Growing in Grace

The Spirit-Filled Christian’s Call to Personal Sanctification

Do Not Be Afraid

The young prophet’s hands trembled as he held the small scroll, its ancient parchment crackling in the dim light of his chamber. Around him, the royal court buzzed with compromise and spiritual decay. King Jehoiakim had turned his back on the Lord, the priests offered polluted sacrifices, and false prophets proclaimed peace where there was none. Yet here stood Jeremiah, barely out of his youth, called to speak truth in a generation that had forgotten how to listen. “Do not be afraid of them,” the Lord had whispered to his anxious heart, “for I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:8, ESV).

This scene from ancient Judah mirrors a reality many Spirit-filled Christians face today: finding themselves in church environments where spiritual leadership has grown cold, compromised, or ineffective. Yet Jeremiah’s story—and countless others throughout Scripture—reveals a profound truth that transcends circumstances and centuries alike. Personal spiritual growth and sanctification remain not only possible but imperative, regardless of the spiritual climate surrounding us. The responsibility for our spiritual development rests not with our pastors, elders, or church programs, but with our own hearts yielded to the Holy Spirit and anchored in the Word of God.

The Unchanging Foundation of Personal Growth

Scripture consistently places the burden of spiritual maturity squarely on individual believers, regardless of their external circumstances. The apostle Peter, writing to scattered Christians facing persecution and likely inadequate pastoral care, penned these foundational words: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3, ESV).

Notice Peter’s language here. He doesn’t qualify this command based on church quality or pastoral effectiveness. The hunger for God’s Word—described as “pure spiritual milk”—becomes the believer’s personal responsibility and the primary catalyst for spiritual growth. This metaphor carries deep significance: just as an infant instinctively cries for nourishment, the Spirit-filled Christian should possess an innate longing for Scripture that transcends external spiritual leadership.

The prophet Isaiah reinforced this principle when he declared, “To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” (Isaiah 8:20, ESV). Even in Isaiah’s day, when false prophets and compromised priests led Israel astray, God’s people possessed access to divine truth through His revealed Word. The standard remained constant: measure all teaching, all leadership, all spiritual direction against Scripture itself.

This biblical precedent establishes a crucial foundation for modern believers. Whether sitting under sound biblical teaching or enduring spiritually barren sermons, the Spirit-filled Christian bears personal responsibility for spiritual growth through direct engagement with God’s Word and dependence on the Holy Spirit’s illumination.

When Leadership Fails: Old Testament Examples of Personal Faithfulness

The Old Testament provides numerous examples of individuals who maintained spiritual vitality despite corrupt or ineffective leadership. Consider Daniel and his three friends in Babylon. Torn from their homeland as teenagers, they found themselves in a pagan culture with no access to temple worship, priestly guidance, or traditional religious structure. Yet these young men not only maintained their faith but flourished spiritually in the most adverse circumstances imaginable.

Daniel’s practice of prayer “three times a day” (Daniel 6:10, ESV) despite royal decrees and threats to his life demonstrates personal spiritual discipline that operated independently of formal religious leadership. His ability to interpret dreams, understand visions, and maintain unwavering faith stemmed not from excellent pastoral care but from his personal relationship with God cultivated through prayer and study of available Scriptures.

Similarly, his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego declared their faith with remarkable clarity: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18, ESV). Their theological understanding and spiritual courage didn’t emerge from seminary training or pastoral counseling but from hearts yielded to God and minds saturated with His truth.

The prophet Elijah presents another powerful example. During the reign of Ahab and Jezebel, when official religious leadership had embraced Baal worship, Elijah stood virtually alone. The institutional religious structure had collapsed into apostasy, yet Elijah maintained such intimate communion with God that he could pray with confidence, “Let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word” (1 Kings 18:36, ESV).

Even when Elijah struggled with discouragement and isolation—feeling he was the only faithful believer remaining—God revealed that He had preserved “seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal” (1 Kings 19:18, ESV). These seven thousand faithful believers had maintained their spiritual integrity without the benefit of godly institutional leadership, sustained instead by personal relationship with the Lord.

New Testament Examples of Independent Spiritual Growth

The New Testament continues this theme with even greater clarity. The believers in Berea provide a sterling example of proper spiritual discernment. When Paul and Silas preached to them, Luke records: “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11, ESV).

Notice their approach: even when receiving teaching from the apostle Paul himself, they maintained personal responsibility for examining everything against Scripture. They didn’t rely solely on Paul’s apostolic authority or charismatic presentation. Instead, they “examined the Scriptures daily”—taking personal ownership of their spiritual growth and theological understanding.

The apostle John echoed this principle when he wrote, “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge” (1 John 2:20, ESV). Later in the same chapter, he adds, “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him” (1 John 2:27, ESV).

This doesn’t diminish the value of godly teaching and pastoral care, but it establishes every believer’s direct access to divine truth through the Holy Spirit’s illumination of Scripture. Even under inadequate leadership, the Spirit-filled Christian possesses everything necessary for spiritual growth and discernment.

The Role of Trials in Spiritual Development

Scripture consistently presents trials and difficult circumstances—including poor spiritual leadership—as God’s tools for spiritual growth rather than obstacles to overcome. James wrote, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4, ESV).

Being in a church with compromised or ineffective leadership certainly qualifies as a “trial of various kinds.” Yet James’s counsel suggests that such circumstances, properly navigated through dependence on God, can actually accelerate spiritual maturity rather than hinder it. The “steadfastness” produced through these trials creates believers who are “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Paul reinforced this truth when he declared, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV). The phrase “all things” includes disappointing pastoral leadership, spiritually stagnant church environments, and the challenges of maintaining faith in contexts where others have grown lukewarm.

Consider how Jesus Himself prepared His disciples for spiritual independence. In His final discourse, He promised, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13, ESV). This promise wasn’t conditioned on the presence of excellent human teachers or perfect church environments. The Holy Spirit’s guidance remains constant and available regardless of external spiritual circumstances.

Practical Discernment in Challenging Church Environments

The Spirit-filled Christian in a challenging church environment must develop and exercise biblical discernment while maintaining love and humility. This requires both spiritual maturity and practical wisdom. Paul’s instruction to “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, ESV) provides the fundamental framework for this process.

Testing everything means comparing all teaching, leadership decisions, and church practices against the clear teaching of Scripture. This requires personal Bible study that goes beyond casual reading to serious engagement with God’s Word. The Psalmist declared, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11, ESV), suggesting that spiritual discernment flows from deep familiarity with Scripture rather than superficial knowledge.

When discernment reveals problems with leadership or teaching, the Spirit-filled believer faces additional challenges. Jesus provided clear guidance for addressing sin within the church community in Matthew 18:15-17, beginning with private conversation and potentially escalating to involve church leadership if necessary. However, when the leadership itself is the source of spiritual compromise, wisdom may dictate different approaches.

The key lies in maintaining personal spiritual growth while navigating these challenges with grace and truth. Paul’s instruction to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15, ESV) applies especially in these contexts. The goal isn’t to create division or win arguments but to promote spiritual health and biblical faithfulness within the body of Christ.

The Pure Milk of the Word as Life Source

Returning to Peter’s metaphor of “pure spiritual milk,” we find the ultimate solution for spiritual growth in any environment. The Word of God possesses inherent power that operates independently of human interpretation or presentation. Isaiah proclaimed, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11, ESV).

God’s Word accomplishes His purposes regardless of the quality of those who teach or preach it. This truth provides tremendous encouragement for believers in spiritually challenging environments. Personal Bible study, meditation on Scripture, and prayer create direct channels for spiritual nourishment that bypass human intermediaries.

The Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 provides a powerful example. Sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah, he encountered Philip who asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The eunuch replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” (Acts 8:30-31, ESV). Yet notice that he was already reading Scripture on his own, demonstrating personal hunger for God’s truth. When Philip explained the gospel, the eunuch immediately believed and requested baptism.

This encounter illustrates both the value of good teaching and the primacy of personal engagement with Scripture. The eunuch’s spiritual hunger and personal study prepared his heart to receive truth when it was properly explained. Spirit-filled Christians must cultivate this same hunger, recognizing that God often uses His Word directly in their hearts even when human teachers fail to provide adequate instruction.

Growing in Grace Through Community and Individual Devotion

Even in challenging church environments, Spirit-filled believers can often find like-minded individuals with whom to share fellowship and mutual encouragement. The writer of Hebrews encouraged such connections: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV).

These smaller communities of genuine believers within larger church contexts can provide the spiritual fellowship and accountability necessary for continued growth. Like Daniel and his three friends, who undoubtedly strengthened each other’s faith throughout their Babylonian exile, contemporary believers can form bonds of spiritual support that transcend institutional limitations.

However, such fellowship must supplement, not replace, individual spiritual disciplines. Jesus Himself regularly withdrew from crowds and even His disciples for private prayer and communion with the Father (Luke 5:16). If the Son of God required personal time with the Father for spiritual sustenance, how much more do we need such discipline?

The Call to Spiritual Independence and Dependence

The biblical call to personal spiritual responsibility creates an interesting paradox: we must become increasingly independent of human spiritual leadership while becoming increasingly dependent on God Himself. This doesn’t mean rejecting all human teaching or church authority, but rather evaluating everything through the lens of Scripture and maintaining primary allegiance to Christ rather than human institutions.

Paul demonstrated this balance perfectly. Though he respected church leadership and worked within established structures, he didn’t hesitate to confront Peter publicly when Peter’s actions contradicted the gospel (Galatians 2:11-14). Paul’s primary commitment was to truth rather than institutional harmony or personal relationships.

This same balance enables modern believers to remain connected to local church bodies while maintaining spiritual discernment and personal growth. We can receive whatever genuine spiritual nourishment is available while supplementing inadequacies through personal study and direct dependence on the Holy Spirit.

The Ultimate Hope: Christ’s Sufficiency

At the heart of this discussion lies a fundamental theological truth: Jesus Christ is sufficient for our spiritual needs regardless of external circumstances. Paul declared, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, ESV). This promise includes our spiritual needs for growth, sanctification, and maturity in faith.

The author of Hebrews reinforced this truth: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8, ESV). Christ’s ability to guide, teach, and transform His people doesn’t fluctuate based on the quality of human leadership or the spiritual climate of our particular church environment. He remains constant, accessible, and fully capable of accomplishing His work in our lives.

This understanding should fill Spirit-filled believers with confidence rather than anxiety when facing spiritual challenges in their church contexts. We serve a God who delights in using difficult circumstances to produce spiritual maturity and who provides all necessary resources for continued growth in grace.

Walking in Wisdom and Love

As we navigate these complex spiritual realities, wisdom calls us to maintain both discernment and love, both personal responsibility and gracious relationships. The goal isn’t to become spiritual lone wolves or to develop prideful attitudes toward struggling leaders. Rather, we’re called to become mature believers who can flourish spiritually in any environment while contributing positively to our faith communities.

Sometimes this means remaining in challenging church environments as salt and light, influencing others toward greater spiritual health. Other times wisdom may direct us toward different church contexts where our spiritual growth can be better nurtured and our gifts more effectively utilized. The key lies in seeking God’s will through prayer, Scripture study, and wise counsel rather than making hasty decisions based on frustration or disappointment.

Coming Full Circle: The Promise That Changes Everything

The trembling hands that once held that ancient scroll would steady with time, not because circumstances improved, but because of what that young prophet discovered within those sacred words. As Jeremiah made his choice in that dim chamber—surrounded by spiritual decay, facing impossible opposition, carrying the weight of divine calling on inexperienced shoulders—he found something that would sustain him through decades of persecution, rejection, and apparent failure.

What did he find? A promise that transcended every disappointing pastor, every compromised priest, every false prophet who proclaimed peace where none existed: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13, ESV).

Years later, as Jerusalem burned and the people faced exile, Jeremiah’s choice proved its worth. Those who had learned from his example—who had discovered that spiritual growth comes through personal relationship with God rather than dependence on religious institutions—found themselves prepared for trials that destroyed those who had relied on human leadership alone. In Babylon, these faithful remnants continued to worship, pray, and grow spiritually even in pagan captivity, proving that sanctification flourishes wherever hearts are yielded to the Spirit and anchored in the Word.

The same choice confronts every Spirit-filled believer today who finds themselves in spiritually challenging church environments. Will we allow disappointing leadership to stunt our spiritual growth, or will we discover what Jeremiah learned in that dim chamber? The promise remains unchanged across every generation: God’s plans for our spiritual welfare do not depend on pastoral effectiveness, elder board wisdom, or denominational health. When we seek Him with all our hearts through His Word and in dependence on His Spirit, we find Him faithful to continue His work of sanctification in our lives.

The responsibility remains ours, the power remains His, and the promise stands firm: those who hunger for the pure milk of the Word will grow up into salvation, no matter where they find themselves planted. In the end, that trembling young prophet learned what every believer must discover—that spiritual maturity is not a gift we receive from others, but a choice we make for ourselves in the quiet chambers of our hearts, one scroll, one prayer, one act of faith at a time.