So far we have learned about being filled and telling someone about it.
The very next thing for you to do as a new convert will be to get yourself in a local church or a local assembly that will be helpful to you.
you see, there is nothing like having the right association around you. especially at times like this where youre learning the ropes and getting introduced to something new
2Cor5:17 NKJV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
A new creature will require new relationships. Not to suggest that your old relationships must be cut off but if you will maintain your consecration to God, if you will grow and be all that God wants you to be you need an enabling environment to make that happen.
You want to have relationships that are meaningful to your new reality. People who can relate to what you’re going through and growing into.
We have found that people who are planted within a church family and meet regularly have found growing, understanding the faith and becoming useful in the kingdom much easier than those who isolate themselves wither by their own decisions or by circumstances around them.
Another reason is because Jesus teaches that when a person is saved it is like they are enrolled in a school.
Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
In the kjv it says to teach all nations however in the original language (not to drag you at this stage into greek and hebrew words study which you will have to be comfortable with if you must grow anyways) will suggest to enroll one as a pupil or as a student in a school.
When you believe the Gospel you have been enrolled into Gods training centre on a very large scale. But if the growth that is spoken about in
Mark 16:17-18 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Is to take place you need a local assembly, you need a gathering of people who will help you in this new process.
You know like an immediate family even if we have extended families in the body of Christ, city wide, state wide, nation wide and world wide.
An immediate family is where real growth occurs. It’s where there is accountability, it’s where there is help it is where there is succour in times of trouble and persecution.
Heb 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
How we will provoke one another or to spur one another to good works is when we are a part of a local assembly and attend gatherings. Not just saying I am a Christian.
God intends for us to meet and gather physically, not virtually, or “in the spirit” physically gathering together.
Not YouTube, not IG live or TikTok live not google meet to zoom or teams not mixlr but physical gatherings.
No one will trust a military trained virtually, no one will trust a Doctor trained online. No one will trust an architect trained online only. The Christian life was not built for virtual fellowship, those are good but the physical gathering brings about supernatural blessings.
There are benefits to physically gathering together
- Correction
- Learning by precept and examples as in discipleship learning how to pray, how to praise, how to evangelize and all that can be done more effectively in a physical gathering.
- Having people to share burdens with and pray with and for you as you do for others.
- A community with shared interest no love.
- Much more.
Get planted in a local church and begin to grow there. That is where growth is seen and measured.
Next we will speak about learning about the blessings you have in Christ