GROWING UP SPIRITUALLY

Quote from the Book

“If you can be humble enough and yield enough, God can use you” (p.37)

The Author

Kenneth E. Hagin ministered for almost 70 years after God miraculously healed him of a deformed heart and an incurable blood disease at the age of 17. Although Rev. Hagin had gone home to be with the Lord in 2003, the ministry he founded continues to bless multitudes around the globe. Kenneth Hagin Ministries’ radio program, Rhema for Today, is heard on stations nationwide and on the Internet worldwide. Other outreaches include The Word of Faith, a free monthly magazine; crusades conducted throughout the nation; RHEMA Correspondence Bible School; RHEMA Bible training Center; RHEMA Alumni Association; RHEMA Ministerial Association International; and the RHEMA PrisonMinistry. His other books includeGrowing Up Spiritually, The Midas Touch, and The Triumphant Church.

Insights from the Book

This is one of the most important books that every Christian should aim to read at least once in their life. Kenneth Hagin takes the stages of spiritual development apart to demonstrate that although gifts and the use of spiritual gifts are important for the healthy growth of the church, as a whole, it is in fact, more important that we grow to maturity as Christians. It has absolutely nothing to do with becoming more ‘religious’. The fact being that many of those who appear to be “Holy brothers/sisters” are often the most immature in the church. Remember, people don’t usually go for the leaves on a tree. It’s the fruit that they are more often looking for. It’s the fruit that they can consume. It’s the fruit that determines whether or not you are a good source or a bad source of food.

Likewise, in the life of Christians, we need to develop the fruit of the spirit as described Galatiansin5:22-23

This book is an essential reading for those who wish to develop in their spiritual walk with Christ, to become more Christ-like to the world around them.

There are 5 parts to this book, each helping us understand a specific area of our spiritual growth. The following are the parts and chapters of the book.
Part I:  Locating Yourself;  Babyhood – Innocence, Ignorance, Irritability; Childhood – Unsteadiness, Curiosity, Talkativeness; Manhood – Esteeming Earthly Things Lightly, Deadness to Censure or Praise, Ability to Recognize God at Work
Part II: Walking With Your Father – Getting Acquainted Through the Word, Experiencing Acquaintance;  Walking in Love – “Loves” Contrasted: Divine – Natural Human, An Exposition on Love
Part III:  Receiving the Knowledge – The Wrong Diet, The Place of Right Teaching.
Part IV: What Manner Of Man Are You?; The Natural Man – Knowledge Contrasted: Revelation – Natural Human, The Natural Walk;  The Carnal Man – Walks as “Mere Man”, Growing Out of Carnality; The Spiritual Man – Knowing the Father, Knowing the Son, Knowing the Holy Ghost.
Part V:  The Right Diet – Fruit of the Human Spirit, Renewing the Mind; A Word of Encouragement.  This book is by no means exhaustive or complete in the topic of spiritual growth, but what Hagin did well was to help relate spiritual growth to what we can easily understand, e.g. the characteristics to a natural babyhood in relation to spiritual babes, and also he shares his vast experiences as a minister and how some Christians just do not want to grow. Some of his testimonies will hit home as you read it.