Am I growing? What are some markers of sanctification?

By Elizabeth Prata

How do we know we’re growing in Christ? How do we know the Holy Spirit is at work in us?

Firstly, because if you’re genuinely saved, you know He is because He said He would be. It’s a matter of faith and trust in believing what God says He will do, He will do.

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

Secondly, because we look back. If you sit on your lawn and stare at the grass, you cannot see it growing. But go away for the weekend and arriving home, suddenly you can see it’s grown 2 inches and needs a mow!

Our sanctification may be fast or slow, hurtle along steadily or go in chugs and fits, but it’s happening.

Finally then, brothers and sisters, we request and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel even more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1).

Of course, it doesn’t happen passively, with God dripping down holiness to our mind and heart. We participate in this sanctifying work. There are verbs for us in this process, verbs such as walk, pursue, slay, cleanse… We are active in the sanctifying work.

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1).

I sometimes despair, like Paul did, that I am a wretched woman, sick of my sin, pleading ‘who will deliver me from this body of death?!’ But then I find a marker on my walk. We do not have a personal roadmap to see the way ahead, but we know that if we stay within the guardrails of His commands and pursue holiness, our steps will be directed forward.

Establish my steps in Your word, And do not let any wickedness overpower me. (Psalm 119:33).

I’ll share a few personal insights to some of the markers that show me the Spirit is alive and working inside me.

1. Prayer moves me. It’s mind-blowing to think that we can clasp our hands, bend our heads, and speak to the Majestic, Powerful God above, and He eagerly listens! This makes my eyes tear up every time. Before I was saved, I cared not for any of the things God cares about, and I certainly didn’t speak to Him. I suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. Now I am moved just at the thought I can petition Him.

2. Some particular Bible verses move me. All the Bible’s word is emotional, causing conviction or rejoicing in my heart. But there are a few I just don’t know why they bring me to tears every time I read them. One is Zechariah 1:11, the scene of the Man among the Myrtles. It brings me to tears. Why should such unremarkable words bring me to my knees? It must be the Spirit. I’ve long ceased trying to figure to out.

Another one is the verse from Acts 2:27/Psalm 16:10, FOR YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.

Thinking of our precious Savior’s body moldering in the tomb is beyond infinitely grievous to my soul.

Lastly for the purposes of this essay, the nickname Dayspring for our Lord. It also moves me. It’s the King James version that uses the word dayspring, it’s now an archaic word and we usually just say ‘dawn’ or ‘sunrise’.

Why should so old and innocuous a word move my spirit? It can only be because the Spirit is alive and working within me. The Holy Spirit rejoices at the Dayspring Himself, and so must I.

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, (Luke 1:78 KJV)

Here is a rabbit trail into MacLaren’s Expositions on ZACHARIAS’S HYMN: THE DAYSPRING FROM ON HIGH, Luke 1:78 – Luke 1:79.

“As the dawn is ushered in by the notes of birds, so the rising of the Sun of Righteousness was heralded by song, Mary and Zacharias brought their praises and welcome to the unborn Christ, the angels hovered with heavenly music over His cradle, and Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed it. The human members of this choir may be regarded as the last of the psalmists and prophets, and the first of Christian singers.”

Look back on your road of sanctification. See what markers of progress you find. Books you own but now see aren’t as healthy or edifying as you once thought? Movies where the language or certain scenes now bother you? Old tee shirts with slogans you now find corrupt? Verses which move you, ones that ‘leap off the page,’ or stick in your head?

If the Spirit is in us, He will be working on our corrupt nature, slowly siphoning off the dross and cleansing the heart ever purer.

Oh what a day it will be when we are finally purified, glorified, and no sin in us! And it is due to Him who died for His people, love beyond words.