GROW UP

By: Dennis Harworth

“Grow up!”  With a raised voice, often spoken with urgency, frustration, and expectation, I heard this phrase often in my early teenage years.  It was usually followed by “Act your age, not your shoe size”.  Although these were very strong suggestions, I did not take them to heart because I truly thought I was mature and responsible for my age.  After all,  I had started delivering daily newspapers when I was eleven, kept up with my household chores, played sports, and got good grades in school. 

It was when my dad died a few years later, that there was a huge change in my perspective.  I began to understand that new levels of responsibilities can speed up the growing process.  I also understood growing up was not just a single moment or a final destination.  It wasn’t until I became an adult with a family, that I realized what being responsible really means and how immature I had been.

Just as a parent desires a child to grow up to be a mature and responsible person, God desires each child of God to grow up spiritually to live a life of faith to faith (Romans 1:17).  This means to put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11), and increasing the measure of faith God has dealt to you (Romans 12:3).  As you grow up in faith, you will grow closer to God.  This is a continuous personal process to get to know our Heavenly Father more each day than every yesterday.  Here are four simple ways you can grow your faith:

HEARING GOD’S WORD

If you want your faith to grow, it starts by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  This is not casual listening like some background music.  It is paying attention to what God says by listening carefully (Proverbs 4:20 NLT).  Make it a daily habit to hear God’s Word as much as possible.  The more you are hearing the Word of God, the more your faith will grow.

BELIEVING GOD’S WORD

Believing the Word is more than just hearing the Word.  Hearing is like a seed being sown (Mark 4:14) and believing is the Word taking root.  When you hear the Word, be quick to believe it.  Your faith will be the assurance of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed) and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1 AMP).  God said it, you believe it, and that settles it.  Anything you hear or feel contrary won’t stand up against the Word.  The more you are believing the Word of God, the more of your faith you will know.

RECEIVING GOD’S WORD

After hearing and believing God’s Word, you need to make the decision to receive it.  The word receive in the Greek means to “take in whatever manner” when you pray (Mark 11:24).  Take hold of the truth of God’s Word for whatever you need and hold onto it for dear life – no matter what comes your way!  Your faith calls it a done deal even though the answer is nowhere in sight.  The more you are receiving God’s Word, the more your faith will flow. 

ACTING ON GOD’S WORD

Acting on God’s Word as though you believe it is proof of putting your faith in motion after hearing, believing, and receiving the Word.  “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead…. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:17-18).  By acting upon the Word of God, you are allowing faith to become active and strong in your life.  The more you are acting on God’s Word, the more your faith will show. 

When you listen carefully to the Lord, believe deeply in what He says, unconditionally receive His Word, and confidently act on it, you will grow your faith in leaps and bounds.  God’s Word will come alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12) and working in your life like never before.  All His promises will be graciously inviting you to boldly declare and decree that you have whatever you need (1 John 5:14-15). You will have access with confidence to go into God’s presence for intimate fellowship with Him (Ephesians 3:12).

God wants your faith to continuously grow in you by using His Word.  Know that God’s Word is truth (John 17:17) regardless of what you hear otherwise, see around you that’s contrary, or even feel personally.  Therefore, if you desire your life to be full of faith and be close to God, then it is time for you to GROW UP!