So, what are the characteristics of Disciples?
In answering this question I have come to realise that mere words are not really sufficient to explain. The church is a spiritual manifestation in the physical realm, in the lives of men and women, how can words explain something that dwells within a man's spirit? How can words separate bones from marrow? They cannot, I can merely speak of my observations, the revelation I have received, and pray that God will use my mere words to touch spirits, hearts and minds, to achieve His purposes.
One example of the difficulty to explain the characteristics came when I started to notice certain people in my own home church - there was something different about them. They moved in power, they knew their God, there was a certain quiet confidence, an unspoken authority, an 'aura' of godliness, quiet contentment.
Disciples not Followers
Firstly the men and women chosen by God are Disciples and not followers of Jesus. What does this mean? It means that they do not follow at a distance waiting to see what will happen and them jump on the glory bandwagon. In fact these people will be seen far from the glory bandwagon. There will be no big name speakers, only Jesus.
The disciples walk close to Jesus, and do His work, they need no coercing when a job needs doing. They apply themselves to the things that are important in life overall, prioritising, and not just going with the flow of religious life. They do not attend every meeting in order to get blessed, (mostly they are not interested in 'bless-ups') but to give to God, and subsequently are blessed. Many would claim that purpose for themselves, some trying to fool themselves, others believing it sincerely, and only God knows our true motivation.
Sacrificial Lifestyles
There is, obvious from their lifestyle, a givenness to Gods purposes. No position seeking or disappointment when not chosen, just a willingness to see a good job done, whatever it might be, to God's glory.
Their love for God's people, his church etc., is not sloppy or 'all embracing' - it is practical and it is committed.
The comittment though is to God's best and God's purposes for the person, not hollow words of comfort or approbation. Biblical discipline frequently goes out of the window in the interests of not losing church members, friends, or upsetting people. Todays disciples, like Jesus, love the people, but moreover they love God and want to see each attain the best God has for them.
Today's disciple has learnt from the abuse of doctrine of the past, ie. the 'name it and claim it' doctrine, the 'prosperity gospel', etc etc.. Today's disicple recognises the value of what God was doing at that time, and the biblical basis for such a philosophy. However, today's disciple has learnt from the abuses of the past. The pursuit of prosperity and blessing, whether it be material, financial or spiritual, should not be for self-gratification. The end result is God's purposes.
Not opinionated
One of the problems (in actual fact a blessing) these disciples have is that his/her whole life, and doctrine, has been turned upside down and God has shown that it is actually He that defines doctrine and where men seek to put Him in a box (as they always do) He will break out.
It is good for us to have opinions and thoughts on all things, but it is better for us to acknowledge the extreme likelihood that we are wrong! We have been for many years and will continue to be, but if we can allow ourselves to be wrong and constantly re-consider and be open to change, then we find that doctrine doesn't actually change but we become wiser, more fulfilled and understanding as our thoughts and perceptions widen.
We must also be able to accept that what may be true for me is not for you. An example: I believe God started a brilliant work for the more traditional churches in the use of Alpha courses. There is no doubt it was divinely inspired, and greatly blessed. Non-traditional churches caught the vision and started to use the course. The unfortunate thing was that the vision was not theirs - God gave it to the churches he gave it to for a reason - it was for them - it was what they needed. The modern Charismatic/Pentecostal churches did not need the course, they already knew of the dynamics of the Holy Spirit. The result was that many churches went into the course 'in faith' and overall the result was disappointing. Sure there were some conversions, God once used even an ass for His purposes, but that doesn't mean it was His best!
God spoke to the traditional churches - but it was not for the rest of us.
No rights only privileges
Unlike many churchgoers, today's disciples do not claim any rights.
Name it and claim it doctrine has been seen as religious/spiritual manipulation. Today we recognise that anything we have we have because of the grace of God. We do not presume that we should be elders because we have been in the church longest, or housegroup leaders because we are older Christians.
Not Religious
Today's disciples try to ensure that what they do - Praying, praising raising hands, or anything at all, is not because it is expected or the done thing. Everything has to be about faith and personal expression of faith. Not tradition or ritual.
Ritual speaks of habit - habit is not faith/communication it is automatic and meaningless.
Not Presumptuous
Todays disciples are not making doctrines out of everything God says or because God did something last week doesn't mean he will do it this week.
Because he did something with the Anglicans (for instance) or Joe bloggs down the road doesn't mean he will do it for me. Alpha courses became a doctrine - God said it to the traditionalists and the rest of us made it a 'doctrine'.
The abuse of 'faith' is another area that today's disciple has had to address. So often we find ourselves faced with situations in which we have been taught that the best guidance is to be found in the Word of God. So we look through and by one method or another we will come by a scripture that fits our situation. Most of us spiritualise this process as God leading us. We find that scripture fits our situation, promises an outcome we are happy with and so we claim it - in faith! This is what
I call abuse of faith.
Faith comes from hearing the Word (rhema - living word, active for now) of God, not from looking through the logos (written Word of God). How can we tell the difference? If we are honest enough to admit the deceit of our heart and actually be prepared to hear from God what He say's and not want we want Him to say, then we will recognise the difference.
Imagine praying for a red Ferrari; two thoughts during a time of consideration occur to us: 1) I will give you the desires of your heart 2) Get away from me you evil brood of vipers.
Which is most likely to be God?
It depends of course on who we are. The new disciple with a life totally committed to God and His ways and purposes could be entitled to expect to hear number 1. A 'super-spiritual' religious person with presumptive faith might expect to hear No.1 but God may well speak No.2!!
Humble -
Like the disciples of Jesus time, the disciples of today are not arrogant enough to think that they have all the answers - unlike so many of the religious folk in our modern churches today. The disciples today acknowledge their weakness, their inadequacy, and in that they find power. In knowing who and what they are without God brings release and power in knowing who they are with God.
Acknowledging weakness and inadequacy is more than just words though. It is a heart attitude and a work of the grace of God. The man of God who acknowledges his weakness and inadequacy does not do so publicly (except perhaps to illustrate a point), but it is an acknowledgement before God.
False humility, that which we express but in the depths of our heart we cannot acknowledge, actually works against us. It is a manifestation of pride. Far better for us to acknowledge our lack of humility as a problem and our struggle with pride, in order that God can help us through.
Not Proud
Many believers take hold of the knowledge of God's grace and mercy for themselves and dwell on it and take it in. Thats great. Alas, they then fail to show that same grace and mercy to others. Instead they heap condemnation upon them. They take on a religious self-righteous attitude, and forget they too were once miserable sinners, and still are!! The disciples of today are only too aware of their status before God, and they crucify the pride of the heart and mind, and acknowledge that they are no better than the foulest sinner, and share the love, grace and mercy God has given to them.
Communicators with God in Prayer
Many folk would be offended if I suggested that a large proportion of our prayers were just so much hot air. However, I am sure that the spiritually discerning would identify with having been in meetings, or even in our personal prayer lives, and we just know that some prayers are reaching no further than the ceiling.
I believe that on occasions God responds one of three ways to our prayers:
1) He hears, acknowledges and appreciates the sentiments of the heart praying - but does not respond because whilst the prayer is well intentioned it is not according to His purposes.
2) He hears and responds sending His angels to achieve His purposes according to our prayer.
3) He refuses to even listen because of the motivation of the heart praying.
However, I believe that a good proportion of our prayer is not actually heard by God because it is rubbish. We talk and talk, pray and pray, sometimes even stamp our feet, but have we sought God's will and purpose in the situation (which is what we really need to do in order to pray in His Name)?
Prayer is not just verbalising our frustrations, feelings and desires, however noble and well-intentioned they may be. Prayer is or should be, communication. I could talk all day at my wife but there is no assurance she will hear because I am not communicating - I am simply talking.
I am astonished at the number of people who coming across a sick person immediately pray for their healing. I am sure the Kingdom of God would be further advanced if people sought God and brought a rhema word to the situation to set the person free (or whatever it is God is choosing to do with them.)
Communicators with God in worship
Precisely the same applies to our praise and worship. How often do we just stand there on a Sunday morning and simply sing the songs? That is not communication to God! The words of many of the songs do not lend themselves to communication with God anyway. They are usually either about God, or directed towards the congregation (from the congregation).
We cannot sing a song a song to God about Himself. We sing a song of love and adoration. Personally I make the words fit what I want to communicate. If the song says 'Jesus is the radiance' then I change the words to 'You are the radiance' and I am then expressing my heart of love and adoration to God.
The modern disciple loves to worship.
They love to be in the presence of God. They love to worship in spirit & truth. Not just switching on a CD and singing along, but preparing their hearts. In church meetings they are not looking at others to see what they are doing, or for their approval. They are confident in expressing their hearts to God.
God's disciples are a prophetic people.
They not only know God but they hear God and know what he is saying. I am not talking about some mystical voices from the ether, or other such nonsense. I am talking about when God puts a thought in the mind, an urge to do something or say something in the heart. They learn to discern whether they are hearing God, the impulses of their flesh, or the voice of the enemy, seeking to deceive.
When they pray they listen for God's will of what to pray in situations. They listen for that 'still small voice'. They listen to the stirrings of the Spirit of God, and they feel in their spirit when there prayers have reached the throne of God.
None superstitious
There is a rejection of all that is religious, including religious superstition. There is acknowledgement that God's power is not in saying the words 'in the Name of Jesus', but in knowing God and His will. There is no power in the words 'pleading the blood' but in knowing what Jesus has done and simply living in that. A telephone number, credit card number or any other sort of numerical identification that begins with the numbers 666 is not a mark of the beast, or an identification of the work of the antichrist. A picture of a pixie or any other mythical beast or being in my home does not infer my worship or acknowledgement of them as reality - maybe they are just works of art!
Submissive
Dogmatism is one of the most divisive tools of either Satan or the flesh (or both) in the Kingdom of God. There are those who would claim this or that or something else. They speak with arrogance and pride - because only God makes rules and as can be seen in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles God does things anyway He chooses. How dare we presume any doctrine other than a very basic 'faith in Jesus the rule for salvation'.
We cannot presume to be right - just because God has done one thing with you gives you no right to expect Him to do the same thing with another.
Are you willing to be wrong? As we step along this new road of discipleship we are having to re-learn much of what we have learned to date - we will make mistakes - but must be prepared to be honest with another, submit to one another, and see the power in that submission.
Disciples are Real People
God's disciples are real people. They are not triumphalistic, claiming all is good when it is falling apart at the seams. Claiming victory when the reality is quite the opposite and obvious to all. They do not claim healing where there is no proof of it, under the guise of, it has been done in heavenly realms. They do not quote scriptures and preach at non-believers when the message of God is not made real in their own lives. They are real. They struggle. They cry and hurt. They fail. But in all these things, they acknowledge God, His faithfulness and His grace and mercy and their need for Him.
Men of faith.
Disciples are men of faith. Admittedly, sometimes struggling. But they express faith in their lives. They express faith in every area of their life. They are not Sunday Christians, there faith is living and active, and eager to serve not only the church but those God brings them into contact with.
Uncircumcised
Not literally I hasten to add - but in the Galatians sense of the use of the word. Disciples do not allow themselves to be held in bondage by expectations. They have found freedom in Christ to be who they are in God. They do not need to hold to feasts and festivals. They do not have to read Galatians because it is on their calendar to be read this week. They are free to read whatever they choose, or the Spirit of God leads them to.
They are not legalistic - they reject expectations in favour of being led by Spirit of God - willing to reject control and not control others.
I hope you have found this helpful.
Do you know people like I have described above? If so bless them, they serve you!
Are you called to this sort of life of freedom and service? If so bless God and seek Him for your next step!
