On to Maturity
To know God more deeply, we must follow the Holy Spirit's leading, trust in His Word, and stick to systematic Bible study.
Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of seeking to know the Lord deeply, moving beyond surface-level experiences and blessings to a profound understanding of God Himself. He encourages believers to press on in their spiritual journey, trusting that God will lead them at the right pace and provide the nourishment they need. Stanford warns against being deceived by counterfeit spiritual experiences and highlights the necessity of systematic, Spirit-led study of the Bible as the only true sustenance for the Christian life.
Text
"That I may know him" (Philippians 3:10).
"The one unchanging factor on this earth is the Word of God. It is upon the written Word, and in the Living Word, that the Christian life is to be established. Yet there are Christians throughout the world who are seeking to get along on the basis of questionable blessings, and fluctuating self-centered experiences.
"How many rest on the initial step of the new birth, 'Begotten again. . . of incorruptible seed through the word of God' (1 Peter 1:23), and fail to press on to know 'Begotten. . . by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. . . unto an inheritance' (1 Peter 1:3).
"If our hearts are really true to Him we may be assured He will lead us on in the knowledge of Himself just as fast as we are able to advance. He knows how much we can take in, and He does not fail to minister to us the very food that is suitable to our present need. We may sometimes feel inclined to be impatient with ourselves because we do not make more rapid progress, but we have to learn to trust the Lord with our spiritual matriculation.
"If our eyes are upon the Lord Jesus, and we follow with steadfast hearts as He leads us, we shall find that He leads us by the right way and brings us through all the exercises we need in order to form our souls in the appreciation of Himself, and of all those blessed things which are brought to pass in Him. We have to trust Him all the way through, and to learn increasingly to distrust ourselves." -W.N.
"The enemy will encourage you to do anything but carry out the systematic, Spirit-taught study of the Bible. He will give religious experiences, feelings and pious thoughts-all apart from God's Word. Do not be deceived. The Scriptures are our only sustenance-there are no substitutes." -J.B.
"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord" (Hosea 6:3).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Importance of Knowing God
- A. The Christian life is established on the Word of God
- B. Christians must press on to know God beyond the initial step of the new birth
- II. The Role of the Holy Spirit in Spiritual Growth
- A. The Holy Spirit leads us on in the knowledge of God
- B. He knows our limitations and ministers to us according to our need
- III. The Danger of Impatience and Self-Reliance
- A. We must learn to trust the Lord with our spiritual growth
- B. We must distrust ourselves and rely on God's Word
- IV. The Enemy's Tactics to Distract from Bible Study
- A. The enemy offers substitutes for God's Word, such as feelings and experiences
- B. We must not be deceived and stick to systematic Bible study
Key Quotes
“The one unchanging factor on this earth is the Word of God.” — Miles J. Stanford
“Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- We must learn to trust the Lord with our spiritual growth and not rely on our own efforts.
- We must stick to systematic Bible study and avoid being deceived by the enemy's substitutes.
- We must follow the Holy Spirit's leading and trust in His guidance for spiritual growth.