Essential

Attitudes for
Spiritual
Growth
In the church, we need
desperately to evaluate
our attitudes, because
there are many ways in
which the Lord’s work
has been hindered by
bad attitudes.
IMPROPER ATTITUDES
HAVE HINDERED THE
IMPRESSION WE
HAVE MADE ON THE
OUTSIDE WORLD.
SOME ATTITUDES
THAT ARE
ESSENTIAL FOR
CHRISTIANS AND
CONGREGATIONS
TO GROW.
WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY.

Will your attitude

toward authority keep
you out of the
Kingdom? Or, will it
gain you a reward for
eternity?
WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY.
But just what is your personal
attitude towards authority?
How did it develop? Does
your attitude reflect the
extremes of the world—a lust
for power, or resentment and
rebellion against authority?
WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY.
Is your attitude in harmony with,
or in conflict with, the approach
to authority God has outlined in
the Scriptures?
What should our attitude be
towards those in authority?
And why is this subject so
important to Christians?
WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY.
But how should a Christian
view authority?
How should a person
striving to develop the
mind of Christ view the
Scriptures?
WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY.
How should authority be
exercised in the home, in the
Church, and in society?
What kind of attitude toward
authority is God looking for in
future members of His family?
WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY.
Isaiah 66:2
God seeks individuals who
respect the authority of the
Scriptures and fear to
disobey the instructions of
Almighty God.
(Psalm 119:97, 98, 105).
David respected the
authority of God’s word.
Because of this attitude,
David became a man after
God’s own heart who will
rule the House of Israel in
the Kingdom of God
WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY.

“Nevertheless, not
as I will, but as thou
wilt” (Matthew
26:39).
 VITAL LESSON THAT WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT
ATTITUDE TOWARD AUTHORITY.
The key is learning to use God’s Spirit and
the understanding and power it places at
our disposal.

We must realize that many of our opinions

about, and reactions to, authority are
products of our carnal human nature,
which has been molded by the influences
of Satan’s world, resentful of doing things
God’s way (Romans 8:7).
VITAL LESSON THAT WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT
ATTITUDE TOWARD AUTHORITY.
As we come to understand this, we must
repent of and begin to overcome our
resentment and rebellion against God’s
instructions (Acts 2:36–38).

We must get rid of our human pride (the desire

to do things our way) and begin to submit to
God and do things His way—as outlined in
Scripture. We must resist Satan’s promptings
to rebel against what God plainly reveals is His
will. (James 4:7–8).
WE MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARD
AUTHORITY.
How do we develop a
right attitude toward
authority? How do we
get rid of the wrong
attitudes we have picked
up from the world?
WE MUST HAVE ATTITUDES OF PATIENCE AND
FORGIVENESS.

How can I distinguish

between when I need
to forgive and I need to
just be patient?
WE MUST HAVE ATTITUDES OF PATIENCE AND
FORGIVENESS. Matthew 6:14
1.The need to forgive usually
involves a significant wrong.
2.The need to forgive
involves a woundedness
which is hard to heal.
WE MUST HAVE ATTITUDES OF PATIENCE AND
FORGIVENESS.

How can I grow more

patient?
Luke 21:19
In your patience possess
ye your soul.
1.I grow more patient as I continue
to grow closer to God.
2.I grow more patient when I
remember how patient others have
been with me.
3.I grow more patient when I grow
to value others more.
4.I grow more patient when I learn
what to just accept.
5. I grow more patient when I allow
time for change.
6. I grow more patient through learning
to live with discomfort and pain
7. I grow more patient through learning
to communicate thoughtfully
8. I grow more patient through learning
when to set limits
Do you see
the need to
work on your
attitudes?
 5 STAGES OF SPIRITUAL
GROWTH
1. DEAD SPIRIT/SPIRITUAL DEAD
2. INFANT SPIRIT/SPIRITUAL INFANT
3. CHILD SPIRIT/SPIRITUAL CHILD
4. YOUNG ADULT SPIRIT/SPIRITUAL YOUNG ADULT
5. PARENT SPIRIT/SPIRITUAL PARENT
SPIRITUALLY DEAD:
People in this stage have not yet
accepted Christ as Lord and
Savior. They may completely
reject God, they may be seeking
God, they may be “spiritual”, they
may even claim to know God or
be a Christian, when in reality,
they are their own god.
SPIRITUAL INFANT: In this
stage, people have accepted
Christ, but haven’t moved
much past that point. They
can be new believers or they
might be stagnant, longItime
Christians. Life is generally all
about them and their needs.
SPIRITUAL CHILD:
In this stage, people are growing in
their relationship with God and are
also beginning to grow in their
relationship with other Christians.
They are applying God’s Word in
their life and allowing others to walk
beside them in their journey following
Christ. However, it’s still mostly about
them – their needs, comfort, etc.
SPIRITUAL YOUNG ADULT:
In this stage, people are making
a big shift from being self
centered to more others seIf
centered. They’re beginning to
understand their role as a giver,
rather than a taker – ministering
to others, putting others first –
being doers of the Word.
SPIRITUAL PARENT: In this
stage, the Parent has a solid
understanding of God’s Word and a
deep, abiding relationship with the
Father. They are living out God’s
Word in their lives daily. They are
othersIcentered and GodIdependent.
They are able to reproduce mature
disciples of Christ by inviting others
to follow them as they follow Christ.
If we could all cultivate these
to the highest degree
humanly possible, many of
the obstacles to our spiritual
growth would be removed.
 Conclusion
Christians need to remember the
greatness of God’s cause in
comparison to the smallness of
our feelings and never let
personal feelings on mere
matters of judgment lead us to
contribute to division in the body
of Christ.