Category: Mission

Spiritual Transformation

Spiritual transformation is a priority with God.

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29 (NLT)

In addition to exalting his Son as Lord of Lords, Father God’s is working to transform us into Christ’s image. Christ is the exact representation of the Father; so, Father is committed to the process of gradually making us more and more like himself while we live here on planet earth. When Jesus returns, the transformation will be instantaneous and complete when we receive our new resurrection bodies.

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55  “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 (ESV)

Every day we are challenged to interact with God’s Spirit, the Scriptures, and other believers as he works from the inside out to make us more like Jesus.

Each day presents us with choices and opportunities to avail ourselves of the grace that is available to us in Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-8)

Each of us has what the Bible calls the “old man” or the “flesh,” which is the residue from the corrupt sin nature inherited from Adam. When we are born again, our spirits are transformed and joined to God’s Spirit, giving us the internal desire to love and serve God; however, the residual “flesh,” which is connected to the sin cursed pre-resurrection body, retains its antipathy towards God and his will, setting up within us a spiritual struggle that will continue until the resurrection. (Galatians 5:17 – I have written extensively about this elsewhere. If you wish to read more, click here.)

None of us is able to transform ourselves.

Misguided attempts to do so always result in the frustration of legalism. However, we do have a responsibility in the matter to cooperate with the Spirit and be open to correction from the Word of God and our brothers and sisters. This presupposes membership in a local church where we allow ourselves to be known by others and not just hide out in meetings where we can remain anonymous. (You can read more about our responsibility in spiritual transformation by clicking here.)

Ministers also are responsible before God to participate in this process. Paul told Timothy, his disciple:

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT)

Those who are wise will listen and respond.

God is also fully involved through a process called discipline. Like a good parent, he is committed to taking steps to insure that his children develop into responsible mature adults. God’s discipline can be minor or major. That is up to him. We should never presume that he will not play “hardball” with us. (Hebrews 12:5-13)

Spiritual transformation is designed to maximize God’s glory and our happiness.

God is glorified when his people reflect his character. Our joy is made complete as we become more and more like our Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer.

The missional church is committed to teaching, encouraging, and participating in this process with an attitude of love, patience, and mercy combined with a firm commitment to truth, while avoiding even a hint of legalism. (Ephesians 4:14-16)

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Spiritual Disciplines

Spiritual disciplines are an often neglected part of discipleship. I will highlight four in this article: prayer, fasting, alms giving, and service. It should be clearly understood that these disciplines do not earn or maintain for us a right standing with God. That comes by faith in Christ’s finished work, through which his right standing with God becomes our own.

Spiritual disciplines are God-given ways for us to connect with God’s heart in a greater way, which makes us more receptive to the indwelling Spirit’s voice and direction. The more we get in step with the Spirit, the more we grow and thrive as disciples.

Prayer

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6  But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:5-6 (NLT)

Prayer is a lifeline with God. It can be broken down into four types of prayer: worship, thanksgiving, petition, and intercession.

Worship opens the door for us to get in sync with God’s heart and purposes. As we focus and delight in the Lord, we grow in faith and gain his perspective, which helps us pray in line with his will. When we do that, we can be assured that our prayers will be effective. (1 John 5:14-15)

Thanksgiving is closely aligned with worship. Whereas worship focuses on God’s person, character, power, and worthiness; thanksgiving is the way we consciously and deliberately remember and show our gratitude for his many mercies and blessings. Being thankful is perhaps the most important character quality a person can have. Developing a habit of thankfulness is a primary concern for growth as a disciple. (Philippians 4:6)

Every healthy relationship involves conversational give and take. If all we do is talk during prayer and ask God for things, we miss out on a most important element of petitionary prayer – listening to God. We all have needs and desires, but not all of them are God’s best for us. If we learn to delight in him first, he will fulfill our deepest longings. (Psalm 37:4)

Intercessory prayer is when we go to bat for someone else. God loves his people to take on a Spirit inspired prayer burden for other people and the things God wants and plans to do on the earth. Jesus continually makes intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25) and delights when we join him in that ministry.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)

 

Fasting

And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17  But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18  Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:16-18 (NLT)

Good things happen when we fast; even though, it may not always seem so initially. Fasting can be done in any number of ways, from complete abstinence from food and water to some more specific sort of fast, such as limiting oneself to liquids only. Fasts can be for any duration.

The important thing with fasting is to be led by the Spirit and use the fast to set aside time to focus on and listen to God through praying and reading the Scriptures.

Sometimes fasts are directed toward a specific purpose, such as asking God for direction at a particularly confusing, difficult, or important crossroad in life. At other times, we may fast simply to draw closer to God. Fasting shows that we value God more than food itself. It is a way for us to deny ourselves in order to pursue God. As with prayer, we do not gain or maintain our right standing with God through this discipline. It is a matter of the heart.

While fasting sometimes we clearly hear God’s voice. At other times, we may seem to receive nothing. We may receive a spiritual breakthrough that may be accompanied by spiritual warfare, as God opens a door for us that Satan seeks to block. Remember that Jesus encountered severe temptations just as he completed a long fast. After conquering those temptations, he launched his public ministry.

Alms Giving

Giving is a very important part of discipleship. Jesus warned his followers that we must give up all we have to be his disciple. (Luke 14:33) Tithing was an old covenant concept that continues to be practiced by many disciples today. Generally it is understood that tithing involves giving ten percent of our “increase” or income to God. Usually this is done through the local church. The idea is that the tithe is not ours to direct; so, we put it into the hands and under the authority of church leadership.

Alms giving is when we freely give beyond the tithe at our own discretion to whatever or whomever the Spirit directs.

Jesus advocated giving to the poor, as does the Bible in general. In the Sermon on the Mount, he elevated it to the same level as prayer and fasting.

Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2  When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3  But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4  Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:1-4 (NLT)

If we are going to be disciples after Jesus’ heart, we will ask the Spirit to develop in us a generosity toward the poor combined with wisdom in how to give without inadvertently causing more harm. (See When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert.) God promises that the generous will receive abundant blessings in return.

Serving

Serving is one of the hallmarks of true discipleship. Jesus taught his followers to elevate servanthood to an exalted status in the kingdom of God.

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27  and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)

I included serving as a spiritual discipline because serving does not come naturally to most of us. It must be cultivated and deliberately pursued. Growth as a disciple can be measured in terms of how willing we are to serve others. All ministry is service, and, when we serve others, Jesus taught us that we are actually serving him.

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25:40 (NLT)
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Teaching Basic Life Skills

Due to the breakdown of the family and society in general, many people are not learning basic life skills at home or in school.

They arrive at our churches having never seen or experienced a biblical family structure, learned personal discipline, acquired some social skills, or known how to manage finances, a home, or a business.

Discipleship builds the whole person; so, remediating these deficiencies is important.

Every person is unique; so, I believe we should use a diagnostic and prescriptive approach for each individual. Over time it will become apparent to the disciple maker what areas needs to be shored up. Diagnosis can happen quickly by using precise questions and gradually over time by observation. Once we know what needs to be taught and demonstrated, we can begin the personal remediation process.

As with all discipleship, life change happens through personal devotion to God, interaction with others, sound teaching, and practical application with feedback.

Discipline is a huge key to success in life. When a disciple maker encounters a lack of this in a disciple, it should be addressed. Discipline can only be encouraged, not mandated, but those who show little or no interest or progress in this area disqualify themselves from further development and should not be allowed to absorb too much time from the disciple maker. Those who have never been part of a biblical family situation, with a loving father and mother both being present, should be invited to participate at some level in a healthy family dynamic. Those who grew up in broken families may never have seen a good marriage. They should be exposed to couples who have exemplary marriages. In addition, foundational teaching on the subject can be shared one-on-one or in groups.

The absence or ignorance of basic etiquette and social skills can hold people back in a big way and should be addressed by the mentor. The same is true when a lack of understanding of how to budget and handle finances rears its head, and likewise regarding skills in how to run a family or operate a business.

This aspect of discipleship can provide an avenue of service for those in the church who may not be motivated or gifted to teach the Bible, but who have a wealth of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom in practical matters.

Each person in the church is capable of being part of the discipleship making network of resources.

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Developing Small Group Leaders

 

If churches choose to adopt a structure that is best for making people into disciples, they will use small groups extensively, which makes developing small group leaders a top priority.

Churches that make their Sunday morning services their priority will end up producing mostly spectators.

Whether we consciously realize it or not, those who attend such churches often come to see and hear a “show” or a production. Mega-churches make no bones about it. They realize how important is their Sunday production and allocate their best people and resources toward making it the best possible. Church members at such institutions will likely praise the worship, the sermon, or the various programs on offer. I remember hearing a big fan of such a church tell me that one can tell a good church by the quality of the sermon.

While a good sermon, worship, and programs are tremendous, the proper goal for churches should be to produce disciples who are becoming proficient in ministry and disciple making in their own right.

As a caveat, many event-focused churches do a great job in preaching the gospel and involve their people in worthwhile ministries. However, in production-focused churches, many do nothing more than attend the Sunday “show” and hopefully contribute financially. I think it goes without saying that the people who attend such churches like it that way, as do the church leaders; otherwise, they would structure things differently. The ostensible reason for doing church this way is to efficiently gather people to receive ministry from highly trained and gifted ministers.

If our goal, however, is to equip, develop, and launch people into ministry, small groups tend to provide a much better format. Every small group needs a leader, a host family, a worship leader, a Bible teacher, a kid’s minister, etc. If the group grows and splits into a second group, which should be the goal, double that number of leaders and ministers. The need to provide a show is non-existent. Generally the challenge is to find people who are willing to accept responsibility and grow in leadership and ministry skills, no matter what their current level of development.

At the small group level of church, when people begin to do something outside their previous comfort zone or ability, it is celebrated and encouraged, since growth is the goal, not a high level production.

Another benefit to small groups, if they are run properly, is that they involve everyone in discussing God’s Word together, worshiping, prayer, and interpersonal ministry, often around a fellowship meal. If groups are kept small enough, it is impossible to avoid getting to know people and being known, as we share our thoughts, needs, and cares honestly with one another.

Many prefer the anonymity of a larger church, which probably accounts to some degree for the popularity of the the traditional American church model. But why do attend church gatherings? Is it to spectate and go home, or do we want to grow as a disciple?

If a church believes that small groups provide the greatest opportunity to develop disciples; then, one of our greatest needs is to develop new leaders. Groups cannot multiply unless leaders do.

Apprenticeship is the best method to develop leaders in a disciple making church.

Time can be devoted to teaching basic concepts and principles in a one-on-one or classroom setting, but most of the useful training will happen by observation and by doing, especially when such is accompanied by feedback.

A streamlined way to maximize the apprenticeship process is for the church leader to meet weekly with an apprentice and current small group leaders to teach them the Bible lesson that all the small groups will use the following week.

Teaching teachers is a wonderful way to multiply ministry.

The small group leaders can be instructed to take what they learn and translate it into their own ministry style, without losing the essence of the message. Those top leaders who want to retain complete control over content will balk at allowing any deviation from the official script, but once again we must ask, “What is the goal?” Are we trying to duplicate the official church teaching or develop people who are capable ministers in their own right? In order to clarify, as parents, what is our goal? Do we want children who grow up to lead their own families, or do we want them to live at home forever under our leadership and decision making? Should we not have similar goals for those we disciple?

No matter what method we use to grow people as disciples, there will always be risk.

There will always be the danger of leaders taking the people and running off with them. There is the concern that they may distort the truth and lead people into error. There is the possibility that small group leaders might become spiritual bullies or lazy do nothings. The list goes on, but developing and launching people into ministry is always hazardous. Ask any parent. Even God’s kids often went astray, and he is the perfect parent. Jesus had a disciple go off the “rails,” so to speak. It is the nature of the world in which we live. We have no guarantees how things will turn out, but when we see a child or disciple develop into a loving, responsible adult or leader, it is well worth it.

Jesus said for us to go and make disciples, not stay and grow a church.

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Hospitality

Hospitality is a defining mark of a disciple. In the time when the New Testament was written, there were no motel or restaurant chains. People depended more on the willingness of strangers to open their homes to provide hospitality. Peter wrote:

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 1 Peter 4:9 (NLT)

Jesus made hospitality a measuring stick of our willingness to put his teachings into action.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35  For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. Matthew 25:34-35 (NLT)

Hospitality is a ministry skill and practice helps us to be more effective in our pursuit of fulfilling the Great Commission.

The first element of the Great Commission is the “GO.” We are not called to build structures to host all our outreach and evangelism efforts. We are not merely to invite people to come to a church meeting with us to listen to the preacher. That may be an “efficient” easy way to try to do evangelism, but Jesus asked us to pray for God to send out people with a shepherd’s heart who will leave the comforts of home and church to go into the ripe fields of our neighborhoods looking for those who need Jesus.

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:36–38 (NKJV)

One aspect of the “going” part of the Great Commission can be best pursued by the minority of individuals who have powerful evangelistic pulpit ministries and can attract large crowds to hear gospel messages. Most disciples, however, do not have such a ministry gift and must rely on more down to earth methods to “catch” people for the kingdom of God. That is where hospitality comes into play.

Lifestyle evangelism is built on the premise that relationship building with our friends, neighbors, and coworkers is a gateway to reaching people, leading them to faith in Christ, and helping them become missional disciples in their own right.

There are no shortcuts in building relationships. Whereas, one can “button hole” a stranger in order to share a “one minute” version of the gospel, the kind of trust that allows us to speak to the deeper issues in a person’s life can only be built the old fashioned way – through making the effort to build a genuine relationship over time.

Most of us live in neighborhoods in which we probably don’t even know a great number of the residents.

How do we break through the  invisible barrier that has been erected against truly knowing one another? I believe it starts with a decision to be deliberately outgoing and hospitable.

Fortunately we do not have to be extroverts to be good at this. Most of us are mixtures of introversion and its opposite. We can learn to function effectively as an extrovert, even if we are not naturally internally motivated to engage and be with people. Our motivation springs from a commitment to the Great Commission and a compassion for people whom Jesus described as “harassed and helpless” and who have no Shepherd.

Making a decision to become more involved in our neighbor’s lives should result in our sending prayers to heaven on their behalf and making the effort to speak to them when we have the opportunity.

Here’s a thought: if we don’t talk with people, we will never get to know them or be able to share the gospel with them. Being an island to ourselves is antithetical to the Great Commission.

Once we begin to have conversations with people, we are going to learn all sorts of things about them, which can give us opportunities to pray for them and otherwise speak into their lives. It also gives us a chance to receive from them. Good relationships are always a give and take proposition. It is important for us to learn how to receive. There are not many things more off putting to a relationship than being a “know it all” who never needs any help. If there is no give and take, we don’t really have a relationship. We simply may be hunting for a gospel “trophy.” If we are properly motivated, we love people just regardless of how they respond to the gospel. Our goal is to love as unconditionally as God does. Otherwise, people will see right through us.

I put visitation next on the list.

Talk can be fairly cheap, but a visit speaks louder than words.

When our neighbors welcome us into their homes, they may begin to open up their lives to us on a whole new level. The favor can be returned by our inviting them into our homes, too, just for a visit, or perhaps for a meal.

Deeper relationships can often be built over shared meals. This allows us to enter the realm of biblical hospitality.

Showing hospitality has its own reward, but what if it results in our being able to help a neighbor experience God’s love through the gospel? How can that properly be valued? Making disciples is a big reason why we are here. We can experience the joy of opening our homes and lives to our neighbors, if we take the leap into being hospitable.

(A great resource on this topic is a book by Rosaria Butterfield entitled The Gospel Comes with a House Key.)

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Train Disciples to Be Competent Counselors

Most of us think of counseling as belonging to the realm of trained professionals and church leaders, not a ministry to be done by the average disciple. But what does the Word of God say?

And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14 (NASB95)

The Greek word that is translated “admonish” is noutheteo, which means to admonish, exhort, or give instruction. While it is true that some people have deep problems that those who have experience and training can best help, the average disciple who has the Holy Spirit inside them and who has studied the Bible has the ability and responsibility to counsel others.

We all need periodic input from others in order to maintain an “even keel” in life. God made us to be dependent on him and interdependent on one another.

Most problems, including relational, financial, and marriage issues, can be solved by applying general life principles found in the Bible.

In other words, the key to a happy and fulfilled life is following Christ’s teachings with the help of the Holy Spirit. For example, marriage problems usually arise when one or both partners violate Christ’s teachings. Marriages are always better when both spouses seriously seek to live as true disciples.

All followers of Christ who apply themselves to the study of God’s Word and listen to the Holy Spirit are able to guide and advise others.

All disciples are competent to counsel, to admonish, and to instruct at some level.

We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5  It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 (NLT)

Some of better at it than others, but all disciples can and should do it.

The most important counselors in the world are parents. They have the responsibility to disciple their children from birth forward to fear of God, follow Christ, love of people, and live responsibly as adults. During the child rearing process, parents are responsible to address and correct sinful and foolish behavior and teach their children principles for holy and wise living. If we do a good job, our children will acquire spiritual insight and practical skills that will help them be successful adults. Parents are able to use daily events and situations to instruct their offspring what it means to fear and serve the Lord and love and respect other people. No other counseling is so pervasive or as important as parenting.

If we expect the average follower of Christ to be able to parent, surely we are also competent to counsel one another in most things.

The best counselors seek to teach people how to go to God and the Bible for their answers. The goal of parenting is for children eventually to mature to the point where they do not need continual input from their parents. Because many people are lazy or insecure, they either do not want to go to the trouble to seek the Lord and read the Bible for themselves or they do not have confidence in their ability to make sound judgments.

Rather than simply tell people what to do or not to do, if we are going to help them grow, we should ask them to first go to God and the Bible for an answer.

We can then act as a “sounding board” for them, either confirming what they heard from God or showing them how they are mistaken. This way of doing things propels them into maturity and increases their confidence that they can make sound decisions with God’s help.

Just as a physician who is a good general practitioner knows when to refer a patient to a specialist, we must realize when people have problems that exceed our wisdom, experience, or faith level. For example, if a marriage is falling apart, the pastor or elders in a church should be consulted. If spouses are just struggling a bit, another believer or couple may be well able to handle it. If there are deeper and more serious mental, physical, or spiritual issues, It would be wise to consult church leadership. There is no shame in admitting we either do not know what to do or realize a particular situation is more properly in another person’s domain. We certainly do not want to compound problems by trying to help when we do not really know how.

The more that average disciples are willing to accept the responsibility for inputting in to other disciples’ lives, the healthier will be the body of Christ.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15  Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16  He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:14-16 (NLT)

Disciple-making churches teach and equip their people to be competent counselors.

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Train Disciples to Cast Out Demons

In order to fulfill the Great Commission, disciples need to be competent to share the gospel and possess ministry skills. Disciple making churches believe that the five-fold (or ascension gift) ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher (Ephesians 4:11-12) exist to equip and launch the rest of the church into ministry, which includes competency in sharing the gospel, healing the sick, and casting out demons.

Jesus gave his followers authority to set people free from demonic oppression.

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:7–8 (NKJV)

The Lord taught that casting out demons is one of the signs of the coming of God’s kingdom on earth.

But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. Matthew 12:28 (NLT)

Although the Bible does not give us conclusive information on the origin and identity of demons, it makes it abundantly clear that they exist and pose a very real danger.

Any serious Bible-believing disciple must acknowledge that demons exist and come to terms with his or her responsibility to help people be released from their oppression.

Materialists usually dismiss the supernatural out of hand. Even those who profess to believe the Bible may find it “difficult to swallow” that people have demons. In Jesus’ day their were no asylums for those suffering various forms of insanity and torment. They had to be cared for by family or were simply abandoned, as in the case of the Gadarene demoniac. (Mark 5:1-20) Today we usually hide and medicate the most severely demonized. The less severely affected probably don’t even know what their problem is.

Demon oppression is misunderstood, thanks to how it is presented in the movies, lack of proper teaching, and our general fear and avoidance of the supernatural. Many conceive of demon oppression as “possession,” which is unfortunately how some versions of the Bible translate the Greek word daimonizomai.

To be biblically accurate, we should say that people are “demonized,” not possessed.

Possession infers ownership; whereas, demonization communicates the idea of being oppressed, which can take place at various levels.

Using the false notion of “possession,” some argue that it is not possible for a Christian to have a demon, since we are owned or “possessed” by God’s Spirit. When we properly translate the word as demonized, we see that believers can be demon oppressed, and, in fact, many are. (If you wish to read more about how people become demonized, click here.)

Once we believe that individuals can be and are demon oppressed, if we are to be effective at setting people free from them, it is important for us to be able to discern the presence of demons when we encounter them.

We should not assume that demons are behind almost every sin, sickness, and bondage issue, as some do. I think the Bible makes it clear that our main problem is our “flesh,” that part of us that is still connected to the Adamic body. The “flesh” cannot be saved or reformed. It only wants to oppose God.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:1–8 (NASB95)

This will be the case until we are raised from the dead and receive new spiritual bodies. Nevertheless, we are not in bondage to the “flesh.” We have the ability to “walk in the Spirit” and experience freedom. Many who profess Christ, however, still struggle mightily with the fleshly side of their being. Until they learn to walk in the Spirit, that will be their exprerience. If we try to cast out the “flesh,” we will fail, since that is an impossibility. If people think their “flesh” is a demon, they will be greatly discouraged to find that it did not leave when told to do so. That is why we need spiritual discernment to distinguish between the “flesh” and a demon. Demons must always obey our commands to leave. I never assume that demonization is the problem, unless it is blatantly obvious.

Unconfessed sin is another primary source of oppression, especially when it is bitterness or past involvement in the occult.

Jesus warned us that people who refuse to forgive will be turned over by God to “tormentors.” (Matthew 18:33-35) These are likely evil spirits. The quick way to be set free from them is to repent of holding offenses. (You can read more about this by clicking here. To learn more about how occult involvement opens doors to demon oppression, click here.)

Another source of oppression and bondage is what some people call generational sins or “curses.” These are sins that one can see being passed down family lines. One generation after another gets impacted by the consequences of sins committed by family members who lived before them. This is especially true when the successive generations involve themselves in the same sins, perpetuating the cycle. Although, demonization can be associated with generational devastation, the problem should first be addressed as its own issue. I have written extensively on this subject in my series on “Biblical Healing and Deliverance.” If you are interested in learning more, click here. Two other frequent sources of bondage are lies people believe and unhealed traumatic pain. Once again, you can read what I have written about this in the aforementioned series.

After we address these potential roots of oppression, we sometimes find that demons have attached themselves in areas where we have practiced sin, held on to bitterness, been involved in the occult, believed lies, experienced traumatic pain, or been victims of generational devastation handed down to us.

Thankfully, one of the gifts of the Spirit is discerning of spirits, which enables us to detect the presence of demonic spirits.

Diagnosing the presence of demons is the most challenging part of liberating people from them.

The Holy Spirit will help us in this area.

Once we detect a demon, I believe it is important to address how and why it gained entrance into the person’s life.

Demons cannot simply “hitch a ride” whenever they want. We generally have to open a “door” to give them entrance. Once a person repents and renounces whatever opened the door, it becomes a simple matter to cast out the evil spirit.

The authority of the risen Christ is the key to casting out demons.

When Jesus rose again, he completely defeated Satan and all demonic powers. He has given us his authority to speak in his name. When we command demons to leave, they must obey. The Holy Spirit will enforce our words. He is the power behind Christ’s authority. You can read more about the details of casting out demons, by clicking here.

Of all the ways people get into bondage, probably the easiest to deal with is demonization, IF we first deal with what opened the door to oppression.

This is why I advocate for a broad spectrum approach to setting people free from bondage in my Biblical Healing and Deliverance series. If we fail to shut the door to oppression by first dealing with unconfessed sin, bitterness, past occult involvement, unhealed traumatic pain, lies people believe, and generational devastation, we may cast demons out the front door, only to see them reenter through the back entrance. (Matthew 12:45) If we handle things properly, our simple command in Christ’s name will require demons to leave.

To properly train disciples to be effective in this ministry, it is important to teach them what is contained in this article and to demonstrate the ministry in their presence. Once they understand their authority in Christ and the other principles in this article, they are ready to operate in this ministry. I suggest having an experienced person be present to give counsel and feedback until the disciple becomes competent and confident to operate alone.

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Teach Disciples How to Pray for Others

Churches are responsible to teach disciples the important ministry skill of how to pray for others.

Prayer is a spiritual weapon, a conduit for God’s power and love, and a door opener into people’s hearts for the gospel.

Over the years, I have found that most people welcome prayer. Some have never experienced someone praying over them personally, even some who have regularly attended a church. “Hands on” prayer (when we touch the one for whom we pray, with their permission, is very different from being promised that we will remember to pray for them later. My experience is that the only people who resist an offer for prayer are religious people, who have their guard up, and hostile atheists, who adhere to their beliefs, even when they desperately need God’s help. We will find, if we try it, that the great majority of people will allow us to pray for them, if asked.

The first step in praying for others is to ask permission.

When people give us permission, often they think we mean sometime later when we leave their presence. We can surprise them by asking, “What about right now?” Almost always the response will be affirmative. I like to lay my hand on the shoulder of the person for whom I am praying, which is biblical; so, I ask if this will be acceptable. It almost always is.

We never know how God is going to show up when we pray for a person.

I remember once when the person for whom I prayed afterward asked, “Did you feel that?” They experienced a physical manifestation of God’s presence; even though I did not. God did that to encourage that person’s faith.

Prayer is a contact point with God for the person for whom we pray.

When we pray for people, they may experience some sort of a very personal “touch” from the Lord that makes them realize that he is present in their lives and cares about them. When God answers prayer, it is a demonstration of his love.

When we pray for people, it opens a door into their hearts and provides a spiritual bridge over which we cross. From that moment forward we almost always will have permission to talk with them about God.

Prayer bypasses the logical arguments people have erected in their minds that resist God and goes right to the heart. It also gives us a reason to reconnect with them later. We can ask them about the person or situation for which we prayed. We want to try to keep the conversation going.

If we are given permission to pray, it is important not only to pray for the thing or person requested, but also to listen to the Holy Spirit, who may show us other things to lift up to God in their behalf.

I have found that praying in the Spirit (tongues), usually silently to avoid provoking unnecessary questions or causing offense or confusion, unless I know they are Spirit filled, is a way for me to effectively listen to God. It is like tuning into God’s radio frequency. If you are unfamiliar with the amazing benefits of speaking in tongues, i encourage you not to dismiss this important gift. Praying in tongues allows us to pray 100% in the will of God for others. This promise is found in Romans 8:26-27.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  Romans 8:26–27 (NASB95)

The word translated as “helps” comes from the Greek word “sunantilambanomai,” which literally means to “take hold against together with.” When we pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit takes hold of the situation together with us to fight against that for which we are praying.

You can read more about the amazing value of this spiritual gift by clicking here.

The other gifts of the Spirit often begin to operate as we pray in the Spirit and listen to God with our hearts. We may receive prophetic insight, discerning of spirits, a word of wisdom or knowledge, or a gift of healing or miracles. This is part of what makes prayer so very special. Below is a verse that should encourage us all to pray for physical healing for ourselves and others.

And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.  Matthew 10:7–8 (NKJV)

When we pray, it is vital that we understand and use the authority we have in Christ to intercede for people. We represent Christ as his ambassadors here on earth. We have been given the authority of the kingdom of God to confirm the truth of the words we speak.

Specific prayer for healing is a topic in its own right. I encourage you to click here for more teaching on this.

Let us not sell God short by failing to give him the opportunity to show himself strong in someone’s behalf!

Many of us are uncomfortable praying out loud in front of others. If we are going to use prayer as an outreach and ministry tool, rather than just for personal benefit, it is important for us to overcome our reluctance, pride, and fears.

Praying aloud has many benefits.

It allows others to agree with our prayer. It can strengthen the faith of the one for whom we pray, as they hear our words. If we make any faith commands, it makes them more effective, especially if we command evil spirits to leave or release the person from some kind of bondage.

Prayer needs to come from the heart.

There is no need to flowery or technically perfect. God simply wants us to be conduits of blessing for others, even if we don’t pray as wonderfully as someone else. We must come to realize that our halting attempts to obey God will likely inspire others to venture out in a similar way. We only get good at something by practice. That being the case, I encourage you to pray for someone today if you get the opportunity. Take the initiative if someone shares a need. We can even offer to pray a blessing over someone as we depart his or her presence. Any excuse will do! Do the previously unthinkable. Ask a someone if you can pray for him or her. Ask for their top two prayer requests and go for it. We will not be disappointed, and neither will the person for whom we pray.

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Training People to Share the Gospel

One of the church’s primary responsibilities is to train people to share the gospel.

Every follower of Christ should be “gospel fluent”.

The gospel is much more than a “plan of salvation, “the “Roman Road,” or “Four Spiritual Laws.” Despite how handy these gospel summaries are, the gospel is more than that. We short change ourselves by trying to reduce the good news to a few steps or points. The first apostles never did this, and neither should we.

The Book of Acts is a wonderful place to examine how the early church presented Jesus. We can learn a lot by studying the gospel presentations of those early disciples. In fact, I wrote a series of articles to help you with this, entitled, The Gospel in a Minute. I encourage you to take a look at it. It contains many insights and tips on how to effectively share the good news. I also recommend a couple of books that powerfully influenced me: The King Jesus Gospel by Scot McKnight and Salvation by Allegiance Alone by Matthew Bates. The links will take you to my summaries of these two important works.

The gospel is the proclamation of the true story of who Jesus is, what he has done, what he is going to do, what it all means, and what we need to do in response.

We have four gospels recorded in the Bible. Each contains lots of information about Jesus. John’s starts in eternity past. Matthew’s begins with Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. Luke introduces his gospel with the birth of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, who was the forerunner of the Messiah. Mark also begins with John’s ministry and shows how it set the stage for Jesus. Each gospel includes information about how Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecies, ministered healing and deliverance in the power of the Spirit, modeled how to live in dependence on the Spirit, taught the truth, proclaimed the good news of his coming kingdom, died for our sins as the Lamb of God, rose from the dead in power as Lord of lords, revealed himself with many convincing proofs, commanded us to fulfill the Great Commission, ascended into heaven, poured out his Spirit to equip and empower the church, and will return again one day as the glorious Son of Man to raise us from the dead and judge all mankind. His is an eternal kingdom. That is the gospel.

The proper response is to repent from our sinful way of living and declare allegiance to Jesus, the risen  glorious Lord.

Water baptism is our formal and public declaration of allegiance the Lord Jesus. When we believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess him as our Lord, we are saved. (Romans 10:9-10) All the benefits of his death and resurrection become ours – forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sonship. When are born again we become children of God. The greater challenge is to become a follower, a disciple, whose mission if to fish for people and make other disciples.

Every believer needs to understand the gospel and be able to share it competently. Imparting this knowledge and charging disciples with their responsibility for sharing the good news is the work of the local church. (Click here to learn more about the gospel.)

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Teach Disciples to Follow the Spirit

Teaching disciples how to hear, obey, and partner with the Holy Spirit is one of the most important parts of the disciple making process.

God poured out his Spirit upon the church on Pentecost to launch the church age, initiate the Great Commission, and to fulfill Jesus’ promise to empower his disciples to be his witnesses.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT)

The risen and ascended Lord of the harvest knows that his church needs the power of God to accomplish his mission, and this is only available through his Spirit.

Jesus, the incarnated Logos, God’s own Son, understood from the beginning of his ministry that he personally completely depended on the power and operation of the Holy Spirit to fulfill his ministry.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, Luke 4:18 (NLT)

Jesus demonstrated what it looks like to be dependent upon God.

So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. John 5:19 (NLT)

We desperately need the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power simply to engage life on a daily basis. How much more do we need him to carry out the Great Commission!

Paul said it is one thing to “live” in the Spirit and quite another to “walk” in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) The Holy Spirit lives in every born-again person, but that is not the same thing as “walking” in partnership with him and being “anointed” by the Spirit for ministry.

The baptism in the Spirit is the gateway to effective empowerment for ministry.

This is too large a topic to cover adequately in this short article, but if you want to read more about this amazing promise and gift of the Father, click here.

Once we receive the baptism in the Spirit, we need a daily re-filling of the Spirit, because, as someone put it, we leak. This is available through a daily re-engagement with the Spirit through spending time with God in worship, thanksgiving, and prayer, which ought to include times of listening to anything God may wish to communicate to us. He also connects with us as we read the Bible.

The Bible and the Spirit are in agreement. They speak with one voice.

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19  singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20 (NLT)

Jesus promised us that his “sheep” can and do hear his voice. (John 10:27) The voice of Christ is mediated by the indwelling Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is our interface with God. Through him we connect with God.

All followers of Christ are able to hear and communicate with God, but many do not know how or even believe they can.

Teaching followers of Christ how to hear the voice of the Spirit is a top priority in the disciple making process. (For more on this, click here.)

Once we begin to discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to us, the next step is to gain confidence, so that we will routinely obey.

When we hear God, but disobey, it effectively shuts down our ability to hear.

God is not playing games. As Henry Blackaby taught in his important series, Experiencing God, when God speaks, it places us in a crisis of belief. Are we willing to make the necessary adjustments to overcome our fear and resistance in order to obey him?

I do not think that it is hyperbole to say that teaching followers of Christ to take the plunge into obedience to the Spirit is a top priority in disciple making. (Click here to read more.)

Once disciples gain faith and experience in hearing and obeying the Holy Spirit, we can help them develop another very important “skill” – learning how to operate in the gifts of the Spirit as the Spirit directs. Jesus’ ministry would have been very different had he not used the gifts of the Spirit on a regular basis.

God wants us to follow Christ’s example and use the gifts of the Spirit to bless people and open their hearts to the gospel. (You can read more by clicking here.)

When we share the gospel, teach the Bible, and counsel others, disciples should rely upon the Spirit for revelation and the ability to minister with a power and authority that impacts lives. Some people call this the “anointing,” which is simply a succinct way to describe the operation of the Spirit in and through his people.

In conclusion, a huge part of the disciple making process is to teach disciples how to hear, obey, and partner with the Holy Spirit in every aspect of life, including ministry and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

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