Spiritual Boot Camp
Post Published: March 10, 2019
Post updated: August 20, 2023
By: Brian C Jenkins
1 Peter 2:2
Everything that is physically seen stems from the spiritual. There is a direct link to the spiritual because our Father God is a spirit. Acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God and the Son of man, we are agreeing that he is the exact image of the invisible God. We are in the days where we must live by faith and not by sight to see heaven move in our reality. Our everyday lives are battlefields; to overcome the enemy, it’s time to see the life we live from God’s perspective.
Why do we fight? Why do we quarrel?
We were born with a sinful nature. That nature is always at war with the Spirit of God. However, Jesus’ victory over this world has allowed us to fight back and overcome enemy attacks. See Trials and Temptation.
When we first accepted Jesus as the Son of God, we were given a gift from God. The Bible says an imperishable seed. That seed has everything that is needed for all time for God to get the most tremendous amount of Glory and for you to reach your highest potential. However, please understand it starts as a seed.
Usually, when believers come to Jesus, they seem to be on fire for a little while. Without proper direction (Discipleship), it would be normal to see that believer not know what to do next. Succumbing to the ways of this world (demonic influence). The change was for a moment, but then whatever the believer was facing before is the same thing they face after. That initial fire time is the time the Holy Spirit puts God’s imperishable seed within that believer. It’s on the church at that point to cultivate and help that seed grow. That is the purpose of Spiritual Boot Camp. To get that believer from spiritual milk to meat. To learn how to walk by faith.
What does Maturity in Christ look like?
It’s knowing and believing the foundation principles of the Word of God. It’s knowing that everything in the Bible and life points to Jesus. Placing God first in everything. It’s constant communication with God. It’s knowing the difference between Grace, Mercy, and Love. Knowing how your Spiritual Armor works and how to use it. It’s discovering who you are and why you are here. It’s not being ashamed of Jesus or his Gospel. Lastly, it’s discernment at its finest. Knowing right from wrong and choosing to do what’s right regardless of what the world, culture, traditions, family, and friends may say.
How do I reach my highest potential in the Kingdom of God?
The Bible is clear, know the mission, our purpose, and why. The mission is to reconcile us to God. In other words, God wants to spend eternity with us but not with sin. Our purpose is to Glorify God. We are living examples of just how good God is. Think about it, if the creator of all heaven and earth, both seen and unseen, says that there will come a day when all sin, death, and devils will get cast into Hell, we should celebrate because we, as Christians, will see that day. We will be reconciled to the Father because of the life and work of our Lord and King Jesus, who knows exactly how we feel as our High Priest.
We have to understand God has already provided everything we need in the Spirit. That means that all he has for us is already done. He already answered every prayer we have and will pray according to his Word. The problem is we fail to recognize how to access all God has for us. Accepting Jesus into our hearts started the process, but we are called to mature.
Sanctification
Accepting Jesus as Savior is the first time we are sanctified, which simply means to be made Holy or set apart from the World. Spiritual Boot Camp is the second sanctification process we go through. The Bible calls it the wilderness. This is the actual process of becoming transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:2 This is where we go through multiple trials to test our faith. This is to teach us how to walk by faith. Once we learn to walk by faith, God will lead us to our promise, where we finally gain our assignment. We discover why we are still here and have full access to all of what God has for us to further his Kingdom.
If I am in boot camp, what do I do now?
First, read the Word of God. If that is difficult, then ask God to help you. How can you know what God says about your life if you don’t know what he says about it? What your looking to do is to get some clarity and definition. Defining our lives from God’s perspective is how we learn to discern what is right and wrong. However, reading the Word is just the beginning. You know he is talking directly to you when you begin to notice that the Bible comes alive.
Second, pray every day. There really is no trick to talking to God. He wants to have a relationship. He is relational in nature. There is nothing wacky or mysterious. Just talk to him. We can tell him anything, even how we feel. As we read the word, have the courage to tell him what you see in the word. Write down your experiences through prayer and fasting. Eventually, you will be able to see yourself differently. See Identity Crisis. Be thankful in everything because there is nothing we have that didn’t originate from the Lord.
Third, get in fellowship with a Bible-believing church. If you have had a poor church experience or seem to be more mobile than most people, join a church through online media. Do something that keeps you engaged with people who know how to come next to you in times of storms.
Developing into spiritual maturity comes through keeping God first, unity with like-minded believers, and walking by faith, Ephesians 4:13-16. We may have a good understanding of Baptisms, Laying of hands, Resurrection of the dead, and Eternal Judgement, Hebrews 6:1-3. However, we can get deeper. When this happens, and we effectively can use the Word in all situations, God will put us into our skill set training, John 21:15. He will teach you how to use your Spiritual Gifts, 1 Corinthians 12:4-6.
Hebrews 5:11-14
A Call to Spiritual Growth
We would like to say much more about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for mature people who, through training, have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
Changing our perspective helps us learn how to see in the physical what is being done in and around us spiritually. Being able to identify the lies of the enemy will allow us to have the right mentality and motive to become and stay rooted in our Lord Jesus.
Thank you for reading my blog. Please leave a comment and let me know how God has been blessing your Life. We currently have a group called Christ Seekers on Facebook if you need prayer for anything. We have prayer warriors that will not only pray for you but help if you need help, even if just to point you in the right direction.
God bless you and yours. Stay Salty!
Amen
Responses