Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are speaking and doing things which are inconsistent with the Word of God, just to please some people or get their approval in life? Holy Spirit will always prick you in your heart to change your words or action at such times. On the road to Christian maturity one thing that you must give up is- man pleasing. There are no two ways about it!

Some Christians even love to identify themselves with some “big names” of this world and for that, they are ready and willing to compromise with their faith. They say: “why do we need to tell everyone about our faith in Jesus, it’s okay to be normal sometimes”. The only “normal” for a Christian is: the life and the way of a believer. A life where your identity is Christ. You can’t belong to the world as well as walk with God. Your association with the greatest name of earth, the name of Lord Jesus Christ, should matter to you the most. The Bible says: “Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them” (Proverbs 24:1 RSV)”.

The only person you should want to please is the Lord Jesus. That’s important because those who truly love Jesus Christ will be pleased with the things you do. But if those who don’t love Jesus are pleased with the things you do, then there’s a problem and you should be concerned. Choose to be a mature son of God, not a babe. See the beautiful declaration of Apostle Paul in our main verse. That should be your mindset and declaration as well.

Check yourself and analyze next time you associate with this world and its people. Are you trying to please them, or are you pleasing GOD? Make necessary changes in your life to align yourself with God’s perfect will.

Prayer:
Precious Heavenly Father, I thank you for giving me wisdom through your Word. I refuse to be a man pleasure. I please God and not this world. My delight is in pleasing the Lord Jesus, and I seek to honor Him always. I yield myself totally to the leading of the Holy Spirit and live a life worthy of my calling. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

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In our main verse, Apostle Paul was addressing the Church in Colossia and telling them how Epaphras has been interceding for them that they may stand perfect and complete in God’s will. Now, when you see this verse from another translation, it says: “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” (Colossians 4:12 NIV). The words “mature and fully assured” here are used synonymously with words “perfect and complete” in the translation used in our main verse.

The word, “perfect” is translated from the Greek “teleios”; it actually means “maturity,” “a completeness”; that is, being brought to full age. While the word, “complete” in that same verse means “pleroo” (Greek), meaning “to be full,” and in need of nothing. Thus, spiritual maturity and completeness in Christ Jesus go together.

The Spirit’s prayer for the Church, through Epaphras, is for us to become mature in the things of God and be full in such a way as to require nothing; it’s for us to be complete, perfect, and whole. That’s the way Jesus was on earth; He was perfect and entire, wanting nothing. That’s the life God has called you into. That’s the life, He has made you a dispenser of. Yours is to live accordingly. Choose to mature spiritually to live in the completeness that God has called you into.

Prayer:
Dear Father, I thank you for making me complete in Christ Jesus. As I choose to live in spiritual maturity I live a perfect life, wanting nothing. I have the right mindset about who I am and of my heritage in Christ. I give glory to God for His Word, His Spirit and His life which is in me and declare that I’m complete, wanting nothing. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

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The word translated fellowship in our main verse is Greek word “koinonia”. It means a deep fellowship. An intense fellowship with the Holy Spirit where He transports you from one level of glory to another and puts you in a place of advantage over everything and every situation. Spiritual maturity is impossible without such fellowship.

To mature spiritually is to understand the mind of God and act accordingly. And, unless you know Him, you can’t know His mind. Knowing Him is possible only through “koinonia”. God’s desire is for you to mature into His son, to whom he delivers the inheritance and gives responsibility to impact the world. Remember, until a child matures, even though he is a King’s kid, he is nothing better than a servant because he isn’t eligible to exercise his authority and power (ref. Galatians 4:1).

God has called you for transcendent life, and that is possible through the translational power of God which you can only experience when you walk closely with Him. Discipline yourself to pray and hear from the Lord; discipline yourself to study and meditate on His Word; discipline yourself to walk on His leadings and most importantly discipline yourself to stick to His Word and direction, no matter the circumstances or situations. That’s the way to fellowship with Him, that’s the route to spiritual maturity.

Prayer:
Dear Father, I thank You for calling me to a higher life. I recognize my fellowship with the Holy Spirit today, and I give You thanks. Thank You for calling me into fellowship with You. As I spend time with You, I open myself and yield to being transported to higher levels of life. I thank You that You are taking me upward and forward. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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To be mature as a Christian, you must consciously and continuously be mindful of the life of Christ in you. That is called consciousness of Christ life. Our Lord Jesus said: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). This life that he came to give us is the life of God manifested in us through Christ.

Someone who is not conscious of this supernatural life can never live according to God’s will and plan. The life in you is the supernatural life of Christ. Christ has fully tabernacled in you! You have become His living headquarters; He looks through your eyes and walks with your legs because you’ve become His vessel; His body.

Thus, spiritual maturity cannot be attained without being conscious of Christ life. The consciousness of the life of Christ in you will make you invincible and eternally triumphant. That’s the life of a mature son of God. That’s your life.

Prayer:
Dear Father, I thank you for giving me the life of Christ-the wondrous, incorruptible, imperishable, miracle-life of God. I’m conscious of this life at all times. I live my life impacting my world for my Lord Jesus Christ, because I’m conscious of my divinity in Him. In Jesus’ Precious Name. Amen!

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Maturity comes clothed with humility and gratitude. As you grow, in knowledge of God’s Word and discover the talents and gifts God has bestowed upon you, you must also grow in your understanding of it and mature. There are several christians who are extremely knowledgeable and gifted, yet have made no achievement for the kingdom because they lack maturity.

If you are gifted and wise, that’s God’s doing in your life, and you must be humble and grateful about it. Those who haven’t chosen to mature spiritually, they lack this attribute. One who is not humble and grateful about what they are and who they have been made by God, they are often repulsive. Nobody likes “a know it all.” But boy, when you cloth your wisdom and gifts in humility and gratitude, it polishes your ability to impact the world for the Gospel. One who is immature in the Spirit may have so much deposited inside him, yet would fail to be a shining and burning light of God. That’s the difference spiritual maturity makes in the lives of Christians.

Always remember, what God has put in you, is not only about you; it’s for you to impact the world for His kingdom; it is for you to show forth His glory and power; it is for you to be His extended hand of love, healing and grace to this world. Therefore, make a choice to mature in the Spirit, and humility and gratitude will follow you, such that everything you do is full of impact and power. Until you mature you remain a slave to the elements of this world( ref. Galatians 4:1).

Prayer:
Precious Heavenly Father, I thank You for teaching me ways of maturity through your Word. I exude humility and gratitude in my ways as I choose to mature in the Spirit. I’m chosen for making an impact with this Gospel and I do that by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

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As a Christian in this world, you are an extension of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Therefore, you cannot remain a child in the Spirit for long. You must mature and grow in your walk with the Lord.

To mature is to know what to do and how to do it, according to God’s will and plan; and then do it. One may have all the knowledge of God’s Word and His will but until they choose to act on it, it is of non-effect. Therefore, maturity is a choice. God has made you an extension of Jesus Christ on earth, it’s true; but you may still continue to live an ordinary life if you don’t choose to mature. Look at our main verse, it says that until an heir is a child, he is no better than a servant. Why? Because he has not attained the maturity to reign in his authority and power, even though he is the rightful inheritor of it. The same is the case of a Christian who chooses to remain a child spiritually.

Thus, you must train your mind through the Word, yield yourself to the Spirit of God through prayer and meditation to mature. You must act on every guidance you receive from the Spirit of God and your leaders in Christ, without hesitation or fear. That’s the way to choose maturity. You have a trainable mind, remember that and continually transform your mind by renewing it through the Word of God.

Prayer:
Dear Father, I thank you for making me an extension of Jesus Christ in this world. I choose to mature in the Spirit by choosing to fill myself with the knowledge of your Word and meditating there in day and night. I know what to do and how to do it according to your will, and I execute it by the power of the Spirit. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!

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God has given you creative abilities, and there is enormous power latent in your spirit. What you meditate on is what you create. Meditating on the Word of God is crucial. When you meditate on God’s Word, you bring it to fulfillment in your life. To put it simply, you need to meditate in alignment with the Word of God. And when we talk about faith, faith is simply speaking what you believe. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, and faith comes through the Word of God. It’s not just a random thought that you think and then create. It must have its roots in the Word of God. The Word of God is God’s idea, His instruction, and His desire, which you receive by studying the Scriptures through the Holy Spirit, specifically for your circumstances.

The Bible makes it clear in 1 Timothy 4:8 that physical exercise profits little, but spiritual exercise profits in all things. As you study today’s secret to success, make adjustments on how you spend your time. Prioritize spiritual activities, for there will be greater gain when you create from the spirit, rather than relying on random physical effort. Physical activities should be an expression of what’s happening in the spirit. They do not give you an edge; rather, physical efforts are meant to support and reinforce your spiritual direction.

Prayer:
Father, I thank You for giving me Your Scriptures. As I study the Bible through the Holy Spirit, I meditate on Your Word. Your Word is building me up, and it is working in me. I thank You for empowering my spirit. I fulfill Your Word in my life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Just as there are physical activities, there are also spiritual activities. Spiritual activities are those performed through the spirit. While there may be physical involvement, these activities are fundamentally spiritual. In our opening discussion, Paul says that he serves God with his spirit. Before we delve into spiritual activities, let me clarify that when I refer to the spirit, I am talking about the re-created spirit. When a person receives Christ and is born again, their spirit is made new. They are now born of the Holy Spirit, and their human spirit becomes one with the Holy Spirit. This is the spirit of a child of God. When Adam sinned, he first died spiritually, and eventually, he died physically as well. When a person is born again, they are no longer spiritually dead as Adam was; instead, their spirit is made alive.

Their spirit now contains the life of God and has spiritual abilities. In Christ, you are a child of God, and your spirit is made alive. Your spirit carries tremendous power.

When you pray, it’s not just about pouring out your requests before your Heavenly Father—there’s much more happening. Especially, when you pray in tongues, your spirit is unleashing its power, creating things in the realm of the Spirit, reshaping your future, and bringing dynamic change to your circumstances.

In the same way, when you pray for others or focus on a specific situation where you desire change, it is your spirit that generates the power and is responsible for bringing about that change. Often, you are giving instructions, according to God’s wisdom, to the ministering spirits who are involved in establishing the will of God in your country, nation, situation, or circumstances.

The best part is that the more you use your spirit and engage in spiritual activities, the more you become enlightened to your spiritual capabilities. Unless you explore, you may never realize how powerful you are in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Father, I thank You that in Christ Jesus, my spirit is alive. I am Your child, and You have given me dynamic abilities in my spirit. I recognize my spiritual capabilities, and I walk in the perfect will You have for me. I fulfill all my spiritual responsibilities and accomplish Your perfect will on earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen

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The literal meaning for first fruit is the first of the best kind, in other words the best. God loved us so much that in Christ He made us nothing less than His own first fruits. Our God is the most highest and He always reserves the first fruit for Himself. Not only he made us His righteousness, He made us holy and consecrated for Himself. We are His first fruits. In the time of Old Testament, the Israelites were those whom God considered His first fruits and when the Egyptian pharaoh had enslaved Israelites and was not willing to set them free, God brought judgment upon the Egyptians and all the first born of Egyptians died. Even today, any evil that tries to stand against you dies because you are God’s first fruit.

Now that you know that you are His first fruit, it’s your responsibility to live your life for Him. He has reserved you out of the world system that your life may be such which is reserved to be a testimony of His greatness. He has kept you aside to make you strong, rich and great irrespective of world’s situation. You are God’s first fruit and therefore no economic recession can ever impact you, no plague, no Ebola, no corona virus, no dengue or any other kind of contamination can ever have the power to destroy you!

Live in this new and fresh empowering knowledge that you are God’s first fruit! Yield yourself to him more and fly higher and higher each day (Romans 6:13).

Confession:
Thank you Father for giving me birth through your word and for making me your first fruit. I yield myself to you to be used by you as an instrument of righteousness in spreading the hope, love and the light which I have received of you.

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First of all, I want to congratulate you. The fact that you are reading this article proves that God is working in you. The articles of the life-building broadcast “Secret of Success” are born from God. These articles may look like a devotional, but that’s not all it is. This is the voice of God, which is directed towards you by the Spirit of God. This voice is anointed to produce an atmosphere of faith in your life. They are responsible for your success and growth. Make efforts not to take them casually. The Bible shows that the Word of God is the Word of Grace. God’s word is the carrier of God-kind of faith. The God-kind of faith pulls those blessings into reality, which exist spiritually.

God is preparing you through His Word. He is teaching you how to walk with the Holy Spirit. One of the things that you will notice happening in you is that you will find that God is working in the area of your commitments. Spiritual activities like praying, studying God’s word, and participating in church activities all of a sudden become more important to you. You begin to participate and begin to realize their importance. Though your productivity increases and your prosperity is seen by those around you, your focus becomes more on the Lord. You begin to practice giving and doing all those things that you previously ignored. When you see such a thing happening in your life, recognise that it is God who is working in you. Encourage his ministry in your life. Encourage the Holy Spirit.

At this point, you may be faced with contrary thoughts. People around may tell you that you’re wasting your time; but it doesn’t matter what peoplesay, or what thoughts that devil may try to put in your mind. Learn to keep your focus. Know that God is working in you. Be excited about your life. Announce to those around you that God is working in you and you are in for something really big. The more you invite God’s intervention, the more He will intervene and take control of the affairs of your life. God is a beautifier. He beautifies everything where He is involved. Taste the sweetness of the Lord. He is good. He is great. He is wonderful.

Prayer
Dear Father in heaven, I thank you for making me a citizen of heaven. My life is for the kingdom and your glory. I invite you to work on me. You are working in me both to will and to do, of your good will, in Jesus’ Name. Amen

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