TIME TO GROW UP...

“If racing against mere men makes you tired,

how will you race against horses?

If you stumble and fall on open ground,

what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?

Jeremiah 12:5

To run with horses I believe, means to operate at a higher level in all areas of life. It means to climb up to at a certain level of maturity, both spiritually and physically.

Higher is defined as having a relatively great elevation; extending far upward: a high mountain; a high tower.

To run can be defined as: to move swiftly on foot so that both feet leave the ground during each stride; or to move at a fast gallop, used of a horse, or to move without hindrance or restraint. To run can also mean to move, roll or progress from momentum or from being hurled, kicked or otherwise propelled or to cause to increase; rise.

To operate at a higher level, means to GROW UP physically and spiritually. Spiritually being top priority. To grow up also means that we become responsible and accountable for our lives and actions and indeed our salvation (shock horror! I hear the gasps!). It also means to become mature in the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the things of God and his will in our lives.

The dictionary describes grow as to: develop or come into existence from; or to increase in amount or degree, or intensify.

Just like children, we must start as a baby in Christ, and then a toddler and a young adult and then a fully grown man / woman. We must eventually grow up and mature in all areas as we grow physically; in mannerism, in speech, in behaviour, responsibility, in wisdom and in accountability.

As believers, we are started off being milk-fed the word of God, such as described in 1 Peter 2:2: which reads "Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment"

However, we are NOT meant to stay on this type of liquid foods forever. There comes a time when we HAVE to start eating solid food, to chew on the solid meat that is the word of God; so that we can grow, become mature, in spirit, body (not fat, but healthy as a living temple), and in mind. This we are taught and encouraged to do in Hebrews 5:13-14, which reads: “13For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! 14But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.”

To rise up to a higher level and platform that enables and equips us to run with horses, we must firstly take stock of where we are in God and then make a decision and be willing to go up higher and press much further into the process of maturity.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 gives us a glimpse of what it means when we are still acting and behaving in the realms of immaturity. It reads "1However, brethren I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as to nonspiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ [unable to talk yet!] 2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it], 3For you are still [unspiritual, having the nature] of the flesh [under the control of ordinary impulses]. For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy and wrangling and factions among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves after a human standard and like mere (unchanged) men?".

From the scripture above, immaturity means to operate under the control and influence of the flesh and to emit its fruits which include (amongst others): jealousy, fighting, lying, disobedience and irresponsibility.


To grow and become mature enough to run with horses, we can do so by taking responsibility in the following areas of our lives:

1. Study the word of God as we are taught in 2 Timothy 2:15; 3: 16-17. so that we can:

• Increase in knowledge
• verify the messages we hear and read, making sure it is aligned with God's word. For example, the notes we take in church on Sundays or mid-week services, what have we done with them, have we checked them over, referred to the bible to see if they are true? and the messages we bought on tape, CD and downloaded via podcast, have we verified the authenticity?
• be changed from within, so we can be more like Jesus as described in Romans 8:29

2. Implement the word of God. We must not just be hearers or readers of God's word, but also doers, which means to implement it daily into our lives, as we are taught in James 1:22, which reads "But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves".

3. We must be obedient to God's word. When we implement God's word, it allows us to practice the act of obedience to that which we read, hear and that which he reveals to us, as we are taught in 1 John 2:5-6 . Our obedience to God's word, shows that we love him as Jesus speaks in John14:15.

4. Seek counsel of the Holy spirit before setting into action, or going on about our daily lives, we must take time to seek the counsel of the Holy Spirit for guidance and help to walk in God's will.

5. Respect God's temple. we must strive to treat our bodies (physically, mind and spirit) as the temple of God as we are taught in Romans 8:6 and Philippians 4:8.

6. Focus and keep pressing forward as Paul encourages us in Philippians 3:13&14 which reads "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Doing this helps us to keep striving for what lies ahead, full of faith and hope in God’s word.

7. Love as God loves us as David the Psalmist explains in Psalm 36:7 which reads "How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings".
These are just a few things we can do, to help kick start the process of spiritual and physical maturity in Jesus Christ.

So, do you really mean business with your relationship with God, and not into playing religious games or living a life of meritocracy? Then I invite you to conjure up a deep hunger from within for the meaty word of God. I invite you to press deeper, delve into his very presence with reckless abandon, so you can experience the full ramifications and intricacies of what it means to run with horses; and to be led constantly by God.

I invite you to climb higher to fully experience what it means to work with God and the angels to bring to fruition God’s word for everything concerning you and the advancement of his kingdom.

Have an awesome time learning and growing, and indeed running with horses, whilst making God famous along your way.

Much Love

Remi Banjo
***pictures by photobucket***