When you were born, God gave you a unique and specialized DNA designed just for you. You were given a brain that can think, learn and interpret data. You were given a heart that can feel a whole range of emotions from anger and fear to joy and contentment. From the day you arrived in this world you have grown in size and stature while your brain has matured and acquired knowledge for life.
Today in our reading of 2 Peter 1 we learn that when you become a believer, God does something incredible in your life.
Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness.
2 Peter 1:3
Did you know that if you believe in God and have been born again, you are equipped to live for Him? The verse above tells us everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us.
Just like when you were born you physically grow and mature, when you are spiritually born again, you are given a new mind and a new heart. God gives you everything at that moment that you will need to grow spiritually. He equips you to be able to live a godly life. But, just having that ability inside of you is not enough. It is up to you to grow and develop your spiritual life.
How do we grow spiritually?
As a result of this, he has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.
1 Peter 1:4
We grow spiritually when we read, study and apply the promises in God’s Word, the Bible. The Bible is the food we need that enables us to grow spiritually. We have to make an effort and discipline ourselves to grow.
So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness, add understanding, and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending love. Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately.
2 Peter 1:5-8
We grow spiritually when we put all the above disciplines in practice. When put these into practice we will know Jesus more intimately. Knowing Jesus more intimately changes the way we live our lives. People will look at us and wonder what the difference is. The difference is that we have an intimate relationship with Jesus and seek Him daily.