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TEXT: MATTHEW 28: 16-20
It takes about a minute for someone to commit their heart to Jesus Christ, and make Him Lord of their life……. HELLO/WELCOME…… In fact it took less time than that for the thief on the cross to be able to enter Paradise along with the Savior. When we commit to the Lord with our entire heart, transformation is instant! At the very beginning of His ministry, the Savior was walking along the Sea of Galilee one day. He saw two bothers throwing their nets into the ocean. He said to Simon and his brother Andrew, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. We do not know how long it took for them to decide, but we do know they pulled their boat ashore, packed up their nets, and walked away from their day jobs. He most certainly did make them fishers of men, and their stories have been passed on throughout the ages. In His final meeting with His disciples before returning to heaven, He told them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on Earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” This is the Great commission! This is the ‘charge’ given to all disciples of Christ, that they should make more disciples.
If you have committed your heart to Yeshua, accepting Him as your Lord and Savior then this ‘charge’ is for you. This radical change in the lives of these men, and the abandonment of their careers was required for them in that season, and apparently was convenient. However, most of us can become disciples of Christ today, and continue working in our day jobs. Salvation makes us new, but this newness primarily starts on the inside, then flows outward.
Where then does one begin in this walk in Christ? In this two part video message I will give you 10 simple steps that will set you on your way to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. One who is guaranteed to hear, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’
- As a new convert you need Spiritual food daily. Without this Spiritual food your regenerated spirit will starve to death. And Satan will return with a vengeance. It is your soul and spirit that was regenerated and born again. The word of God says, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4).” The word of God is your roadmap as you begin your walk in Christ. We find many weak, struggling and malnourished Born Again believers on the street. This is unfortunate, because the word of God is like a huge buffet spread, and it has all the Spiritual food you need for your journey!
- Start by studying the Gospels: There is so much in the Bible that it can be overwhelming, and confusing. Most discipleship programs advise the new convert to read the Gospel of John first. It is called The Gospel of love. The four gospels are rich, yet palatable foods for the new infant in Christ. These represent the milk of God’s word, and that is where you begin. The Gospels contain the miraculous works and teachings of Jesus Christ. You will find the rest of the Bible easier to understand after reading the Gospels. The Holy Bible, contains the Old and the New testament, and is the very reliable Word of God passed on to us by God Himself. The Old testament prophesizes Christ’s coming, and covers all that happened before He came. The New testament tells us of the things that happened after He came to the Earth. If you find the phrasing of the language in the King James Version difficult to understand, then try the New King James version, you will find it easier to understand. A point of note: There are many pastors and ministers who promote their own books ahead of the word of God, and this is so wrong. The Holy Bible stands as a giant among all the tiny books of the world. Feed on it daily!
- Recognize that the Holy Spirit is now in your heart: God has thought about everything that we could possibly need as new converts. On the day of Pentecost Christ sent the Holy Spirit, who lit a torch in the hearts of the apostles and disciples. He is the one who comes into our hearts at salvation. He is still setting hearts on fire today! The Godhead consists of three persons in one, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. This is a mystery, and is the brilliance of our great God. The Holy Spirit is here on Earth with us, it is His job to be our teacher, counselor, and constant companion. His purpose is to lead us into all truth, He gives us a good understanding of the Holy Word. However, until and unless one truly repents, and sincerely makes up his mind to turn from his sin, the Holy Spirit will not enter the heart. The Holy Spirit will not occupy an unclean vessel. Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, “And you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” Seek God with all your heart, and you will find him!
- Be on the lookout for an early attack: Look out for Satan he is coming swiftly! He is your enemy, and is called, ‘the deceiver’ and ‘accuser of the brethren.’ Very often he comes as ‘an angel of light.’ In other words, he comes ‘as a wolf dressed in sheep clothing.’ I bring this to you early in the discussion, because he comes very quickly after you have committed your life to Christ. He has a plan to snatch the very word of God out of your mouth, before it takes root. The single most frequent way that this enemy lures believers of Christ away from their commitment is by causing them to take lightly the importance of studying the Word of God. The naïve, and the unlearned are easily drawn away and deceived. The one who studies God’s word daily is able to withstand his attacks. Satan only has one way access to your mind, he can speak into your mind, but he cannot read your thoughts. His mission is to steal kill and destroy, and he presents the most dangerous challenge any believer in Christ will ever face. Therefore, we are commanded to be sober and to be vigilant, for his attacks can be lethal.
- Become water baptized ASAP: More than 50% of the people that we run into during our Street Ministry who say they are born again believers in Christ, have not been water baptized! Do not take lightly the need for water baptism! John 3:5 says, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” As followers of Christ we need to be aware that the best way to follow someone is to walk in their footsteps. Jesus Christ himself was baptized by John the Baptist, who was reluctant to baptize Him at first, saying that Jesus should be baptizing him instead. Nevertheless the Lord said to John, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Becoming water baptized is a part of the righteousness that is essential for salvation. Let’s get it done! Yeshua charted a course for us to follow. Follow it carefully, do not lean upon your own notions!
- Allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse you daily: For instance, now that you are a born again believer In Christ, you might find yourself going back into your old sins! You are shocked! And satan begins to say you are not really saved! Well my friend, you most certainly are still saved! God is long suffering, this means he is patient with us. He is also loving and forgiving, otherwise none of us would ever make it. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The same blood of Jesus Christ that cleansed you when you committed your life to the Lord, is available to wash you daily, and cleanse you from all sin, until you lick those old habits! Use the blood of Jesus lavishly! However, as you ask God’s forgiveness for the sin, also ask him to strengthen you so that you do not continue to fall in the same manner! If you ask with all your heart, He will strengthen you, He will deliver you! I assure you! Nevertheless, please know that the life of the Born Again believer is not a, ‘We fall down, but we get up’ type situation.’ Yes we may fall down. But God’s Word says, “In all these things we are more than conquerors.” So when you fall down you need to repent of that behavior. Remember you have been made new! Fall upon Jesus, and plead with him to deliver you, and He will. When we sin willfully, we open ourselves up to the attack of the enemy. We become vulnerable!
Tune in next week for part two of “The One Minute Disciple Of Jesus Christ. Steps number 7 to 10 are the steps that will lead you into becoming a mature disciple of Jesus Christ! You won’t want to miss them!
