Continuous Growth

What if it were possible for us to continually grow in our spiritual life with no wandering in the wilderness, getting stuck, or having significant setbacks?  Sounds impossible, yet in heaven the Word says the trees bear fruit 12 months of the year and so are we to bear fruit.  Revelation 22:2 says, "On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."  Since we now live under the New Covenant that which was external rules under the Old Covenant becomes internal.  Interesting that the dendrites that grow on the axons in our brain look like trees, when these dendrites are from a good and healthy memory they release life and stimulate the adrenal system to release chemicals into the body that bring strength, health, and life.  On the other hand dendrites that grow on axons from toxic memories actually release too much chemicals into the adrenals which cause all kinds of issues physically (stresses affect on the body).  In 2 Corinthians 3:18 it says, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."  As we look toward Christ we are to be transformed from glory to glory, this literally means from one realm or dimension of glory to a higher realm or dimension of glory.  I would say I am not the only believer who has experienced their Christian life as a series of peaks and valleys, more like a wild ride on a roller coaster than continuous growth.  I am in no way saying that there will not be circumstances in our life that are not challenging, hurting, adversarial, or even losses.  Does growth depend on the happenings in our life or on what we believe deep down inside?  I once heard that happiness is connected to our happenings, therefore if I have good happenings in my life then I will be happy.  Yet we live in a fallen world full of sin, disappointments, losses, hardships, broken relationships, etc...  

If we are to live as Jesus said, "...thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..
then there must be ways to continually grow because this what is in heaven.  I am not only faced with this question on a personal level but also for those who I invest in during my life (family, clients, people I minister to, and those I influence).  I believe the Father is challenging us in this hour, to cry out to Him for models of continuous growth in our relationship with God and our destiny.  I have served in some form of ministry or counseling for 18 years, seeing folks in hopeless situations only to come into freedom but often I do not hear from them after they get a breakthrough and are moving into a new season.  Some times in an orphan society we are short-sighted and come to God when we are in pain or are stuck, then we grow and find freedom but go back to cycles on the roller coaster of life.  Also, orphans think short-term looking for their next meal, the next thing, or the next item but fail to look far out on the horizon of life.  I believe the Father's plan for your life includes your entire life and His plans (Jeremiah 29:11) are ones for your continuous growth in maturing to be like His Son Jesus.  Sometimes we, in the Body of Christ, can even encourage sporadic growth by rallying people around an Event or Service which leads people to believe that there really is no process of growth just the finished product of people on stage.  Growth is work and a choice to renew our minds to truth, which requires continually holding up what we believe to the light of God's revealed word.  Jesus said, "you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free...", this wasn't taking one glance at the truth, this knowing truth (ginosko) was based on long-lasting relationship.  Yet I believe too many of our models of Christian growth do not plan for long-term growth and thus lead us to go in fits and spurts.  I believe the Father is seeking His sons and daughters who will passionately pursue His heart for their entire lives and those who will come along side them to see this happen.

Growing into the son He has made me,
Bret