Jesus Is Lord
Three Stage Christianity
by Philip Jones
Just as a natural baby must grow through stages to enter maturity, so it is with the Christian that has just been born into the kingdom of God. He must go through three stages to fulfill God's destiny for his life: the new birth, head knowledge and heart knowledge.
Most Christians never reach the third stage because they are stuck either in the first or second stage on the road to maturity. You want to make every effort to go beyond the first and second stages to enter the third stage. Why? Because the third stage is where the real fun begins. That’s where you begin to walk in a realm of glory, virtue, faith and power that people only dream about. That’s where you bear the most spiritual fruit for the kingdom of God. Where you get more people saved, healed and discipled than you ever imagined. That’s where God’s peace, joy and love flow through you like a river to minister hope and life to people. That’s where God’s grace abounds toward you to do things you could never do on your own. That’s where you fulfill the destiny God has purposed for you. That’s where you grow up into the fullness of Christ, the ultimate Christian goal. So, let’s look closely at these three stages to understand how to graduate from Christian babyhood to Christian maturity.
Stage One - The New Birth
When someone first becomes a Christian, their understanding of what God expects of them is based on what knowledge they have. Their knowledge is probably limited to the elementary requirements of a Christian: stop sinning, go to church, be baptized in water, read your bible and pray. These are the basics that help lay a foundation for going to the next stage, head knowledge.
Stage Two - Head Knowledge
As a Christian spends time reading his bible and listening to messages given by his local church pastor and other ministers, he begins to acquire more knowledge of who God is and what Christianity is all about. The amount and quality of his scriptural knowledge will
depend on how much time he reads and studies God’s Word and how much knowledge he gets from his pastor and other sources.
Some scriptures tell him the things he can do through Christ, like praying to the Father in Jesus‘ name, healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, casting out demons and raising the dead . Some scriptures tell him what he has inherited from his Heavenly Father through Christ, things like power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing. He might also learn that he has been redeemed from the curse of the law which makes him free from sickness, poverty, fear, lack, the second death (lake of fire) and a host of other curses listed in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.
All this knowledge is good, but it is head knowledge, not heart knowledge. There is no faith in head knowledge because faith is of the heart (spirit of man) as written in Romans 10:10, “For with the heart (spirit of man) man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” We are not talking here about the physical heart that pumps blood through your body. No, we’re talking about your spirit man, the inner man. Meaning the same thing, the heart of man and the spirit of man are interchangeable.
So we see that head knowledge does not give a Christian the faith to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers or raise the dead. Head knowledge will not deliver him from lack, sickness and disease. Head knowledge alone will not allow him to walk in God’s love, joy and victory in every situation. Head knowledge will not give him victory over sin. Head knowledge will not give him supernatural wisdom and knowledge to solve impossible problems. Head knowledge will not cause God’s supernatural financial blessings to flow into his life so he can be blessed and be a blessing to others. Head knowledge will not cause him to fulfill God’s glorious destiny for his life.
Because head knowledge (mental assent) by itself will not get the job done, that is why Christians continue to have problems with their flesh, their sinful nature, and why they may live very defeated frustrated lives because their minds have not been renewed with God’s Word so His Word can drop into their hearts and become reality to them. They continue to live far below their divine potential, prisoners of the lusts of the flesh, prisoners of an unrenewed mind and lacking God‘s power and provision for a victorious life which only comes through heart knowledge and being baptized in Holy Ghost power, fire and love. Heart knowledge is what creates the God kind of faith to overcome the world.
Sadly, most churches are filled with first and second stage Christians unable to walk in the faith, power and might of God‘s liberating promises, never growing up into the fullness of Christ. Never becoming manifested sons of God to advance the kingdom of God. Why are Christians stuck in the first and second stages of spiritual development to never graduate to the third stage? They simply have never been taught how to enter the third stage or if they have been taught, they have lacked the zeal to go forward. Assuming you desire to please and obey God to go forward to fulfill your divine destiny, let me explain below how to get God’s promises to drop from your head to your heart so you can graduate to the third stage where Christian maturity is an ongoing process of going from glory to glory.
Stage 3 - Heart Knowledge
Jesus said in John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” He said in John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” So, how do you get the truth, God’s Word, to drop down into your heart and set you free to begin walking in the power and might of God‘s liberating promises that will cause you to fulfill God‘s destiny for your life? Just reading God’s Word is not enough. You must memorize and meditate God's Word until you receive revelation knowledge of God’s Word, specifically the promises that belong to you as a son or daughter of God. The Holy Spirit is the one who will cause the revelation of God's promises to drop down into your heart, your inner man. The Holy Spirit is your helper that will guide you into all truth. God's promises help to mold you into the image of Christ so you can live the abundant and overcoming life that pleases God.
First, begin memorizing scriptures that tell you how big your God is, who you are as a child of God, who you are in Christ and what your inheritance is in Christ. Next, you must spend time meditating these scriptures for them to become a reality to you, to become rhema to your heart. Rhema is a Greek word that refers to a word that is spoken and means “an utterance.” An “utterance” is when the Holy Spirit illuninates a scripture to your heart producing faith for you to believe that scripture is now true in you. Illumination, revelation of God's mighty promises is what sets you free to fulfill the glorious destiny God has prepared for you.
Meditation of God’s Word is what God told Joshua to do to get God’s Word to go from his head to his heart, to become a reality to him: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success“ (Joshua 1:8).
So what is meditation of God’s Word? The meditation of God’s Word as defined in Strong’s Hebrew dictionary is to murmur, ponder, imagine, meditate, speak, study, talk and utter God’s Word. The end result of meditation of God's Word brings forth revelation knowledge to your heart, spirit man. God's Word becomes no longer just words on a page, but a reality in your heart and His Word becomes part of you. The truth of 2 Peter 1:4 manifests in your life as you take on God’s divine nature: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Memorization, meditation and revelation of God’s Word allows you to graduate from the second stage of head knowledge to the third and final stage, heart knowledge that produces Christian maturity. Christian maturity is an ongoing process, your goal being to grow up into the fullness of Christ and to fulfill your destiny which advances the kingdom of God. The more time you spend meditating God's Word resulting in revelation knowledge of His Word will determine the speed of your spiritual growth.
Besides the memorization, meditation and the revelation of God’s Word, there are other important things God would have you do to please Him and accelerate your spiritual growth: being baptized in Holy Ghost power, fire and God's love, daily praying in tongues as written in Acts 2:4 and Romans 8:26-27, daily spending time alone with God to hear His instructions for your day, daily prayer for yourself, others and those in authority, daily worshipping God in spirit and truth, living a life of giving as you sow your finances for divine harvests as led by the Holy Spirit, sharing the Gospel with the lost and fellowshipping with other believers as commanded in Hebrews 10:25, living a holy life free from sin and of course always walking in love and forgiving others as God forgave you. To understand the dynamic principles of sowing and reaping which can change your life forever, go to Name Your Seed.
Romans 14:10b says, "For we (Christians) shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ." That being said, we should always be about are Heavenly Father's business so when we stand before Jesus Christ we will not lose rewards , but receive rewards.
May God’s grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May your desire to know, love and obey God increase mightily each day.
Stage One - The New Birth
Stage Two - Head Knowledge
Stage 3 - Heart Knowledge
This article may be reprinted or used freely, but it must be in its entirety including the author's name: Philip C Jones.
Enjoy this video on how you were set free from the law of sin and death that produces poverty, sickness and death.
Watch this video on how to meditate God's word to release your faith in God's promises to see your dreams become reality.
Want Mountain Moving Faith?
The Lord gave the following words to a Christian to speak out loud. The Lord encouraged the Christian to declare these words often until they became a reality in his heart. And of course the more time you spend declaring these powerful words,the quicker the results.
"There is no lack of faith with me. If I were to come to the end of my faith, then the Father gives me the very faith of Christ and it is impossible for me not to believe."
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Books for the Journey
This New Life by Billy Joe Daugherty. "This book has been prepared to give you a basic scriptural foundation in seven important Bible truths. It is by no means a complete study in these areas, but rather an introduction to them. You will find it helpful in personal devotional reading, Bible study, and as a reference book. The simple format will also make it useful as a group Bible study book, Sunday school supplement, and teaching aid for young converts. I believe God will richly bless your life as you seek Him first through the study of His Word."
- Billy Joe Daugherty
The Complete Book of Discipleship by Bill Hull. "The Complete Book of Discipleship is the definitive A-to-Z resource on discipleship for every Christian. It pulls together into one convenient, comprehensive volume relevant topics such as spiritual growth, transformation, spiritual disciplines, and discipleship in the local church and beyond. Best of all, it’s produced by The Navigators, the internationally respected organization with more than seventy years of practical discipleship ministry experience. Well organized, fully indexed, and readily accessible, The Complete Book of Discipleship will help you gain a wealth of insight from experts in the field, whether by reading it cover to cover or by finding immediate answers to specific questions."
Bibles
"The NASB is a smooth reading literal English Bible translation, which provides increased clarity and readability for greater understanding while maintaining superior accuracy to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Trust, discover, and grow in your faith with the NASB today.
"This high quality pew Bible is also a great handy size text Bible for daily reading. It's printed on high quality white Bible paper with a bold 8 point font, making it an excellent value! This Bible is complete with a concordance and 10 full-page maps with incredible detail.
"Features: 5 1/4 x 8 inch paper trim size and 1 inch thick, 8 point font size, Concordance, Maps, Presentation Page, Verse Format, Black Letter, Two Column Text."
Winning the Battle in Your Mind
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. "Worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger and feelings of condemnation: all these are attacks on the mind. If readers suffer from negative thoughts, they can take heart! Joyce Meyer has helped millions win these all-important battles. In her most popular bestseller ever, the beloved author and minister shows readers how to change their lives by changing their minds."
Joel Osteen's Awesome Life Changing Books
I Declare by Joel Osteen will catapult you into a glorious life of victory. "Broken into thirty-one parts, this book will help readers reach the truth of God's word, and how speaking God's promises can bring about His blessings. Each part will open with a faith-building declaration, followed by a story to demonstrate the power of God, and Scripture references to give testimony to His ability. May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)"
Every Day a Friday by Joel Osteen. "The title comes from research that shows people are happiest on Fridays. Pastor Joel Osteen writes how we can generate this level of contentment and joy every day of the week. Known as a man who maintains a constant positive outlook in spite of circumstances, Osteen has described this message as a core theme of his ministry. Combining his personal experiences with scriptural insights and principles for true happiness, he shows readers how every day can hold the same promise and opportunities for pure joy that they experience at five o'clock on Friday."
How to Overcome the Works of the Flesh to Fulfill Your Divine Destiny
The Walk of the Spirit - The Walk of Power by Dave Roberson is an end time book that reveals the life changing importance of praying in tongues. Do you want to learn how to overcome the works of the flesh to fulfill the destiny God has ordained for you? You will never fulfill your divine destiny unless you overcome the works of the flesh. If you like, you can get the FREE ebook by clicking on FREE eBook for Closer Walk with God.
The Kingdom of God in You
The Kingdom Of God In You by Dr. Bill Winston reveals the provision God has inside you via the Kingdom of God. This is an end time book for the Body of Christ.
Releasing Your Faith in Words
The Tongue, A Creative Force by Charles Capps will reveal to you the importance of the words you speak. It makes clear what should be coming out of your mouth for you to live the victorious life God has destined for you. I gave this book to my Christian dentist and he emailed me back and shared how much he appreciated this book. It is a classic.
Financial Abundance God's Way
Dr. Leroy Thompson Sr. has proved the success of the financial biblical truths he has received from God. He is a multi-millionaire.
His mission is to help the Body of Christ walk in financial abundance to finance God's endtime harvest of souls.
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9
Money Cometh! by Dr. Leroy Thompson, Sr.
reveals the revelation God gave to him about finances. The
financial knowledge God has given to this man
of God is a gift to the Body of Christ.
Releasing Your Faith in the Power of the Seed
Name Your Seed! Hey! That's My Harvest! by Dr. Jesse Duplantis teaches on this DVD the importance of naming your financial seed to reap your harvest. What kind of a harvest do you want? Healing, financial breakthrough, peace, joy, wisdom? Name your seed.
Books on Heaven and Hell
Heaven Is So Real by Choo Thomas. "Do you believe heaven really exists? Choo Thomas retells a stunning, personal story of how she saw the living Christ, visited Hell, and walked in Heaven. "On January 19, 1996, I woke up at 3:00 in the morning. My body was shaking...I turned my head on the pillow to look in the direction of the sound, and there, all aglow, was a figure dressed in white garments. IT WAS THE LORD... How could this be happening to me? I wondered...as I began to tremble...and to weep tears of love and joy. "My daughter...I am your Lord, and I want to talk to you. I am going to visit you many times before this work is done." "The impact of His voice, His words, His message hit me with a supernatural force..." Not once not twice but ten times that month, the Lord Jesus appeared by her bedside and spoke to her. Then the journey began...."
Christians Going to Hell by Seung Woo Byan. "Today’s churches do not always touch on the subject of hell. God does not want anyone to go to hell, but if they do not put Him first in their life and do His works, one might not end up where they think they are going. Pastor Seung Woo Byun explores specific and powerful promises of God that point to heaven and hell. Readers are guided through biblical End-Time prophecies, with special focus on the impending rapture of the true church—the bride of Christ. Many questions are answered by an overview of the Rapture, the Second Resurrection, the Antichrist, the role of the Jewish people, and what one must do to be prepared. This “must-read” book will not only reveal where you do not want to go (and why), but where you do want to go and how to get there through Christ Jesus. You will not want to miss the truth about the two worlds that await you when you die."
A Divine Revelation of Hell by Mary K. Baxter. "Over a period of forty days, God gave Mary K. Baxter visions of hell and commissioned her to tell all to choose life. Here is an account of the place and beings of hell contrasted with the glories of heaven. It is a reminder of the need each of us has for the miracle of salvation."
Outstanding Book on How to Share Jesus Christ with the Lost
How to Win Souls and Influence People by Ray Comfort. "When it comes to our last breath, what will matter most is what we have done to influence this world for the Kingdom of God. Enjoy Ray Comfort’s straight-forward style and practical applications. His "LIVE" ministry is living proof that evangelism is a doable work as mandated by the Lord."
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28: 19-20)
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