The Pathway of Discipleship

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase…" (1 Cor. 3:5-7)

This passage reveals that spiritual growth happens over time in an intentional process just like the way someone must first plant a seed into the ground and then water it so it can be nurtured before it produces mature growth with its fruit. We also call this process a discipleship pathway.

DISCIPLESHIP: The process of learning and practicing the way of Jesus with others by the Holy Spirit.

Now a pathway is a sequence of steps that leads toward a goal. This requires intentional practice and discipline but the goal is more than planting and watering but the Person of Jesus Himself.

One of the most important realities in discipleship is maintaining our close proximity to Jesus.  
Before we are called to do anything for the Lord, we are first called to BE WITH HIM (Mark 3:14). We must understand that He is the starting point and the ending point, and the main point of all that discipleship entails in our process toward maturity. We continually COME TO HIM to BECOME MORE LIKE HIM...so proximity is key to our practice for true spiritual prosperity.

David says, "You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11)

Jesus is always the definition, delight, and destination of the pathway. Since the goal is Christ Himself, we need to stay on the path of life that leads us to Him to be like Him. This is often the path of most resistance and it requires a denial of self to walk on this path. The path of life is often the hard path but the right path and it doesn't take much to get us off the beaten path.

Therefore, we need to immerse ourselves in the Word of God to rightly navigate the pathway, since it is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Ps. 119:105). The Holy Spirit is our Helper to guide us through His Word in order to teach us and conform us to Christ. We must learn to be guided by His Spirit as we daily trust and obey what He is revealing and showing to us.

This means that to make disciples, we must first BE DISCIPLES who are spiritual in all we do.

A spiritual person is first born again and then has these four ongoing realities:

• RECEIVES the Word of God readily (James 1:21)
• RENEWS their mind to what is above (Romans 12:2)
• REFLECTS the love of God in their actions (Eph. 5:1)
• RESTORES others to what is good and true (Gal. 6:1)

As God exchanges our sin for His righteousness, He changes us and matures us so we can intentionally help others to grow and mature as well. We are all called to be a part of THE PROCESS whereby God saves and sanctifies and satisfies people in Christ.

Planting - The beginning of the process whereby a believer gives and sows the pure seed which is the Word of God in a way that it can be received in a right heart.

Watering - Following up with caring and nurturing the heart that receives the seed and giving more teaching, encouragement, and truth as needed.

God’s Increase - The change and transformation that God does in the heart for growth and fruit.

Therefore, we need to consider if there is anything getting in the way to clear the pathway of any weights or sins that so easily entangles us as we run with endurance and look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:1-2).

James puts it this way, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).

We need to tend and keep our hearts just like Adam was called to do in the GARDEN OF EDEN…and make sure that no other authority comes in to establish itself in our lives.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life."

Throughout the pathway of discipleship, we need to aim to BRING PEOPLE CLOSER TO JESUS!

In Conversation, show a sincere interest in the person you are speaking with.
In Opposition, let there be a desire to win the soul more than the argument.

Let us learn the following discipleship principle that Paul gave to Timothy, and learn it well...

"But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will" (2 Tim. 2:23-26).

As those who have become walking, mobile temples of the Holy Spirit wherever we go, let us: Follow Jesus closely...Take Others with us...And let the Holy Spirit help us in bringing others into closer proximity to Jesus.