By definition, a disciple is a follower, someone who acknowledges teachings and helps spread them. A Christian follower or disciple is someone who accepts the good news of Jesus Christ and helps spread it. Christian discipleship is the process of growing disciples or followers in the Lord Jesus Christ and being equipped by the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts to overcome the pressures and problems of our current lives and thereby become more and more Christlike . This process requires believers to respond to the urging of the Holy Spirit and examine and compare their thoughts, words, and actions with the Word of God. This requires being in, studying, praying about, and obeying the Word of God daily. In addition, we should always be ready to testify to the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15) and support others in this journey. According to Scripture, Christian discipleship involves personal growth, which is characterized as follows:
1. Putting Jesus first in all things (Mark 8:34-38). The follower of Christ must separate himself from the world. Our focus should be on our Lord and pleasing Him in all areas of our lives. We must turn off our self-centeredness and embrace Christ-centeredness.
2. Follow Jesus' teachings (John 8:31-32). We must be obedient children and exercise the word. Obedience is the supreme test of our faith in God (1 Samuel 28:18) and Jesus is the perfect example of obedience as He lived a life on earth in complete obedience to the Father, even unto death (Philippians 2:6 -8th).
3. Fertility (John 15:5-8). Our job is not to produce fruit. Our job is to abide in Christ, and when we do that, the Holy Spirit brings forth the fruits, and those fruits are the result of our obedience. As we become increasingly obedient to the Lord and learn to walk in God's way, our lives will change. The greatest change will take place in our hearts, and the overflow from that will be new behavior (thoughts, words, and actions) that represent the change. The change we seek happens from the inside out, through the power of the Holy Spirit. It's not something we can conjure up ourselves.
4. Love for other followers (John 13:34-35). We are told that love for other believers is proof that we belong to God's family (1 John 3:10). Love is defined and carried out in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. These verses show us that love is not an emotion; it is an action. We have to do something and be involved in the process. In addition, we should value others more than ourselves and work for their interests (Philippians 2:3-4). The next verse in Philippians (verse 5) really sums up what we should do when it comes to all things in life: "Be of the mind of the fellowship in Christ Jesus." What a perfect example he is for us in everything we are to do on our Christian walk.
5. Evangelism - making others followers (Matthew 28:18-20). We are to share our faith and tell non-believers about the wonderful changes that Jesus Christ has made in our lives. No matter our level of maturity in the Christian life, we have something to offer. Too often we believe Satan's lie that we don't know enough or that we haven't been Christians long enough to make a difference. That's not true! Some of the most enthusiastic exponents of the Christian life are new believers who have just discovered the great love of God. They may not yet know much about the Bible verses or how to say things "correctly," but they have experienced the love of the living God, and that is exactly what we should share.
Enthusiasm about the experienced love of the living God
Are you excited about our great God? And you don't know what to do with it or what to do with it? Then ask God, who loves to give, for opportunities. And don't worry about what appears to be the correct form. Because "what the heart is full of, the mouth overflows". (Luke 6:45)
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