BEING CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST

UNLEASHED

ERIC MASON

nashville, tennessee

Copyright © 2015 by Eric Mason

All rights reserved.

978-1-4336-8747-1

Published by B&H Publishing Group,

Nashville, Tennessee

Dewey Decimal Classification: 248.84

Subject Heading: CHRISTIAN LIFE \ DISCIPLESHIP \ SPIRITUAL LIFE

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is taken from the English Standard Version, (esv) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv Text Edition: 2007. All rights reserved.

Also used: New Living Translation (nlt), copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Also used: New American Standard Bible (nasb), the Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, used by permission.

Also used: New Revised Standard Version Bible (nrsv), copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Also used: King James Version (kjv) which is public domain.

I dedicate this book to my pastor and his wife and my church, Drs. Tony and Lois Evans and the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship church family, who contributed the most on a practical learning level in the journey of my wife and I throughout this book. Between the years of 1995–2000 and 2002–2004, we grew deeply in this ministry as God used it as a tool in our maturity that is still bearing fruit. Thank you!

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1: Gospel Growth

Chapter 2: The Holy Spirit’s Role in Our Growth

Chapter 3: Faith and Repentance

Chapter 4: Grown by the Word of God

Chapter 5: Prayer

Chapter 6: The Role of Suffering in Sanctification

Chapter 7: Strongholds: Unleashed from the Hindrances to Growth

Chapter 8: Marriage and Spiritual Growth

Chapter 9: The Local Church and Spiritual Growth

Chapter 10: Conclusion: When It’s All Said and Done

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to the whole B&H and LifeWay staff, particularly Devin Maddox and Kim Stanford for working through this document. Andrew Wolgemuth, you and your team have been very helpful in helping me work through the particulars of getting this done.

Thanks also to Dr. D. A. Carson and Dr. John Piper for giving me some thoughts on writing a work like this. Jeremiah, thank you for assisting me in getting stuff done.

Epiphany Fellowship Church body, the pastors, and staff, thank you for allowing me the bandwidth to write and put out material that will hopefully lead people to Jesus and edify the larger body of Christ in Jesus.

Preface

In city neighborhoods, you can find people hanging out outside. Especially in the spring, summer, and early fall. People will hang until the wee hours of the night talking, laughing, arguing, people-watching, or being up to no good. Hearing the stories of men and women who hang out there, you will find that some of the most gifted people have had major opportunities that ...