There is a misunderstanding in the church that spiritual maturity is in what we do or say, not in what we’re producing.
This idea is costing us the ability to become mature in Christ, living by the Spirit, producing His lasting fruit in our lives.
This misunderstanding is why so many experience moments where life squeezes them and some pretty rotten fruit oozes out, not the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
This is why we see so many, who seem to be solid, shake when life around them shakes.
One of the biggest mistakes I see being made is men and woman justifying their ungodly responses to life scenarios instead of looking at themselves to see where they are disconnected from the Vine.
The truth is – it doesn’t matter what kind of situation arises, what comes out of us should look like Him.
We need to stop justifying the fleshly responses to hard situations, understand that these responses are what we crucify, and then yield to His Spirit within us.
Spiritual maturity is not how many hours we spend at church, or how many scriptures we have memorized, or having the right Christian answer….it’s not even the ability to pray powerful prayers, or prophesy and release healing in the name of Jesus, or the ability to preach a powerful on point message.
All good things, but this is not what it means to be spiritually mature and it absolutely does not unlock your new life in the Spirit.
The evidence of Spiritual maturity is when the flesh has truly been crucified and the Spirit is effortlessly manifesting His fruit in our lives.
This should be the goal of every believer.
This is what the church, the body of Christ, you and me, should be known for:
“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the [a]sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].” —Galatians 5:22-25 (AMP)
