Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”. Matthew 28:19-20

Our main verse, Matthew 28:19-20, calls us to make disciples. This verse is often used to tell us to evangelize and to draw people into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And, yes we are to do that but there’s a difference between evangelizing and discipling.

Discipling is something that takes place after you have been evangelizing someone and they have come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. It’s the process of helping them grow from a new baby believer to an adult who can then evangelize and make disciples themselves (Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.1 Peter 2:2-3)

As an older follower of Christ, one of the greatest joys I’ve experienced in my spiritual walk (other than leading someone in prayer to except Jesus as their Lord and Savior) is seeing someone, whom you have helped lead to the Lord, begin to evangelize and disciple themselves.

I was recently blessed to see one of my sisters take on her God given role of discipler and evangelist.

One of the women that I used to work with, who came to know the Lord while we were working together (and who comes to my Women’s Study), shared her own discipling story with me yesterday.

My sweet sister shared with me that she had noticed that the cashier who was ringing her out (in a very busy grocery store) looked as though something was burdening her. When she inquired, the cashier shared that her husband was in need of a kidney transplant, but because he was also battling his second round of stage 4 cancer, he was probably not going to get one. My sweet sister then explained to me that she had never done this before but felt led to ask the cashier if they could pray and she, the person who was bagging and the cashier all held hands and prayed. She wept as she told me this story, and shared further, that as she began to pray, the fear, anxiousness and even the noise of the other shoppers all faded away and they just approached the throne of Grace together. She was over joyed to share this experience and I was like a proud momma whose baby girl just took her first spiritual steps! Thank you God for the way that you bless our obedience!

But the story doesn’t stop there, she then went home to find her son suffering from anxiety and depression and she testified to him about the Lord and that Jesus was the only one who could free him from this bondage. He is still battling, but the Holy Spirit is clearly working on him.

This precious daughter of the King of Kings, has begun evangelizing and discipling! This is the same lady who has not once prayed out loud at women’s study…but, when led by the Holy Spirit, PRAYED OUT LOUD AT THE GROCERY STORE! Thank you Jesus.

Not only did God bless her for her obedience (by reviving her spirit and, through the Holy Spirit, helping her to know that He was pleased with her) but He blessed my obedience of sharing Him with her initially by allowing me to see her growth and joy and to be a part of His work That was now being accomplished through her! (He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28).

We were created to glorify God. Our purpose is to point others to Him. And when we do, abundant blessings flow. (But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:13-15).

there are hurting people who need prayer, who need us to pray with them, who need to hear the truth of the Gospel and who need to hear our testimonies. They need to hear this for themselves, but they also need it for God’s glory and our obedience.

The question is, will we leave them in their suffering or…will we (like my sweet sister) begin evangelizing and discipling?

I pray that today we would find a new and fresh boldness for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I pray that we would hunger to share Him with the hurting world around us and I pray that through your obedience to the Lord’s leading you to get to experience the joy of being a proud momma watching her spiritual baby girl take her first steps.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and if you have yet to feel His incredible love and forgiveness, I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. I promise that you will never regret it and before you know it you will be discipling and evangelizing yourself! Once you’ve prayed that prayer, please reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know, so that I can be in prayer for you.

luv ya!