FOOD FOR TEENS: The Life cycle of a Believer Part one

A believer is supposed to move from stage to stage until they get to the final stage of life where Christ wants them get to. Just like a butterfly moves from an egg to a larva and then to pupa before getting to adulthood, even so a believe ought to grow into maturity also. 

When the butterfly is in the stage of the caterpillar, you could never imagine that it could turn into something so beautiful as a butterfly even so we are as believers, we start out looking everything but beautiful, we do not possess any special grace but the potential of been a butterfly still resides in us even as caterpillars. 

1st Corinthians 2:1-5, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determine not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.”  This is the stage where Christ is preached and accepted by a man, this is the first phase of the Christian life cycle. There are certain qualities that are exhibited by these baby Christians 

1. They work by their senses, so they only see to believe. They will only follow your God if they see result; this was why Apostle Paul told them that he preached the gospel to them in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. 

I wouldn't blame them for wanting to see proof to believe because the only way you prove that something is real and true is by demonstrating the power in it. This was why Jesus never started His earthly ministry without demonstrating power. Luke 4:14-15, “And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee; and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues being confined of all.” When Apostle Paul talked about the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, he wasn’t talking about healing people only. If he had said, demonstration of power only, then we would have said he meant carrying out only the supernatural as per healing, casting our devils and all but he also talked about the demonstration of the spirit; This has to do with fruits and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, walking in love, joy, peace etc. according to Galatians 5:22 are some of the things new born babes look out for in the life of a matured Christian at the point of receiving Jesus. 

They said ‘to forgive is divine,’ when these babes see you demonstrate attributes like forgiveness, they see you love those that hate you; they see joy and peace in a man’s life. They are attracted to those things. 

They are also attracted to success and wisdom, most times when they see all these things in expression in a man’s life, they desire to experience these also. 

2. They are also weak and afraid: New born babes no matter how much power they see I demonstration they are quick to run into fear because they are weak on the inside: Our classic example is Peter, Matthew 14:28-32, Peter when he received a word from Jesus to come peter walked on water, he demonstrated the power of God, but as soon as he encountered the wind, he became afraid and began to sing, funny enough Jesus was right there with him but he was afraid. 

3. They are easily offended: These are delicate lots, so they are easily triggered just like babies cry easily once they experience little discomfort.

They study the lives of those matured Christians and usually aim to be like them. They believe everything they are told and ready to do everything told but if they are treated wrongly, they get offended. Sometimes they totally fall away from the faith. Jesus said to us in Matthew 18:6, “But whoso shall offend one of these little once which believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” 

If you see these attributes at work in you or others, it is not to condemn you or to make you feel like you have not started but to make you know that like the caterpillar, it is a process that you must go through before you attain perfection as long as you don’t give up along the way. 

How do I move from this stage to the next stage? You need to keep eating and feeding on God’s word by personal study, cooperate study which includes church services and the coming together of fellow believers to exhort one another. The caterpillar is known for eating, eating and eating, you must keep feeding on God’s word and obeying it. 1st Peter 2:23, “As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” After you have encountered God through His power and through His word, the next thing is a process is completed in you that pushed you into the next level of believers. 

Continue next edition. Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.