Developing a Successful Disciple's Mindset

By Brother Michel Lankford

　

Beloved, I'm a relatively new kid on the block. I've only been a child of God for 22 years and in ministry 20 years, but in that brief time, Abba Almighty God has taught me some very invaluable things. Yeshua says, "Freely you have received, freely give." Part of what I believe that YHWH Almighty God is directing me to do with this blog is to share with you some of the key things I've learned, and the things that I wish someone would have sat down and lovingly shared with me when I was first trying to grow up in Him. For the most part this blog and its teachings will focus on one thing and one thing only:

This blog is only and always about practical, down-to-earth, every day teaching about how to develop the mindset, the attitudes, the behaviors, and habits that will help believers in YHWH and Jesus Christ to become authentic, overcoming, victorious disciples of Jesus Christ

. One of the first things that we have to learn is that there is absolutely a difference (both in theory and in practice) between a mere believer in Jesus Christ, and an authentic, overcoming victorious disciple of Jesus Christ.

The Believer: In this context, to be a believer means that a person has come to believe that Jesus of Nazareth described in the Gospels of the New Testament is in fact the Messiah and Christ promised and sent by Almighty God. The believer believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God

Matthew 16:16). The believer believes that Jesus Christ lived a life without sin in total obedience to God's law, and even though He was tempted as we are tempted, He did Not sin, (Hebrews 4:15). The believer believes that Jesus Christ the Son of the living God died a single time on the cross to become the substitutionary and atoning sacrifice for each of our own personal sins (Isaiah 53:1-12; 1 Timothy 1:15 1 John 1:8-10; 2:1-2; 1 John 4:10). The believer believes that Almighty God resurrected His Son Jesus Christ on the third day (Matthew 27:32-28:10. That is the definition of what it means to believe the gospel and to be saved (1 Corinthians 15:1-5). By definition, that is what it means to be a believer.

Here's a question. Is being a typical believer enough? The answer is both yes and no at the same time. You see, it depends on what you have had the opportunity to do after you have believed. Here's what I mean. Let's say that a person hears the gospel on a typical Sabbath study, or Sunday morning worship service. They believe the things they heard and they asked God and Jesus Christ to save them because they believed what they heard (Romans 10:9-10,13).

For the sake of example let's say that this poor person got into a terrible accident and got killed on the way home. I believe biblically such a person would escape the flames of hell and enter heaven, just as the thief on the cross did when he believed on the day that he died Luke 23:39-43). Now these people had no more opportunities to grow in their faith or to overcome their weaknesses after believing and confessing Christ. They had done what they legitimately could do. They believed and confessed, because they had no opportunity to do any more. For them this was enough.

 

On the other hand, let us say that the thief survived. Let us say that God miraculously gave the thief a new chance at life. Let's say that after his miraculous deliverance, the thief continued to think like a thief, to believe like a thief, to desire covet and crave like a thief, and then to steal and behave like a thief. Would this man who made a confession of faith in Christ still inherit the kingdom of God? The answer is no! Such a one would be confessing Christ, while retaining the sinner's mindset. That is dagerous James 1:5-8)

1 John 1:6-7 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:6-7 NASB; cf. 1 John 2:6; John 15:1-6; 2 Peter 1:3-11). If the thief has the opportunity to repent and grow in the grace of God,but he chooses to remain in his sinful attitude, mindset, and practices, then he could still be condemned. One cannot successfully walk with God, while retaining such a mindset (Amos 3:3). Please do not be deceived.

 

Some people try to approach God with the attitude and mindset that says, how much of my own attitudes, desires mindset and behaviors can I retain for myself, but still go to heaven? In other words, some people approach God with the attitude that says, what is the very minimum I can surrender to God in order to escape hell and get to heaven? Sometimes that attitude is very subtle and we can't see it. All of us are susceptible to it and must guard against it. That attitude is very dangerous. In such a case, this kind of believer is still trying to be their own Lord and Master while claiming to be a follower of Christ. Sometimes they can approach Bible study like a lawyer looking for loopholes which will give them permission to do exactly what they want to do, while they still claim to be obedient to God's word. Again that's dangerous. If we are not vigilant and cautious, we can all fall into that attitude, which sets us up to fail as overcomers. We must guard against it.

The Authentic Overcoming Victorious Disciple of Jesus Christ:

In the context of the definitions we are using, the overcoming victorious disciple in Jesus Christ starts out the very same way that the average believer begins. The victorious disciple started out being a sinner who needs a Savior just like every believer does. He heard the gospel just like the average believer does. He believed and confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, exactly like the average believer does, but for the overcoming victorious disciple, that is where the similarity ends. For the average believer escaping hell I'm going to heaven is enough, but the Authentic overcoming victorious disciple of Jesus Christ wants God to change them until their heart, their character, their desires, their mindset, their attitudes, their choices, words and deeds matches YHWH God's and Jesus Christ's. The overcoming disciple is hungry for God to continually make that change. They accept that there growth is a process, but they keep pushing for their growth and development until their character changes to agree with Christ's. They are not content to settle for less. They are not content to start a marathon, they want to finish, and hopefully finish very well. It would grieve them not to finish the race. That is the frame of mind I wish to instill in every one of you from the very outset. Here is the mindset that I recommend that an up-and-coming disciple should take when he or she is about to study God's Word:

The desire and passion of my life is that God with His Son Jesus Christ and by the working of His Holy Spirit would transform me from my most inward part to my most outward and visible part until my every desire, passion, thought, attitude, motive, word and action is completely transformed with His Love and Righteousness until I am a total delight to God's heart and a glorious representation of His Son.

I long to authentically abide in God , Jesus Christ, and His word. I long to authentically know the Truth, and for the Truth to set me free. That is what makes a person a genuine disciple who is truly free through Jesus Christ (John 8:31-32). I long to be set free from everything that could hinder the statements above from becoming the living reality in me.

I long to authentically walk in the more abundant life that Jesus Christ came to give us. If that is your goal, then join me in studying in applying God's word together.

If that is Not your goal, chances are you'll find things in this Bible study hard or impossible to swallow. I approach Bible study with the following axioms as my guides, and I invite you to do the same.

I believe that Almighty God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them by speaking His Word (

Genesis 1:1-3, 31). Therefore, I believe that God said what He meant and means what He says. I believe that all Scripture (Old Testament and New Testament) is God breathed, anointed and appointed by God.

 

I believe that it is all completely sufficient for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the people of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (see

2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 

I believe that it is the refusal to rightly divide and obey God's word that is at the root cause of every human ill and character defect we will ever encounter.

I believe that when it is rightly divided and obediently applied in the context of being in right relationship with God and Jesus Christ, His Word is completely sufficient to give us true wisdom in every situation, guidance and comfort through every hardship, and victory in every battle. If you too believe these things, then you are ready to study.