A Vision of Spiritual Formation

Spiritual Formation is the process of being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ for the glory of God and for the sake of others. (Dallas Willard - Renewing the Christian Mind)

Who will benefit from you becoming more like Jesus?

A Vision of the Kingdom of God

To be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ we must have a correct vision of who he is and a correct vision of the kingdom of God.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3

One of Jesus’ main missions on earth was to preach the kingdom of God so that we would know the truth about God and His kingdom. So that our thoughts and beliefs about God would line up with the truth about Him. In Luke 4 Jesus has just healed many people and performed many miracles and the people are trying to stop him from leaving them.

But he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:43

This is the first of 30 times he will mention the kingdom of God in this gospel account. When Jesus refers to the kingdom of God he has four main meanings:

1. Eternal kingship of God
2. Presence of the kingdom in the person Jesus
3. Approaching spiritual formation of the Kingdom
4. Future kingdom

What is the kingdom of God?

The kingdom of God is the range of God’s will.

Jesus says the kingdom of God is…

Already here on earth (Luke 21:31, 22:18), already present (Luke 17:21, John 18:36-37) and available to those who seek it with all their hearts (Matthew 6:13, 11:12, Luke 16:16). Those that seek it and find it in Christ will find Romans 8:28 and 35-39 true: that everything works together for the good of those who love God and nothing can cut them off from the love of God.

The Vision of the Gospel

The vision of spiritual formation into Christlikeness is the vision of life now and forever in the range of God’s effective will. The privilege of the gospel is that we get to participate in what God is doing now in our lifetime. The privilege of the gospel is that in everything we do we are permitted to do God’s work.

The vision of your life is not what would Jesus do if he were alive today. The vision is what Jesus would do if he was living in your flesh, with your personality, in your exact situation and circumstance… in your life and in the lives of those you encounter.

A Vision of Blessing Others

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

“‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:22-27

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. Deuteronomy 28:1-8

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35