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“AND YOU SHALL BE MY DISCIPLES”
A Disciple’s Devotional Guide
Be a disciple of Jesus and become His disciple-maker.
In order to follow Jesus, you really have to follow Him. Join God in what He is doing.
(This is a 37 part Bible-based guide to following Jesus and being His disciple.)
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, “Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
I have been a practicing Christian since 1978. My walk as a Christian has not always been steady nor has it been always “pretty”. Then, I discovered the ‘secret’ of becoming a disciple of Jesus, and to my dismay, I also discovered it is impossible to do what Jesus commanded – on my own. But then, so is everything that Jesus commanded. Impossible, that is, to the natural man or woman.
It is only possible to become a disciple, a true follower of Jesus, by completely surrendering your life to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to inhabit you, guide you, teach you and provide you with His spiritual gifts. It is God who does the work through a humbled and surrendered person.
God, alone, is the miracle worker. We are simply the conduit, simply His vessel. So, we confess, as the Apostle Peter said:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
This began as a personal journey and a Bible study to learn about being a true disciple of Jesus. I found seventy-two disciplines which mark a disciple of Jesus. This is not a list to be followed nor is it a formula to be worked. It is a frank and honest evaluation of what it takes to follow Jesus – we must honestly and completely submit ourselves to His Will.
It will take effort on the Believer’s part, both of (#1) spiritual discipline and the effort of (#2) practical application.
Please join me, and let’s all pray as we undertake the “impossible” and watch for His Miracle!
“With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27
This is a portal leading to “THE DOOR“
I encourage the reader to view this as a pamphlet about the supernatural. The principles contained in the study are from the Bible, the portal into the supernatural realm of God.
The chapters offer simple, practical insights into what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. But, what one should quickly realize is that it is impossible for the natural mind to perform the tasks and to assume the mindset required.
It is only by complete submission to Christ – mind, body and soul – and by way of a fervent and diligent and search, will one actually have any chance of finding his or her way into the ranks of the true disciples of Jesus.
I would suggest you read and practice the principals in this book, not as one would read an instruction book looking for a magic formula, but rather, read it as a means to remove those things from your life which are obstacles and barriers, obscuring THE DOOR, the PORTAL into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Godspeed.
LESSON #1
AND YOU SHALL BE MY DISCIPLES – Lesson #1
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- Repent
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“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The greatest pronouncement and call to readiness for all Christians: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The hour has arrived. Final preparations are being made. Ready yourself for the Heaven’s final assault upon the earth. Satan is to be defeated and you and I are part of God’s invading force.
This is not a metaphor. It is not hyperbole. It is the literal call from God through His Son, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Repent, in the Biblical sense, literally means, “To change one’s mind; to change one’s mind for the better” and it comes from two root words which mean, “Hereafter, have this understanding or perception”.
Repenting is the act of changing your mind which means your mindset, your values, and your worldview is changed. Some would say you then live by new standards. But it is much greater than just living by new standards.
A person of sound mind cannot simultaneously think one thing and do another, repentance results in a complete change of mind and direction of one’s life.
Another way of saying this is, “As a man or woman thinks, so are they”.
BOTH A COMMAND AND A PROPHETIC WORD
Interestingly, Jesus, the Son of God, in fact God Himself, said these very words which are recorded in Matthew 4:17. Remembering, this is both a Command and a prophetic Word from God.
Jesus said this is what we are to do – Repent – in order to become His disciple and to follow Him, and, this is what will happen is we repent.
The disciples echoed and repeated these very words as they continued to do the Works of God, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is now at hand”.
Jesus says for each of us to “repent” as an act of our will and that Repentance will allow the Holy Spirit to come into our bodies, our minds and regenerate our spirits. We will become One with Him.
Our fleshly desires begin to fade, and our new desires emanate from the Holy Spirit of God. It is not us producing Spiritual Fruit, it is from The Holy Spirit, and it should pour out of us, liberally.
We begin to desire the Things of God. We are made new, and we can now walk with certainty, with purpose and power in our New Life.
MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Once we “Repent”, our new desires move us to a new way of living, new actions, which are the direct manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance means it is no long you or I who live, but it is Christ, literally, living in us.
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”
If you are living in the sin of doubt or fear, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
If you are living under the oppression of poverty, sickness, lack or want, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Rise up. Proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness, help all who are ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; heal them all. Matthew 4:24
Go and tell others this exceedingly Good News, telling them to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
HOW MUST YOU DO IT? _____________________________________
HOW MUST YOU TEACH IT? _________________________________
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
PS: This is not “name-it-and-claim-it” theology. It is DOING what the Bible says to DO. Pray, meditate on God’s Word, speak His Word, practice His Word.
Whitestone Fellowship 