Discipleship is a Mothers greatest gift to her child. This is why discipleship is important to God and why it is still his primary tool for making followers of Christ. So, how do we know when we are being discipled by God through the Holy Spirit? Who and what is God using to aid this process? Well, here are a few things to consider.
Discipleship is WHEN…
- When circumstances in your life shift from being easily managed to challenging.
- When walking by faith requires effort and spiritual disciplines to maintain.
- When your sin exposes you and you wrestle with repentance OR your courageous steps of faith requires you to embrace its challenging consequences.
- When those closest to you don’t believe in you.
- When those closest to you become those, you no longer relate to or fully trust.
- When those closest to you discards your growth and rather desires your fall.
- When what worked for you before (practically or spiritually) doesn’t work for you anymore and you’re forced to seek God AFRESH.
- When waiting on God is not a personal choice but rather a divine decision.
- When your character becomes your worst enemy.
- When the word of God and the presence of the Lord become your most trusted place of peace and affirmation.
- When your faith forces you to walk alone before an audience of ONE, Jesus Christ.
- When everything in life (in the natural) seems to be changing and dying while everything in the spirit is flourishing and growing with new life.
Quality discipleship doesn’t always feel good, yet ALL discipleship is a work of LOVE.
- Parents disciple their children
- Teachers disciple their students
- Pastors disciple their members
- God disciple his spiritual children
Hebrews 12:5-7
5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.” 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons.
For what son is not disciplined by his father?
Essentially, Believers must learn to embrace discipleship as a part of the “TRANSFORMING LIFE” in Christ. When we resist discipleship we end up going through life not fully understanding its purpose, and our purpose in it as children of God. Consequently, we merely EXIST through life from day to day pursuing abundance or a life of ease free from accountability of our thoughts and actions or, we simply try to make the most out of the life we believe we’ve been handed. Trust me when I say, “This is NOT the abundant life in Christ Jesus was speaking of.
John 10:9-11
9 I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
The journey of every child of God should be an ADVENTURE, one that is growing and evolving more and more into the image of Christ our Savior in…
- His Purpose
- His Presence
- His Power
- and His Authority
Discipleship is the molding hands of the potter with his clay. It is the chisel in the hands of the sculptor. It is the perfect brush in the hands of the painter and with each touch; he defines, shapes, and etches out a MASTERPIECE, beautiful, unique and a vision that was always in the heart and mind of the creator.
The key to being discipled well is to not resist it, not judge it, and not misinterpret its work! James says it best…
James 1:1-8
Trials and Temptations
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
You see, There’s truly a “Means to the Madness.” Your goal in discipleship is to be alert, present and submitted like an obedient child. Our hills and valleys in life are not just for us to get through them, but rather to “POSITION US” to receive divine revelation while we are on the beautiful hills and in the dark valleys so that we might be TRANSFORMED to ENDURE them well with the power, spirit, and glory of Christ. Discipleship is the life of every child of God and it is to our benefit to regularly inquire of God about what he wants to make out of our lives. What is important to remember about discipleship is that its work will begin in our heart because that’s the ground where ALL seeds are planted (both good and bad) and prayerfully as each seed from God grows, it will eventually manifest in our lives.
God develops from the “INSIDE OUT.” If we focus and trust in the work and not the painful process, we are sure to reap a great reward.
1Corin. 13:10-12
Love
…10but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. 12Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Prayer:
Oh Lord and Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me as you do and always wanting the best for my life. Help me to submit to your discipleship hand. Help me to be courageous and not fear the things you desire for me. Help me embrace the faith and suffering that is required to produce every good work out of my heart and life. Let that good work be in me just as you desired. In Jesus name I pray, AMEN.
Karen Gaithers-Life Discipleship 