ByWhat is spiritual capacity in Christ? It refers to your level of spiritual growth in the Lord. Just as parents nurture their children to grow, the Holy Spirit also helps us to grow in Christ, and how fast that would happen is sourced directly from your level of intimacy with the Lord. The Spirit realm is a realm of endless possibilities for each of God’s children. But it takes growth to reach higher levels.
Hebrews 5:13-14 says,
“Anyone who lives on milk, still being an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish Good from evil.”
From this text, we understand that it is imperative for us as followers of Christ to mature and not always be like infants on milk.
In every male toddler is a man, but until he grows up, that manhood capacity in him is still limited. Increasing your spiritual capacity helps you to go beyond your spiritual limits. Here are three ways to make it happen.
1. Prayer
In Mark 9:29, Jesus, after His disciples asked Him why they couldn’t drive out the demon, answered them and said, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” Every time Jesus finished doing extraordinary miracles during the day, He went to hide and pray. In fact, only once have I seen in the Bible that he was asleep. That was when they were on the sea. And even that, the disciples woke him up to silence the storm. What a man!
Prayer, as a way of communicating with your Maker, strengthens your bond with Him and increases your spiritual capacity in the Spirit.
The Bible says, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which means you must pray continually even about the littlest things. Prayer may as well be your lifestyle because that is a sure way you can mature in Christ.
Prayer, as a way of communicating with your Maker, strengthens your bond with Him and increases your spiritual capacity in the Spirit.
2. Fasting
Just as prayer helps you draw closer to God, fasting also does. Again, in Mark 9:29, Jesus mentioned fasting along with prayer. Fasting and prayer go hand-in-hand. You just cannot do one without the other. Otherwise, it will be like an unbalanced diet. Fasting teaches discipline, and one needs to be disciplined to ensure a steady growth of spiritual capacity.
Fasting also increases your focus on Jesus. Also, it gives you peace and edification of your mind on spiritual things, which ultimately increases your spiritual capacity.
Fasting and prayer go hand-in-hand. You just cannot do one without the other. Otherwise, it will be like an unbalanced diet.
3. Studying the Bible
Because studying the Word increases your knowledge of God, you’ll be able to do things natural people cannot do because of the sword of the Spirit in your possession.
In Luke 4:9-11, Jesus, when He was tempted by the devil, resisted him by quoting Psalms 91:12. He basically resisted the devil by constantly quoting the word of God, i.e., using the sword of the Spirit. Reading the word is essential for us as children of the most High as it helps us in difficult times.
I remember when I was around fifteen years old, I had an altercation with my aunt. I became very remorseful. In fact, I knelt down to ask her for forgiveness. I was always a well-behaved child, and that act was out of character even for me. I cried and begged God to forgive me because I felt like God Himself was disappointed with me. And then, the next night, while I was pleading again for God to forgive me, I was prompted to open the Bible, and the first page it landed on was John 8:7. At that moment, I felt the burden lift from my shoulders. That was the first time I ever felt the presence of God in my life. That is what the Word of God does. It brings peace, liberation, and joy, and it increases one’s understanding of Christ.
Practising all the above-mentioned points will help strengthen your bond with Christ, and that will further increase your spiritual capacity in Him.
