Contained in the following verse are the five phases of the Christian’s growth cycle.

KJV Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

After being saved we are to grow from believing in Jesus (spiritual baby) to knowing Jesus (spiritual child), experiencing the power of God (spiritual teenager), fellowshipping in His sufferings (maturing process leading to spiritual adulthood), and lastly death of self will and resurrection of Christ will in our lives (mature adult).

NKJ 2 Timothy 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

This desire to know Jesus begins the cyclic process that will bring about our maturity in Christ.  The following is an overview the phases of this growth process.

1. We begin to know Jesus as we actively seek Him through meditating the Scriptures, fellowshipping in prayer, and ministering to others –“the least of these my brethren.”

 

a. Scriptures: KJV John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 

b. Prayer:       KJV Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

c. Ministering: KJV Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

2. The Power of His Word is revealed to us as we come to know Jesus.  We begin to demonstrate the power of God through prayer in undoing the plans of the enemy and receiving God’s blessings.  However, God does not leave us in this phase for long.  In this phase we might think that God has given us His power to fulfill our plans.  Furthermore, we might think that God’s power and our ability make a good team.  We must learn that it is God alone!

 

3. God then passes judgment for suffering to come into our lives to remove pride (to cause the death of self).  The hedge of protection is partially lifted from us and Satan comes to remove God’s word from our lives.  The Word of God is the source of our strength.

 

4. Satan always uses the following strategy (2Cor 2:11):

 

5. He first tries to prevent the Word from growing in your heart through man's tradition (Mark 7:13), legalism (a performance based relationship with God Gal 5:4), or worldly reasoning (1 Cor 1:17).

 

NAS Matthew 13:19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

 

6. If the Word starts to grow then he causes that Word to be dried up by sending you persecution.  We get so busy watching the sea that we forget about the "C"-O-M-E (Matt 14:28-30).  (This is the test of failure: when everything seems to be going wrong and we focus on the problems not the Promises).

 

NAS Mark 4:16 "And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

 

7. If the Word can not be dried up then he tries to prevent the Word from growing enough to bear fruit by distracting us with cares, pleasure, or contentment.  We become lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (2 Tim 3:4).  (The test of success: when we get so busy with all that is going right that we no longer can find time for God).

 

NRS Luke 8:14 As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

 

8. Remember, Satan brought the suffering to break us but God judged it right to come upon us in order to make us.  We will not suffer more than we are able and God has provided us a way out that we might endure it (He is Jehovah-Jireh).  If we turn to Him in the trial then God will cause it to work for our good. 

 

KJV 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

 

9. The following steps will cause the suffering to be effective.  Suffering has been effective when you are more Christlike at its conclusion.

 

Step one, Call upon the Lord and acknowledge that He in control of all things including the situation that is bringing the suffering.  (We give the battle to the Lord of the Sabaoth).

 

Step two, bring to your remembrance what God has done in the past and the promises of our covenant with God (the Bible).

 

Step three, state the situation that is causing the suffering and why according to our covenant it is not just.

 

Step four, ask God to intervene and place our lives completely in His hands.  We now must wait upon the Lord in patience.  (Failure to get quiet before God can delay progression to the next step).

 

Step five, God will reveal to us His plan of deliverance.

 

Step six, praise God that what He has promised is as good as done (by faith).

 

Step seven, act on what God has revealed to us.

 

Step eight, give all the glory to God for the victory!

 

 

10. If we turned to God thanking Him for the suffering, and offer up the sacrifice of praise (giving thanks to Jesus’ Name) our flesh is crucified.  We are conformed to His death and learn obedience through suffering.

 

Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ, I choose you today.  Whatever it takes to break me, do it.  I must be yours completely.  I am ready for Your Life in and through me.  Form in me a contrite, poor, humble spirit and heart that trembles at your Word.  Cause me to know Jesus, the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being made conformable to His death that I might obtain the resurrection from the dead.  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.  Through your mercy I offer my body as a living sacrifice unto you.  For I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I that lives but rather Christ who lives within me.

 

 

11. The last phase takes place after our flesh is dead and then we partake of the resurrection of Christ Jesus.  We have asked God to break us in Phase Four and He has completed this good work in our lives.  Now instead of us operating the power of God through His Word – the Word (Jesus) operates the power of God through us.  Then the Glory of God is evident in our lives.  During Phase Two we operated the power of God even seeing some miracles occur.  Now in Phase Five the Glory of God is present.

NKJ Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.