WHO IS A DISCIPLE

1. Disciples are obedient and free : If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. You will know the truth and the truth will make you free even releasing you from the bondage of church structures and traditions. Freedom is not to do your own thing but to fulfill the will of God. (Gal. 5:13-14; Jn. 8:31-32; Col. 2:8)

2. Disciples are expert fishers of men : Yeshua first called new believers to follow him. When these followers were under training he called them disciples but when they started going out as fishers of men, he called them apostles. There is a distinct graduation from a believer, to a follower, to a disciple and finally an apostle. (Matt. 4:19-10:1,2; Mark 1:17-3:14-6:30; Luke 5:10-6:1,13)

3. Disciples have abundant lasting fruit : Yeshua said, ‘My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit; then you will be My disciples’... ‘I have chosen you and ordained you that you may go and bring ‘fruit that remains’. We will not be known by our righteousness but by our fruit. (John15:8,16;Mat 7:16;Isa. 64:6)

4. Disciples have the power and authority to ‘bind and to lose’ over all the power of the enemy. Disciples plunder the strongholds of the strongman and gather the harvest. (Luke 10:19; Matt.12:29,30; 18:18)

5. Disciples are tradition breakers : When the rituals, practices and the traditions of the church transgress the commandments of God, they do not hesitate to obey God. (Matt. 15:1-8; Acts 4:19-20; Jer. 1:5-10)

6. Disciples love Yeshua more than anybody else : If you love your parents, wife, children, brothers, sisters, property and even your own life more than Me, you cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26; Mat. 6:33; 19:21)

7. Disciples are willing to pay the price : Whoever does not bear his cross daily and come after Me, cannot be My disciple. Likewise, whoever does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:27, 33)

8. Disciples love each other : Yeshua commanded that you love one another, just as I have loved you. By this shall all people know that you are My disciples because you love one another. (John 13:34-35)

9. Disciples take care of the environment : Yeshua did not die just to save souls but also to reconcile the whole creation which is travailing and eagerly waiting for the disciples, the sons of God and take care of their Father’s creation. (Col. 1:20; Rom. 8:14-23; 2 Cor. 5:17-19)

10. Disciples do greater works than Yeshua : Yeshua healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead and preached the gospel. He left the greater task of gathering the harvest to His disciples. (John 14:6)

11. Disciples rule the earth : Yeshua died to make us kings and priests to reign on earth. Through intercession and acts of mercy we rebuild the lives of hurting people and rule the earth. (Rev. 5:10; Isa. 58:6-12; Matt. 25:31-46)

12. The task does not finish with making disciples (learners) but they must be upgraded into saints who birth  generations of disciplers, baptizers, equippers and senders. (Matt.28:19; Eph. 4:12; 2Tim. 2:2)