David Diga Hernandez - 7 Keys to Growing Spiritually Stronger

In order to avoid spiritual crisis, you must learn to practice the spiritual basics. I wanna say that again, and I want you to hear this. In order to avoid spiritual crisis, you must learn to practice the spiritual basics. I get messages from believers all the time telling me about one crisis or another and more often than not, after conversing with them, I discover that had they only been practicing the spiritual basics, they would have all together avoided their crisis. Now, when I talk about spiritual basics, some Christians make the mistake of imagining that talking about the basics is boring or unnecessary. They say things like, «Well, I already heard this before». Or perhaps they’d rather I teach on spiritual warfare, speaking in tongues, the spiritual gifts, miracles, the fire of the Holy Spirit, these topics that seem to excite people more. But in reality, while the other topics are good and helpful and probably more exciting to some believers, the reality is this. That we must learn to lay a firm foundation. So even if you think you know the basics, it’s always good to have reminders lest you find yourself in a spiritual crisis. So let’s take a look at the first key to spiritual growth.

Number one, the Word. As I often say, the Word, the Word, the Word, the Word. If I say it once, I’ll say it a thousand more. You must be in the Word. The Word is your foundation for spiritual growth. Your safety net. It helps to set healthy boundaries as you navigate the spiritual world. Psalm 1:2-3 say this. «But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the river bank bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither and they prosper in all they do». So those who meditate on the Word are like these trees planted by rivers of water. The scripture says that they bear fruit in each season or in every season, not just in some seasons, but in every season. Their leaves never wither and they prosper in all they do. If you want to grow spiritually, you must get in the Word. The Word of God is the substance with which the Holy Spirit creates the character of Christ in you. As you read the Word, you give the Holy Spirit something with which He can work. As you read the Word, you are giving the Holy Spirit His materials for His masterpiece, which is Christ in you. The word is foundational. The word is key. I’m not talking about the Instagram verse of the day. I’m not talking about Instagram reel preaching. I’m not talking about getting some quick advice on TikTok or on Facebook or watching a YouTube video once in a while. I’m talking about being wholly devoted to the Word, to where you are consuming the Word of God, where the Word of God is consuming you, where your mindsets are being challenged, where your nature is being transformed, where you are devoting yourself to the Word morning and night, day after day after day without skipping or missing, being wholly devoted to the Word of God. As I said, it’s your foundation. It’s your safety net. Don’t try to navigate the spiritual world without it. You need the Word.

Number two is prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, «Never stop praying». You must live in a posture of prayer throughout your every moment of every day. Prayer is essential to your spiritual growth. Now, I know you’ve likely heard this before, but my question to you is, has your prayer life increased over the last few years or months or weeks, however long you’ve known the Lord, or has it decreased? Is your prayer life stronger today than it was yesterday or is it beginning to weaken? How about your devotion to prayer? How about your discipline for prayer? Are you still carving out portions of your day for the Lord or are you beginning to allow other things in life to steal His time? Are you as consistent as you used to be? Are you as consistent as you want to be? Are you in prayer? Are you in His presence constantly, consistently? Do you retreat and go away to be with the Lord? Are you involving God in your everyday life? and really, not involving God Is as simple as not praying. Are you guarding the secret place? Do you dedicate a time to the Lord? And how well do you keep your appointments? If you’re going to grow spiritually, if you’re going to remain strong, you must be devoted to prayer consistently, faithfully. Carve out sections of your day and don’t give them up for anyone or anything else. Stubbornly refuse to give up your prayer time.

Number three, fellowship with believers. Hebrews 10:25 says, «And let us not neglect our meeting together as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near». The scripture talks about the power of the fellowship of believers. Don’t believe the lie that you don’t need to gather with other believers. Don’t believe the lie that you can substitute in person gathering with believers with online ministry. Now, I should be encouraging you to just do online ministry because that would benefit me, but because I love you, I’m gonna tell you the biblical truth. Online ministry cannot replace the true authentic in-person fellowship with believers. You may say, «Well, I don’t like the systems of religion or I don’t like organized church». Well, what has God ever done that was disorganized? Everything He will ever do is organized. Everything He will ever do involves systems. And the gathering together of the saints is no different. You need your brothers and sisters, not just a comment section, not just messages on WhatsApp. You need in-person connection, people who can connect with you, who know you, who love you, and who can keep you accountable, and who can be there to pray with you and to love you in difficult circumstances. You need the fellowship of believers. Without that fellowship, you live in spiritual isolation. You may say, «Well, all I need is the Lord». Well, the Lord through His word says you need your brothers and sisters. So if you truly are following Jesus, you will obey what His word says and therefore connect with fellow believers in Christ. We need each other. And fellowship with true believers is key to spiritual growth.

Number four, a lifestyle of repentance. 1 John 1:9 says, «But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness». Think about the fact that the scripture says that He’s faithful and just. Why is He just to forgive us? He’s just in that He’s justified to forgive us because of the finished work of the cross and He’s faithful to forgive us in that He does it consistently. A lifestyle of repentance is key to spiritual growth because a lifestyle of repentance keeps sin small. Now, when I say that, I don’t want you to think that there’s such a thing as sin that doesn’t have consequences. But we must keep sin small. What do I mean by that? I mean that when there is a giving into temptation, when there is a slip up and our minds are with our actions, we must immediately address that sin before it becomes bigger. We must immediately address that problem before it gets out of control. Now, by saying addressing it when it’s small, I am not saying that some sins are acceptable or some sins won’t have consequences. No. I’m simply saying that we must keep sin small in that we want to address it before it gets out of control. And by living a lifestyle of repentance, you won’t allow those little mess-ups to turn into habits, to turn into lifestyles that will ultimately derail your spiritual growth. So live a lifestyle of repentance. Whenever there is wrongdoing or sinful thinking, address it immediately before it becomes too big for you to control.

Number five, pray in tongues. 1 Corinthians 14 verses 2, 4, and 14 say this. «For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious». Now, watch this, verse four. «A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally. One who speaks a Word of prophecy strengthens the entire church». Verse 14:4-5, «Praying tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying». So here, remember Paul the apostle is not condemning the gift of tongues. He’s comparing the gift of tongues to the gift of prophecy. But what we do see about the gift of tongues is that when I pray in tongues, my spirit is actually being strengthened by this gift. And so when I pray in tongues, my spiritual life is strengthened. When I pray in tongues, my spiritual man is strengthened. I grow spiritually when I pray in tongues.

Number six, evangelize or a lifestyle of evangelism. Now, watch this, John 4:31–35. «Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, 'Rabbi, eat something.' But Jesus replied, 'I have a kind of food you know nothing about.'» Verse 33. «Did someone bring Him food while we were gone»? The disciples asked each other. Verse 34, «Then Jesus explained, 'My nourishment comes from doing the will of God who sent me and from finishing His work. You know the saying, four months between planting and harvest, but I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.'» Now, Jesus here just got done winning the soul of the woman at the well. When you win souls, when you evangelize, when you preach the gospel to those who’ve not heard the gospel or those who’ve not responded to the gospel, it does something for you spiritually. I can’t even begin to explain to you how energized I feel when I preach the gospel and the altar fills with people repenting of their sins and turning to Jesus. I feel like I’m spiritually fed. Your food, spiritually speaking, isn’t just the reading of the word. Your food, spiritually speaking, is also doing the will of God, and that includes evangelism. If you wanna grow spiritually, make evangelism a regular part of your everyday life.

And finally, number seven, fellowship with the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 13:14 says, «May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all». Now, notice here that the scripture says fellowship with the Holy Spirit. This implies that He’s not an it, He’s a personal being with whom I can share fellowship or communion or conversation or friendship. Now, why is this different from prayer? Well, when I talk about prayer, I’m talking about the carving out sections of your day to devote specifically to focusing on God. When I talk about friendship with the Holy Spirit or fellowship with the Holy Spirit, I’m talking about carrying on with your everyday aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to be a part of your life on a moment by moment basis. That awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit invites the reverence of the Holy Spirit and that reverence of the Holy Spirit changes the way you live when you recognize that the Holy Spirit is with you every moment of every day, whether you’re up or you’re down, whether you’re joyful or you’re sorrowful, the Holy Spirit is with you, and it is that friendship with Him, that closeness with Him, that fellowship with Him, that will help you to grow spiritually. So there’s seven keys to growing spiritually. Be in the word, have a prayer life, fellowship with believers, live a lifestyle of repentance, pray in tongues, live a lifestyle of evangelism, and number seven, fellowship with the Holy Spirit.