4.1.  FAITHFULNESS IN GOD’S SALVATION AND SPIRITUAL REBIRTH

 Brethren, for God to find you trustworthy, the first step is to acknowledge his wonderful work that He has done for your redemption through His son Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 46:9 &13). By receiving Jesus as savior, one also acknowledges God’s faithfulness in calling us into the fellowship of His son’s sacrifice. (1 Corinthians 1:9; Hebrew 10:8-10).

 But more importantly, when one in faithfulness believe in God’s salvation and receives Jesus as Lord and believe on his name, He will give you “power to become the [children] of God” (John 1:12; Romans 8:14). This “power” confers a spiritual personality that is “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. In other words to be spiritually trustworthy, one must be “born again” not of flesh but of “water and of the spirit”. (John: 1.12-13 & 3:3-6). As a gift of God, every believer is “sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” after they believe in Christ (Ephesians 1:13).

 Note that the unbeliever – i.e. the “natural man” in flesh – cannot receive “the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned”(1Corinthians 2:14). The “Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God”. (Romans 8:16).

Brethren God may find you trustworthy for spiritual gifts when you demonstrate this faithfulness of belief in Jesus from your heart and become a “temple of the Living God” and allow the Spirit of God to dwell in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

 4.2.  PRODUCTIVENESS IN SPIRITUAL FRUITS

The ultimate objective of God in the gift of salvation and the impartation of the Spirit of God in those who believe is that they should “bear much fruit”; and thereby be his disciples, so that Father God may be glorified. (John 15:8).

 Therefore believers receive “the spirit which is of God”, unlike unbelievers who are influenced by the “spirit of the world”, that is flesh-driven. This personality Spirit enables each believer to know the things that are freely given to us of God. It should also guide that the flesh (or sin) has no dominion over us, for we have been brought from death to life; and are under Grace. Hallelujah! (1Corinthians 2: 12; Romans 6:14).

 Thus to maintain the trust of God, believers should be productive in spiritual rather than worldly things. How can they do this? Since they are a planting of God, they must be as a “branch” in Christ, sustained by his Grace. They cannot “bear fruit” of themselves, except they abide in Christ, without whom they can do nothing. “Every branch in [Christ Jesus] that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit”.(John 15:2-4). And the “fruit of the Spirit [are] love, joy, peace, faith, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness [and] temperance [or self control]”. (Galatians: 5:22-23).

 In other words, if you are in Christ and are overcome by the “will of the flesh”, lusts or worldly desires, and do not bear fruit, you are reduced. But if you endeavour to develop the spirit such as by reading the word of God, though you may be weak in the flesh, this will not inhibit your ability to develop spiritually. Instead the Holy Spirit will seek to prune such believers of the fleshly traits (e.g. pride, envy, deceits,) so that they may progressively yield the fruits of spiritual personality (Romans 6:6 &12).

 4.3.  PERSONAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND MATURITY

People of God, to attain to spiritual maturity and earn Father God’s trust, you should grow the fruits of the Spirit and work them to resist the lusts of the flesh. The more of these spiritual fruits one cultivates, the more trustworthy one becomes for God to reveal to you His ways.

Spiritual growth and maturity is therefore a process. It is also a lifetime commitment to learn “all truths” about the Father’s Will and purposes, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:26-31; & 16:13-14). As you submit your flesh to die of fleshly lusts you should also endeavour to be grounded in the word of God. The Holy Spirit will sanctify and guide one’s understanding of the “word of God”; and perfects the “love of God” in you (1 John 2:5 & 2:20 & 27). 

 Consider that in the process of spiritual growth and maturity, one may encounter temptations owing to conflict between trying to observe the word and will of God (i.e. the spirit of God), and pursuing the lustful desires in one’s flesh. This is because “the Flesh [lust] against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary one to the other…” (Galatians 5:17; James 1:13-15).

If one persistently differs to their lusts or fleshly desires, the indulgence may gradually harden one’s heart and they may become insensitive to the Holy Spirit. In other words, ” if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:13). Therefore brethren, when you feel conflicted in fleshly lusts pray to God for help to put away the life that is serving the lusts of deceit – “the old man” and to renew your spirit in righteousness and holiness of truth in Him – “the new man” (Ephesians 4:22 -24).

 Brethren, for God to find you trustworthy, the first step is to acknowledge his wonderful work that He has done for your redemption through His son Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 46:9 &13). By receiving Jesus as saviour, one also acknowledges God’s faithfulness in calling us into the fellowship of His son’s sacrifice. (1 Corinthians 1:9; Hebrew 10:8-10).

 5. PATIENCE AND OVERCOMING CONFLICT