Matthew 16:24-25 NKJV
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Discipleship is not about lip service or memorising lots of scripture but rather, it is a new way of life that we adopt by the power of the Holy Spirit. It starts with denying ourselves. But what does that look like in every day life? This has to do with Lordship, it is giving control of your life to the Lordship of Jesus. Not just your Sunday mornings but your every day walk. This means that Jesus takes first place in your life and everything you do is to please him and not to fulfill your own desires.
It means walking in love, loving God with all your heart mind and soul and loving your neighbour as yourself.
It is our love for God and one another that distinguishes us as the disciples of Christ. Without love as the bible says we have nothing.
Practical Discipleship is walking in obedience to the word of God in our everyday walk and when we do this, then we bear fruit which all will see. In fact our fruit becomes what people see even before we speak like they did in Antioch and called the believers Christians.
What does denying yourself daily look like to you? Does your life show forth fruit of being a disciple of Jesus Christ?
Loving God and Loving people unconditionally; what are some of the stumbling blocks towards achieving that?
