Spend Your Time With

According to research by social psychologist Dr. David McClelland of Harvard, the people with whom you habitually associate are called your “reference group,” and these people determine as much as 95 percent of your success or failure in life. A good accountability partner should: Love you unconditionally. Desire your success. Be mature. Ask you agreed-upon questions. Help you when you need help.

d.   Challenge Yourself in Your New Environment

e.    Focus on the Moment

f.     “Today is when everything that’s going to happen from now on begins.” —Harvey Firestone Jr.

g.    Move Forward Despite Criticism

7.     The Law of Design

           To Maximize Growth, Develop Strategies – Glancing Backward – Planning – Forward

a. Life Is Very Simple but Keeping It That Way Is Very Difficult

b. Designing Your Life Is More Important Than Designing Your Career

c. Life Is Not a Dress Rehearsal! 

                                                                                                                                                            We don’t get a rehearsal for life. We have to do the best we can in the   moment.

5)        In Planning Your Life, Multiply Everything by Two

6)        To Develop Strategies, Depend on Systems

7)        “Systems permit ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results; predictably.” —Michael Gerber

8)        What Systems Include

9)        Effective Systems Take the Big Picture into Account

10)   Effective Systems Make Use of Priorities

             I stopped scheduling any breakfast meetings. That was thirty years ago. Imagine how much                of my prime time would have gotten used up if I’d allowed myself to meet with people,                        which I’m capable of doing anytime, during my prime productivity time.

Effective Systems Include Measurement

When people know their work is being measured, their productivity increases.

·      Effective Systems Include Application

·      Effective Systems Employ Organization

The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.

·      Career Faith Family Health Hobby Marriage Personal Growth Vacation

The Big Picture—will the system help you reach your big-picture goals?

Your Priorities—is the system consistent with your values and commitments?

Measurement—does the system give you a tangible way to judge if you’ve succeeded?

Application—does the system have a built-in bias toward action? Organization—does the system make better use of your time than what you’re doing now?

Consistency—can and will you easily repeat the system on a regular