What Can Stunt Spiritual Growth for Believers?

As believers we need to lay aside any and every weight that hinders our spiritual growth. The enemy can come in so subtly and begin building a wedge between our relationship with Jesus by preoccupying our mind and thoughts, that before we know it, we get caught up in things of this world and not of the spirit. One example of how the enemy hinders our growth is being careless about our devotional time to sustain our relationship with God. Going to church and Sunday School is not one's personal time with God. Not prioritizing a special time of devotion to God the Father, just you and Him. That includes the responsibility of prayer, self-examination, praise and most importantly, the reading of His Word! Matthew 26:41 tells us that while the human spirit may be willing to do what is right, the weakness of the flesh and human nature make it difficult to resist temptation and sin. Prayer and devotion to God is key and the enemy is well aware of this! We must pray and guard our hearts to overcome sin as well as strengthen our spiritual roots! Tere are many verses in the Bible that refer to guarding our hearts in various ways, but Proverbs 4:23 says the exact words, Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. The enemy would like nothing else than to stunt our growth, for us to become stagnant in our faith and devotion to God the Father (substance of our salvation) to weaken our spiritual roots. God help us to continue to long to be in Your presence and hunger for Your Word, so that Your Word will guard our hearts from the things of this world. Things that will try to infiltrate our lives and stunt our spiritual growth. Lord allow our roots to grow deep, so deep that we too shall be like a tree planted by the rivers and not be moved! Amen

Amen Hope! You are right on point when you talk about how the enemy tries to get us sidetracked away from spending time with God and reading the Word. Distraction is a well known weapon of the enemy but I remember the Word of the Lord in Ephesians 4:14a that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. I pray that saints are renewed in the spirit of their minds which requires reading and studying of the word and meditating on it day and night. We already have the victory over the enemy but we must pack in the word of God so it takes root in our hearts. Great job Hope!!!

There are things that will try to infiltrate our lives and stunt our spiritual growth, the scripture you used in Proverbs 4:23 also verses 24-27 helped me see the whole picture in what you were saying. Proverbs 4:23-27 NIV says Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. I really like how you give so much information and details.

Hope thank you for sharing your thoughts. Your responses are always so detailed and life-giving. I agree we must guard our hearts and our eye and ear gates. The enemy wants us to be confused and so infiltrated with things of the world that we do not focus and pursue truth. I also agree that we must seek God for ourselves in private. Corporate worship should happen, but we have to know Him personally.