Simple Disciple Maker Plan part 3 of 4

Simple Disciple Maker Plan part 3 of 4 - Christian Character

Review:
A disciple of Jesus is one who is learning to: Know God, be like Jesus in Character and Minister to others. A disciple maker is teaching & encouraging the disciple in those three things, making sure the disciple grows and reaches the goal of maturity and balance in all three. The second is as follows:

2. The journey to be like Christ in our character. This journey is also twofold, like two wings on a bird and if we are strong in both we fly high if not we fly in circles or never fly. The 2 parts are getting rid of the fruit of the flesh and growing in the fruit of the Spirit.

“Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other.. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16,17,25

A. Put off & Get rid of the sin. Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:17-5:20; Colossians 3:5-11. Romans 6-8, 1 Pet 1:13-15 & 2:1,11etc.

How strong do you want this wing of resisting temptation and living a holy life to be?

B. Put on and Grow in the fruit of the Spirit: The Nine Fruit of the Spirit – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.” Galatians 5:22. Also see Ephesians 4:1,2,15; Colossians 3:1-4,12-17; Romans 6-8; Hebrews 12:1-4, etc.

How strong do you want this wing of bearing fruit and living a spirit filled to be?


Avoid errors & getting out of balance:

The out of balance legalist - focusing on the struggle against sin and neglecting the Spirit. (Col 2:20-23, etc.)

The out of balance liberal - focusing on the grace and neglecting the struggle against sin. (Jude 1:4, Rom 6, etc.)

How balanced are you?

A disciple maker can only reproduce him/herself. To the extent we have grown we can help others grow to this same level.

Jesus is our supreme example of living on this earth in this world in perfect holiness and fullness in the fruit of the Spirit. The apostles are our secondary example, and third is someone in your life now.

Jesus said follow me in this (Mt 4:19; Lk 9:23,24; Jn 10:27), the Apostles said follow us as we follow Christ (1 Cor 11:11; Php 3:17) and follow your leader’s example (Titus 2:7; 1 Tim 4:12) Study their lives in Scripture.

Whom has God placed in your life to help you become more like Christ? Follow their example as they follow Jesus and if in some area they are not following Jesus then don’t follow them in that area.

Whom has God put into your life to help become more like Christ? Be a disciple maker and make them into a disciple of Jesus.

How far do you want to grow in being like Christ?

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8

Thus Christian character comes from our knowing God and to the extent that we apply it and work it out in our own lives this knowledge of God gains in productivity.


“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:6
“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling” Philippians 2:12

May the Lord bless & make you a disciple and a disciple maker,

Disciple Maker