Self-Examination: Cultivating Spiritual Growth and Purpose
Summary
In today's gathering, we focused on the theme of "Self-Examination" or "Spiritual Check-Up," emphasizing the importance of regularly assessing our spiritual lives to ensure we are aligned with our faith and growing in our relationship with God. Just as we undergo physical check-ups to maintain our health, we must also evaluate our spiritual condition to identify areas that need improvement. This practice is crucial for us to be effective harvesters in God's kingdom, especially in this year of harvest.
We began by acknowledging the testimonies of God's faithfulness and encouraged everyone to pray for their own breakthroughs, trusting that God can do exceedingly more than we can imagine. The core of our discussion was based on 2 Corinthians 13:5, where Paul urges believers to examine themselves to ensure they are in the faith. This self-examination helps us avoid unknowingly drifting away from our faith and encourages us to live intentionally, with order and purpose, as God is a God of order.
One key area we highlighted for self-examination is our prayer life. We looked at the example of Jesus, who intentionally set aside time for prayer, demonstrating its importance in maintaining a strong connection with God. Prayer should not be an emergency response but a planned and consistent practice. We also discussed the significance of Bible study, as the Word of God is essential for guidance, correction, and spiritual growth. Without a strong foundation in the Word, we risk being swayed by worldly influences and missing out on the blessings God has for us.
As we concluded, we encouraged everyone to commit to improving their prayer and Bible study habits, seeking God's help to overcome any struggles they face. By doing so, we can experience a year of success and growth, becoming effective harvesters in God's kingdom.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Importance of Self-Examination: Regular self-examination is crucial for spiritual growth and alignment with God's will. It helps us identify areas that need improvement and ensures we remain in the faith, avoiding the risk of drifting away unknowingly. [29:48]
2. Intentional Prayer Life: A strong prayer life requires intentionality and consistency. Jesus exemplified this by setting aside specific times for prayer, showing us that prayer should be a planned and integral part of our daily lives, not just an emergency response. [41:53]
3. The Role of Bible Study: Engaging with the Word of God is essential for spiritual growth and protection against worldly influences. A strong foundation in the Bible equips us to discern right from wrong and helps us access the blessings God has for us. [56:44]
4. Living with Order and Purpose: God is a God of order, and our lives should reflect that. By paying attention to our habits and actions, we can live intentionally and avoid being wasteful, ensuring that we are productive and effective in our spiritual journey. [38:29]
5. Seeking God's Help: In areas where we struggle, it's important to seek God's guidance and strength. By surrendering our challenges to Him and committing to spiritual disciplines, we can overcome obstacles and experience growth and success in our lives. [54:46]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [29:48] - Introduction to Self-Examination
- [38:29] - Living with Order and Purpose
- [40:03] - Importance of Prayer Life
- [41:53] - Jesus' Example of Prayer
- [50:09] - The Power of Morning Prayer
- [54:46] - Seeking God's Help in Prayer
- [56:44] - The Role of Bible Study
- [01:00:06] - The Blessings of the Word
- [01:10:04] - Surrendering to God
- [01:18:38] - Prayer for Deliverance and Breakthrough
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Self-Examination and Spiritual Growth
Bible Reading:
1. 2 Corinthians 13:5
2. Mark 1:35
3. Psalm 1:1-2
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Observation Questions:
1. According to 2 Corinthians 13:5, what does Paul urge believers to do, and why is this important for maintaining one's faith? [29:48]
2. How does Mark 1:35 illustrate Jesus' approach to prayer, and what can we learn from His example about the importance of intentional prayer? [41:53]
3. In Psalm 1:1-2, what is said about the person who delights in the law of the Lord, and how does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on Bible study? [56:44]
4. What are some of the specific areas mentioned in the sermon that require self-examination for spiritual growth? [40:03]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might Paul emphasize the need for self-examination in 2 Corinthians 13:5, and how does this practice help prevent believers from drifting away from their faith? [29:48]
2. How does the sermon suggest that a consistent prayer life can impact one's effectiveness as a "harvester" in God's kingdom? [41:53]
3. What role does Bible study play in protecting believers from worldly influences, according to the sermon, and how does this align with the message in Psalm 1:1-2? [56:44]
4. The sermon mentions living with order and purpose. How does this concept relate to the idea of God being a God of order, and what practical steps can believers take to reflect this in their lives? [38:29]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current prayer life. Are there specific times you have set aside for prayer, similar to Jesus' example in Mark 1:35? If not, what changes can you make to establish a more intentional prayer routine? [41:53]
2. Consider the last time you engaged in self-examination. What areas of your spiritual life did you identify as needing improvement, and what steps have you taken to address them? [29:48]
3. How can you incorporate more Bible study into your daily routine to ensure you are not swayed by worldly influences? What specific resources or methods might help you in this endeavor? [56:44]
4. The sermon emphasizes the importance of living with order and purpose. Identify one habit or area in your life that lacks order. What practical steps can you take this week to bring more structure to that area? [38:29]
5. In what ways have you sought God's help in overcoming struggles in your spiritual life? Share a specific instance where you experienced growth or breakthrough as a result of seeking His guidance. [54:46]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from your faith. What role did self-examination play in helping you realign with your spiritual goals, and how can you apply this practice more regularly? [29:48]
7. Identify one person in your life who might benefit from a conversation about faith. How can you engage them in a meaningful discussion this week, drawing from your own experiences of self-examination and spiritual growth?
Devotional
Day 1: The Necessity of Spiritual Self-Examination
Regular self-examination is a vital practice for maintaining spiritual health and alignment with God's will. Just as physical check-ups help us identify health issues, spiritual check-ups allow us to recognize areas in our faith that need attention. This process helps prevent us from drifting away unknowingly and encourages intentional living. By examining our spiritual lives, we can ensure that we are growing in our relationship with God and are effective in our roles within His kingdom. [29:48]
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)
Reflection: What specific area of your spiritual life do you feel needs examination today, and how can you begin this process?
Day 2: Cultivating an Intentional Prayer Life
A strong prayer life requires intentionality and consistency, as demonstrated by Jesus, who set aside specific times for prayer. Prayer should be a planned and integral part of our daily lives, not just an emergency response. By prioritizing prayer, we maintain a strong connection with God, allowing us to align our lives with His purpose and receive His guidance. [41:53]
"And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." (Mark 1:35, ESV)
Reflection: What specific time can you set aside each day for intentional prayer, and how can you ensure this becomes a consistent practice?
Day 3: The Transformative Power of Bible Study
Engaging with the Word of God is essential for spiritual growth and protection against worldly influences. A strong foundation in the Bible equips us to discern right from wrong and helps us access the blessings God has for us. By immersing ourselves in Scripture, we gain wisdom and strength to navigate life's challenges and remain steadfast in our faith. [56:44]
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: What specific book or passage of the Bible will you commit to studying this week, and how will you apply its teachings to your life?
Day 4: Living with Order and Purpose
God is a God of order, and our lives should reflect that. By paying attention to our habits and actions, we can live intentionally and avoid being wasteful, ensuring that we are productive and effective in our spiritual journey. Living with order and purpose allows us to align our lives with God's will and fulfill our roles in His kingdom. [38:29]
"But all things should be done decently and in order." (1 Corinthians 14:40, ESV)
Reflection: What specific area of your life feels disordered, and what steps can you take today to bring it into alignment with God's order?
Day 5: Seeking God's Help in Overcoming Struggles
In areas where we struggle, it's important to seek God's guidance and strength. By surrendering our challenges to Him and committing to spiritual disciplines, we can overcome obstacles and experience growth and success in our lives. Trusting in God's power allows us to navigate difficulties with hope and confidence, knowing that He is with us every step of the way. [54:46]
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)
Reflection: What specific struggle are you facing today, and how can you actively seek God's help and strength to overcome it?
Quotes
"So I've titled today's message Self-Examination. Self-Examination or Spiritual Check-Up. Oftentimes, from time to time, people go to do a check-up on the conditions of their body or the heart, you know, the state of the heart, the, you know, the blood, circulations and respiratory, whatever. So all these things from time to time will go and do these check-ups. Right? Or you go to the hospital with a problem, they do a check-up. Companies, you know, from a period to period assess the performance of how the company is doing." [00:30:04] (53 seconds)
"message that as a christian from time to time you need to do self-examination and that is what the scripture teaches us and we want to find out some of the areas or some of the things we need to do to measure or to examine ourselves to know which areas of our christian life we need to work on which area we need to improve upon because if you the same way you go to the doctor to do the checkups just so that if they find something maybe they'll take an x-ray they do this they do they run blood tests and whatnot and when they find something they will tell you and then you also prescribe a remedy for that situation that is why we have the word of god the the word of god is our spiritual medical manual that we need to contact when we do self-examination so that if there's anything that needs to be corrected it can be corrected amen and we are doing this because we want this year truly to be a year of harvest we want this year truly to be a year of success in every area of our life we want this year to really be a year of great improvement in areas of our life and there are things we can do on our own and succeed to some extent but there are some things also that without god you will not be able to succeed this year you want to maximize every opportunity and potentials that comes your way and so it's you may put it in your mind that from the setting period to setting period you will do a self-examination you do a spiritual set a spiritual checkup to make sure that you are on the right track just so that there there is no there's no opening for the enemy to come in to do any harm or damage no accident there are some things that are avoidable if we do a proper checkup and fix what needs to be fixed may god help us and the scripture we'll begin with is second corinthians chapter 13 verse 1 to 5 and uh our sister mary will read for us" [00:32:05] (153 seconds)
"amen so the emphasis will be on the verse five for this study paul was talking to the church and then he says what examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith which means it is possible to think you are a christian but you may be out of the field so self-examination is to make sure that we don't walk out of the faith unknowingly we want to stay in the faith and keep going and growing in the faith that is very important so paul is teaching these people and he's saying that what examine yourselves how many of us do examine ourselves some of us we are just living this life just every we just sleep wake up every day same routine without paying attention to anything going on in our life that is the wrong way to live your life we need to pay attention to what is going on in our life so that we will know which areas to improve because life is about improvement at the end of the day but we said that the path of the righteous shineth brighter and brighter onto a perfect day and so i'm not just a christian to be complex" [00:36:00] (86 seconds)
"Yes, you can think you are a Christian. Thinking you are a Christian does not make you a Christian. It is an intentional decision one has to make. And certain things one has to do to become a Christian and to maintain their Christianity. So it is very important not to live your life anyhow. And you know, as if there is no order in your life. God is a God of order. God is a God of order. He does things step by step. Precept upon precept, the scripture says. God is orderly. And so don't live your life without order. Your life might be properly ordered. And you can do that when you are paying particular attention to your habits." [00:38:09] (52 seconds)
"Paying particular attention to your works. Paying particular attention to certain things that you do. Then you will know what to improve upon. Don't just exist and be a waste. Nobody will be a waste in this place in Jesus' name. Check-up is very important. Those who do check-up regularly are able to avoid what would have killed them. Or what would have destroyed them. And so Paul was saying, do yourself, examine yourself as to whether you are in the faith. He says, test yourselves. So there are times, you don't need anybody to test you. You test yourself. Very important." [00:39:55] (49 seconds)
"and the verse we are reading in Mark chapter 1 verse 35 just early in the morning so Jesus to Jesus that time of the morning he has reserved it for prayer nothing, he does not put anything there for some of us our prayer life is when we have a spare time or when we are going through some trouble or when we are facing some challenges so to know how well you are doing as a child of God you have to look at your prayer life are you intentionally making time to pray or you are just praying you know on an emergency your prayer life is an emergency one like 911 when there is an emergency then you call the medical team to come" [00:42:49] (61 seconds)
"don't let your prayer life be you know run on an emergency be intentional whether in good time in bad time whether everything seems good for you now or you are going through a challenge in season and out of season plan your prayer life for you to be you know be able to be an effective laborer and a harvester for God check your prayer life so that is one of the areas to check just like go to the doctor and they will check various parts of your body also your Christian life one area to check is your prayer life for some of us we have been Christian for so many years and we think that you know prayer is you know when they come for prayer or something no you must have a plan for your prayer tell somebody have a plan for your prayer Jesus had a plan for prayer Jesus had a plan for prayer the next verse another verse I want us to look at Acts chapter 6 verse 4 but we will give ourselves this is the disciples we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the world say the word we will give ourselves you must get to the point where you give yourself to prayer as a child of God as a Christian give yourself to prayer because in this day and age there are many things that takes our time we can be on our phone from snapchat to instagram to facebook to all these places and we are watching all the videos that people are sharing and whatnot by ourselves what are we doing for ourselves to grow spiritually may God help us you have to be intentional where at that time you put aside everything these people gave themselves to prayer which means they plan for it they make time for it" [00:43:56] (135 seconds)
"and it came to pass in those days that he went out to the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God this was Jesus he continued what all night in prayer to God so that time that you plan and say that as for today me and God in prayer everything else must be on hope you know but that is what made Jesus perform what he performed it's not because he was Jesus but he came took on human flesh to live like you and I to be an example for us and if Jesus of all people will have to make time to meet the Father how much more you and I we need to make twice as much the time Jesus made we know Jesus was God he came he said I believe you command angels to come and fight for him and yet he was always in prayer he was in prayer he went to the mountain to pray you know prayer the reason the reason Jesus goes to these places to pray is that when you are praying you need concentration you need to be well focused so it's not so much that he went to the mountain sometimes you are living in the house and other people there doing care and all those kind of stuff and disturbing and interrupting your prayer how can you hear when God speaks how can you be able to receive direction from God to be able to receive" [00:46:23] (109 seconds)
"so you see why our Christianity has become what it is today we are not making time for the things that are important that will affect the happenings in our life that's how one problem you are always confused you don't know what to do you are lacking direction because you are not seeking the face of God the way you ought to I pray that this year something would change in our prayer life something must change in your personal prayer life something must change in my personal prayer life very important but this thing that will make you look like oh this is you know you are wasting your time blah blah blah and all these things it was a waste of time Jesus wouldn't have done it because he the time he was on earth time was of essence so he didn't know how he did not have much time to waste" [00:48:10] (57 seconds)
"and he realized that prayer was an important part of his success of his mission an important part of the success of his mission of earth so an important part of your educational success lies in prayer an important part of your business success lies in prayer an important part of your family issues you know overcoming it lies in prayer and prayer does not know nationality prayer does not know age praise the Lord scripture says that out of the mouth of babes and sucklers have I ordained strength so even children when they open their mouth to tell God something God hears" [00:49:09] (56 seconds)
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