The maturing names of the Holy Spirit emphasize His work in making us more like Jesus. But how does He accomplish this task?
The Holy Spirit matures believers by supporting the processes that lead to growth. As parents, don't you support the processes that lead to your children's physical growth by feeding them, insisting they get sufficient rest, encouraging them in physical activities and by attending to their health needs when they are sick?
There are several principles that help us understand how the Holy Spirit supports us in the processes that move us toward spiritual maturity.
1. The Principle of TREE GROWTH.This principle recognizes that growth begins on the inside and works its way out. Psalm 92:12 "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon."
The comparison of believers and these trees emphasizes how believers find the origins of their spiritual growth in the inner life rather than some external circumstance. Both palm trees and cedar trees can withstand many adversities and continue to experience growth. Growing up in Florida, I watched palm trees withstand horrific winds of hurricanes a number of times. They were flexible enough to endure the storm and still be firmly planted when it had passed.
But - if the inner core of the tree becomes corrupted or diseased, they begin to wither and die and the first storm that comes along takes them down.
The Holy Spirit is the life within believers that produces spiritual fruit. The fruit of the Spirit developed inside believers (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness...) is displayed in the outer life. His indwelling presence gives us strength to withstand the storms that come our way. But, if we do not yield to His work in our lives and grieve, resist or quench Him, then we will be just like the tree that is rotten on the inside - storms will deal a much harsher blow, making it difficult, if not impossible, to stand.
2. The principle of GRACE as NEEDED
Have you ever wished you could have some instantaneous experience with the Holy Spirit that would eliminate all sin and spiritual immaturity from your life? We live in such an instant gratification world and most of us are terribly spoiled to it. We find ourselves wanting instant spiritual maturity. My daddy had a coffee mug that said: "Lord, grant me patience - RIGHT NOW!" Of course that was meant to be funny - but the truth of the matter is, patience is a fruit of the Spirit and most fruit takes a while to grow.
The Holy Spirit has not chosen to work according to the principle of instant gratification. Rather, the Spirit of Grace accomplishes His work in our lives by continuously giving us just the amount of grace we need for each step in the maturing process.
You wouldn't bring a newborn home from the hospital and stop by McDonald's to buy him a Big Mac, would you? Maturing of children is a process that takes many years. Similarly, God does not expect believers to become spiritual giants overnight. Rather, the Holy Spirit gives Christians grace as needed - day by day - throughout the years as He matures them.
3. The principle of GLORY to GLORY
Reaching spiritual maturity is a process the Holy Spirit works in our lives. He does not take immature, carnal Christians and instantaneously transform them into spiritual giants overnight. Rather, it's a PROCESS of becoming more Christlike that is achieved as we focus our attention on the glory of the Lord.
"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18
Practical spiritual growth to maturity is part of God's will for every believer. The changes in our lives that move us toward greater Christlikeness could not be accomplished without the Holy Spirit as He reveals the glory of the Lord to us and helps us focus on Him.
4. The principle of ENCOURAGEMENT through CONFIRMATION
When a student struggles to master some new skill, the teacher will often draw the student's attention to the progress that has already been made. The teacher measures the progress of growth to motivate the student to continue mastering new skills.
In the same way, the Holy Spirit encourages us to become more like Christ by occasionally causing us to realize how much we have already changed. This is an important principle to remember as we struggle to break harmful habits or develop healthy spiritual disciplines in our lives.
Sometimes, recognizing the enormity of a significant change that needs to be made in our lives can overwhelm and discourage us in our spiritual growth. At those times, especially, we need to pause and realize what the Holy Spirit has already done in this work of making us more like Jesus. In most cases, the big challenge before us becomes more realistic when we recognize the significant changes that have already been made.
5. The principle of AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE
We never have to feel that we must struggle alone against the influences of the world, the flesh or the devil. The Holy Spirit is our constant companion. He lives within us and is continually working to help us become more like Jesus.
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
This verse illustrates two ways the principle of available assistance is at work in our lives. First, the Holy Spirit sets reasonable boundaries and limits to the problems He allows to come into our lives. The Old Testament character of Job is a classic example. Even when God allowed Satan to bring problems into Job's life, He set limits - knowing how much Job could handle.
Second, the Holy Spirit will always offer solutions to any problems He allows to come into our lives. When we encounter a problem that seems overwhelming to us, we can be confident the Holy Spirit has already prepared a way to make the problem more bearable for us.
The Holy Spirit works throughout our lives to bring us to spiritual maturity but we have a responsibility to yield to Him and continue to grow in grace. In the Old Testament, the prophets often instructed the people of Israel to look back at their origins and realize how much God had done for them as a nation.
This is a good practice for us as believers today. Can you look at your life and see evidence of spiritual growth in the last year? Month? Week? Yield yourself to the Spirit and ask Him to grow you steadily in His grace and goodness.
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