7 Habits of Highly Effective BelieversSample

Habit #7 is being committed to growth.

Former Navy Seal and ultra-marathon runner David Goggins performed 67,000 pull-ups as he trained to break the Guinness world record for most pull-ups in a 24-hour period. In order for David to get that record, he had to be committed to growth.

When you hear the word growth, what comes to mind for you?

Today is our 7th and final day together. I wonder how you are feeling as you reflected upon each day? I wonder what each day, each habit has inspired you to do? I wonder if you have a new vision and outlook for your life?

As you take the time to dig deeper into each one of these habits, let’s look to the verse that amplifies growth.

'And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.' - Luke 2:52

I’ve heard this verse thousands of times. I thought I knew what this verse was all about, but let’s break this down as it applies to habit #7.

First of all, this is all about Jesus. Jesus was committed to growth, but what really got me interested was how.

Growth area #1: Jesus grew in Wisdom

Proverbs 4:7 says, 'Wisdom is supreme — so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding.”

Proverbs 8:11 says, “For wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing desirable can equal it.”

James 3:17 says, "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.”

When we look at Jesus, I love that He shows us what to focus on. He knew the importance of wisdom in the scriptures and committed himself to it. Wisdom can come in many forms, which is why I love James 3:17 so much. It says to focus on the wisdom from above—God’s wisdom. He then shares what Godly wisdom will bring to your life.

Once you create the habit of Godly wisdom in your life, then add additional forms of wisdom. These can be mentors, coaches, books, podcasts, courses, school, life experiences, and so much more.

The book of Proverbs says that wisdom calls out from the highest points of the city. You need to ask yourself, “Am I listening?”

What does Godly wisdom look like to you?

What do you need to start doing?

What do you need to stop doing?

When will you begin this new habit? Don’t forget to set a date. Without a start date, it’s not a goal, it’s a dream.

Growth area #2: Jesus Grew in Stature (Physically)

Jesus prepared his body for the work to which He knew He was called to. If you are imitators of Christ and effective believers, let’s look at what the scriptures say.

'Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.' 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

'Our lives last seventy years or, if we are strong, eighty years. Even the best of them are struggle and sorrow; indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away. ' Psalms 90:10

'There is no soundness in my body because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. ' Psalms 38:3

I don’t like working out. I don’t like eating healthy, and I don’t like always trying to live without sin. I like the rewards of working out, eating healthy, and living a life that represents Jesus. Those rewards are rich, and I love them.

Your physical body is just as much a witness for Jesus as your mind. I want to challenge you to dig deep into this area. I want to challenge growth in this area.

What does growth in this area look like to you?

What do you need to stop doing?

What do you need to start doing?

What excuses are you allowing?

When will you start?

Growth Area #3: Jesus Grew in Favor with God

Jesus knew His assignment on Earth. Therefore, He was committed to his spiritual life. There are many instances (Matthew 26:36, Matthew 14:23, Mark 6:46) in the Bible where Jesus “went away to pray.” Jesus knew the impact of his assignment and his spiritual growth.

What about you? What would growth look like in your life spiritually?

What do you need to start doing spiritually?

What are the roadblocks you need to overcome to grow in this area?

As you reflect on those questions, let me share a little of my story.

I’ve been horrible throughout the years in my spiritual life. This is what I noticed. When life is good, I’m not spiritual. When life goes bad, I’m super-spiritual. I wanted that to change, so here’s what I did.

1. Get around people who enhance your life spiritually. Meaning that they actually read the Bible and have dedicated times in their day (and calendar) when they pray and read God’s Word. Get challenged.
2. Take action. It starts with you. No one can make you do it. There is never a perfect time to start. Just start.
3. Set small goals. I started out with 10 minutes of devotional time and built it up to an hour. Commit to growth. Join my spiritual accountability group if you want more help in this area.

Growth Area #4: Jesus Grew in Favor with Man

In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus breaks down what you need to do. He first says, “Love God,” followed by “Love people.”

It all starts with loving people if you want to become an effective believer and grow in the area of favor.

I remember my college football coach. He was a tough guy. He came off as a mean guy. I loved the guy. I also found an immense amount of favor from him. I sacrificed every pain in my body to get on that field. My coach saw it, and he showed me favor. When the season started, I was one of two freshmen who played and traveled with the team.

The book of Ruth is a story about favor. Ruth gave Boaz respect and found favor with him. In the end, Ruth became part of the lineage of Jesus.

Can you see how favor is linked to love in your own life?

What do you need to do to grow in the area of favor?

What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you right now?

What do you need to do but are afraid to do it?

The more you commit yourself to growth, the more effective you will become as a believer. You got this!

Let me know what resonated with you the most.

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Rooting for you.
Praying with you.

Coach Anthony Thompson

Feel free to email me at: anthony@thompson.is or message me on social media @anthonythomps0n. For more information, resources and community, head over to http://anthonythompson.org