A True Disciple

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, 

yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  

2 Corinthians 4:16

A true disciple of Jesus is readily adaptable and responsive to the direction of the Holy Spirit. We are not set in our own selfish ways. We have prepared our spiritual vessel (our "wineskin") to receive the "new wine" (new things God is doing). 

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break , and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.   Matthew 9:17

A true disciple is God-dependent rather than self-dependent. This disciple is spiritually rather than selfishly motivated. We are excited about the work of God and involved in the Kingdom of God.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Proverb 3:5

A true disciple is willing to act...even take risks of faith... and take responsibility for our  actions. A true disciple is stable, loyal, and instead of revenge in times of crisis, we seek a solution. We are command-oriented rather than need-oriented. We do not manipulate and exploit others. We are compassionate, loving, involved in and excited about the work of the Kingdom.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

A discipled church is spiritually renewed. A discipled church is motivated, set aflame with love and compassion for the lost. It is composed of a group of people actively involved in the fulfilling of the Great Commission. It has a Kingdom rather than a denominational mentality. 

A discipled church is a worshiping, revived church 

filled with the demonstration of the power and glory of God.

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15

Once there was a famous scientist named Sir Isaac Newton. He studied and recorded the natural law of motion. The first law of motion was that...

"A body in motion tends to remain in motion and a body at rest tends to remain at rest."

This is also true spiritually.  People will remain indifferent, unconcerned, and inactive unless motivated and mobilized for the work of the Kingdom.

This is where the ministry of a true disciple comes in. A true disciple is one who mobilizes others. But in order to do this he must first be discipled himself. A discipled person then mobilizes others by example and encouragement rather than force and fear.

A true disciple is committed to the specific task of the Great Commission. We concentrate on concerns outside of our self and our own personal and selfish needs. We are not an organizational people. We are not a denominational people. We are a Kingdom people. Our purpose, goals, and objectives focus on the Kingdom of God.

A disciple equips others for the work of the ministry by challenging them with spiritual vision, grounding them in foundations of faith, and challenging them to spiritual reproduction. We help people discover and release their potential without feeling threatened by their spiritual growth and advancement in the Kingdom of God.

Actually, the spiritual leaders which God sets in the church as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are all to be mobilizers. 

Their purpose is to "equip" others for the work of the ministry. 

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Ephesians 4:11-12

A true leader never views people as inanimate objects to be used to get something done. We know that mobilization involves more than saying "do this" and having a person do it. We recognize that other people are created in the image of God and not "things" to be used, even in the work of the Kingdom.

A true disciple is courageous in the face of opposition and has a deep spiritual experience. Our life has been touched by God's power and glory. We walk in integrity and maintains a close, personal relationship with the Lord.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Joshua, the man chosen by God to mobilize Israel to possess the Promised Land, is an excellent example of a true disciple.  He followed God under the leadership of Moses who followed God.

Many believers are spiritually dead because they have spiritually dead men preaching to them. They are inactive, passionless, indifferent, and unconcerned. If you lack a burning heart, those you lead will also lack it.

A passionless religion will not put out the fires of the enemy raging across our world today. The best way to fight fire is with fire. As Elijah understood, the wood is not enough, the altar is not enough...even our sacrifices are not enough. We must be touched by the fire of God!

Aaron was used by God to stand between the living and the dead, providing a bridge of life:

And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. Numbers 16:46-48

This is what a mobilized true disciple of God does. He stands between the dead (passive) and the living (active). He is used of God to mobilize believers to action. He carries the censor filled with the fire of God, igniting each life he touches with its flame.

Many people are trying to lead God's people and do God's work with hearts that have never been truly set ablaze or hearts that have lost their flame. Can the fire that set the desert bush ablaze in the time of Moses set our hearts aflame until we are burning for God? Can the fire that Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1) saw return to us today?  Yes it can - through the power of the Holy Spirit!

(Biblical Studies)

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08/17/22