MARKS OF A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
Humility, meekness and emptying yourself. These are the priorities of the Kingdom, the aim of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because these three constitute eternal life. Ministry, church planting or even evangelism or missions are not priorities if they do not have these three Kingdom priorities. Everything is garbage without the aim of the Gospel.
Photo by Tobias Cornille on Unsplash.
You have to be born again. This trashes the old self and installs the new. It's not a gradual trashing but a thorough one followed by more trashings. Jesus said the branches that bear fruit are trimmed further to be more fruitful. But on day one of being born again the spring of living water that wells up to eternal life flows from within you at once. Just one drink from Jesus and you get it. This spring does not well up gradually in you. Once you drink Jesus' water, it bubbles up. You cannot be both fresh spring water and murky water. You cannot be both sheep and wolf. You cannot be a thistle that bears figs or a thornbush that bears grapes.
And being born again really means Jesus' character replaces your rotten character totally. Jesus and your rottenness cannot live together in you. You'd be devoted to one and hate the other. The Jesus spiritual DNA, which has his imprint (humility, meekness and selflessness) becomes intact at the cellular level of your renewed spirit. No genuine change has taken place if you do not have Jesus' humility, meekness and selflessness. This is where people who are active in ministry but remain proud of themselves and cannot give up everything have a big problem. They have not really been born again. They just became familiar with church and active in it.
Humility
John the baptizer couldn't believe it when Jesus asked to be baptized by him. "You should baptize me," was John's reaction. But Jesus insisted because it fulfilled all righteousness. Humility fulfills all righteousness and you can just imagine what trash a ministry is, big or small, if it is not grounded on humility. More so a believer. Humility is when Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a servant or slave. Emptying yourself is a personal decision. Once GOD sees that decision in your heart the Holy Spirit empowers it. Without effort you find yourself always preferring to be the least. You stay low profile and quietly doing what GOD wants you to do.
He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
Isaiah 42.2
Truly humble people possessing Jesus' own humility are always announced and promoted supernaturally by the Holy Spirit so that those of the same spirit will easily recognize them and support. John the baptizer saw the heavens open and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove. There were lots of people at the Jordan for the baptism but only John saw the vision and heard the voice. Andrew and another disciple decided to see where Jesus lived and when they did they concluded that "We have found the Messiah." These and many other encounters with Jesus were the promptings of the Holy Spirit, calling the attention of people GOD had chosen to do the genuine Jesus ministry. The Jesus DNA never prompts you to promote yourself. Just keep humble and obedient like Jesus and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. All churches today promote themselves.
Meek
Jesus washed the disciples' feet, but it was something private among themselves, right after the last supper which was a night filled with sorrow, uncertainties and fear, with Jesus knowing that he would be betrayed, apprehended and treated like a criminal soon after. A lot of poor imitations of the washing of feet in church programs today are done to showoff supposed "servanthood" in front of the congregation and promote (or display) one's "humility." Showed off humility is always fake. It's more fanfare than a legacy of meek servanthood impressed in the hearts of disciples.
Meekness is our high treatment of others, deeming them better than ourselves--and doing this with truthfulness and all sincerity. An example was how John the baptizer claimed that he was not fit to even untie the sandals of the one coming after him, and that the Messiah was "more powerful" than he was. Many "leaders" can perform humility and meekness for a while, probably serve you drinks and food and offer their seat to others, but it's all theatrics, because you see them in their unguarded moments boasting about their greatness, great achievements and great ministries. In their hearts, they hate to be the least and their self-conceit naturally surfaces.
Selfless
Jesus emptied himself. He gave up everything he had and chose to be human and die on the cross. Just imagine GOD choosing to die helplessly as a human being. That speaks a lot about how Jesus gave up everything he had. And he chose to become poor though he was rich---so we worthless people can become rich. That's Jesus' selflessness that should be ours if we really have His spiritual DNA in us and growing. GOD wants us to give up everything we have. And he means, EVERYTHING. It's why he wants us to love GOD with "all," meaning all our mind, heart, soul, strength---and money. Jesus told us to give up our money.
MANY CHURCH PEOPLE FAIL IN THIS, AND THIS IS CRUCIAL
This is another big problem for a lot of church people. They cannot (and will not) give up their money. They can give some of it, probably a tithe and offering, but not all. Even churches and denominations cannot give up everything they have. They won't do it. I would like to see a denomination give up all its properties---lands, buildings vehicles and money--and give them to the poor, not to their mission work that just expands their influence, increase their membership and therefore their income. Give them to the poor. That's what Jesus said to all his disciples. Are you a disciple?
Luke 12: 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
"Unless you give up everything you have you cannot be my disciple"
- Luke 14.33
Seflfess with Your Blessings
Are you blessed materially? Have GOD been opening doors for you financially? GOD does not bless you so you can showoff your blessedness in your testimonies. You show everybody how blessed you are and keep it all to yourself and loved ones. No, that's not the point. Blessings are not so you can keep a dead testimony. You got it all wrong, and many have been getting it all wrong. The only use for blessings is to give them all up and share with the needy. Period. If you don't do this, you fail the test. Blessings are not a sign of GOD's favor. They're all tests. If you don't give up your blessings, you fail. How can there be favor in disobedience?
And when you finally give them all up, don't even announce it as a "testimony" of your faithfulness so others can be inspired. That's another garbage. GOD wants you to exercise your humility, meekness and selflessness in handling material blessings, and by "handling" we mean giving them all up to GOD and giving to the poor. Of course, GOD understands your needs. After you have all you need, share the remainder with the poor. Unless you do this, your spiritual life sucks to GOD. You are not blessed. You're a hoarder. GOD speaks both to individuals and to the church with this passage:
Luke 12: 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
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SURRENDERING TO JESUS
Ask forgiveness and repent of your sins. Believe God's forgiveness. It is promised in the bible. Receive Jesus Christ into your heart as your sole Savior and Lord. Then be assured of heaven, not because of anything you have or do (not your good deeds or religion or church), but because of God's grace and mercy through what Jesus Christ did on the cross.
In Jesus alone is salvation. Jesus is:
‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” [Acts 4]
Surrender to Him by intently studying the bible daily (ask guidance from the Holy Spirit) and applying in life everything you learn. And then pray that God lead you to the right person who'd disciple you, one who is totally surrendered to Jesus and living His Word in the bible.
