REVISED
Spiritual Maintenance in this article will share five basic principles for a successful spiritual life in Christ Jesus. These principles are not the only ones that guarantee a successful life, but I believe from what I have studied in the Bible to be the key ones that help a follower to mature and develop in Christ Jesus. You might say this is a starter lesson to get you pointed in the right direction. From what I have learned all these years’ the most important thing is to develop and maintain a consistent relationship with the Lord Jesus. The steps to follow are steps that you need to do either all or a part each day of your life for the rest of your life if you want to live at a high spiritual level. The purpose of all this is not to show you as someone important in the Lord to your friends and family but for you to be one who truly hears from the Lord and the Lord answers your prayers. Being spiritually mature garners a certain amount of responsibility that I believe the Lord looks for in an individual. Keep in mind this is an on-going process or practice that if implemented in one’s life will take you to heights and depths in God that you will not want to go back to life as usual. You can go to God to that place that gives you peace and security like no other place in this life. It is a life of sacrifice and willingness to obey the word: Matthew 6:33 (KJV) 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. When you put God first in everything in your life you will experience the best God has created for you. Here are steps you need to implement in your life:
1. PRAYER: (DAILY) you should set aside time before you go out of your house to pray - five, ten or thirty minutes each day. You decide how much time you want to give to the Lord as you develop and maintain yourself. Listed are scriptures for your guidance: Luke 18:1 (KJV) 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Psalm 5:3 (KJV) 3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up. Psalm 88:13 (KJV) 13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee. Psalm 143:8 (KJV) 8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift my soul unto thee. Isaiah 33:2 (KJV) 2 O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV) 17 Pray without ceasing.
2. THE WORD: You should (DAILY) read something from the Word Psalm 119:105 (KJV) 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. John 15:7 (KJV) 7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Colossians 3:16 (KJV) 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
3. FASTING: An especially important component to spiritual maintenance is the willingness to fast as directed by the Holy Spirit. Your fasting may be once a week or more than once a week. Many that have diet restrictions learn to fast from other things, i.e., such as limiting TV, Movies, not eating certain foods you disparately like and so forth. The key is to learn to sacrifice something you like to give yourself to the Lord. Jesus said it this way: Matthew 17:21 (KJV) 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
4. LIFE WITHOUT STRIFE, HATRED, JEALOUSY, ENVY, RACISM, and BIGOTRY: The goal of a strong follower of Christ is not to allow the works of the flesh to be active in one’s life. The works of the flesh are found in Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV) 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envying’s, murders, drunkenness, retellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. The goal of a follower of Christ is to have the fruit of the Spirit operating in one’s life: Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
5. PEACE: (DAILY) seek the path through the Word to find peace and tranquility in this life based on this scripture in Philippians 4:7 (KJV) 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. When one attains the peace and tranquility promised by the scripture along with practicing, steps 1 through 4 above I believe you are a candidate to walk in the Spirit.
Are you ready to start your daily routine of Spiritual Maintenance?
