Apostle Allison Smith Conliff shares on the spiritual necessity of humility and sincerity. Drawing from Matthew 6, the sermon cautions the congregation against "performative" faith, specifically advising that acts of charity and prayer should be done in secret rather than to gain public approval. The Apostle highlights fasting and prayer as essential tools for recharging one’s spiritual life and quieting the ego to remain sensitive to God’s guidance. By using metaphors of cell phone batteries and power cords, the Apostle illustrates that believers must consistently stay connected to their divine source to avoid spiritual dysfunction. The service concludes with a call for genuine revival, urging attendees to abandon pride and embrace a life of service and disciplined devotion.

Key Points:

The distinction between performative religious acts and secret devotion defines spiritual maturity as the transition from seeking human applause to seeking a sincere connection with God. True maturity requires a believer to move away from "good theater", acts performed publicly to receive an "earthly pat on the back", and instead embrace a private, disciplined spiritual life.

The Apostle describes performative religious acts as "play-acting" or hypocrisy, where individuals use the church or street corners as a stage to draw attention to their piety. This behavior is seen as a lack of maturity because:

• It prioritizes earthly rewards: Doing good deeds or giving alms to be seen by men results in having no reward from God.
• It is rooted in pride: Performative acts often involve "sounding a trumpet" about one's own charitable deeds to make oneself look good, which is linked to the same pride that caused Lucifer’s fall.
• It lacks authenticity: People may act compassionate only when someone is watching, but "churchy" behavior that disappears once someone leaves the building is not true spirituality.

Spiritual maturity is characterized by secret devotion, which is defined as "entering into thy closet" to pray and giving such that the "left hand knoweth not what thy right hand doeth". This defines maturity through several key concepts:

• Authentic Connection: Mature believers prioritize "recharging" their spiritual battery in private. Just as a phone must be plugged in to work, a believer must spend time in the "secret place" to avoid "dysfunction" and to receive "downloads from heaven".
• Humility and Waiting: Maturity involves throwing off pride and recognizing total dependence on God's strength rather than one's own. A mature individual is willing to "wait upon the Lord," understanding that humility opens doors that pride shuts.
• Sincerity in Service: A mature person expresses the character of God regardless of the task, whether it is "preaching the gospel" or "sweeping the church," doing both with equal dedication because they are serving God, not an audience.

Maturity is maintained through the discipline of fasting and prayer, which "quiets the flesh" and makes one sensitive to the Spirit. Choosing to spend time "locked up" in prayer rather than "playing" on a phone represents a mature commitment to spiritual growth over superficial performance. God, who "seeth in secret," rewards this genuine devotion openly, whereas the "theater" of performative religion receives nothing more than temporary human applause.

Rec. Date: 7th May, 2023