The Discipline of Self-Discipleship: Developing Spiritual “Muscles”
Over the last several months, my husband and I have been trying to get back in shape and work out consistently. Our kids have been wanting to jump in with us and watching them try to do pull-ups has been a treat. They will do a pull-up (with assistance, usually), and then come and show me their muscles and how big they’ve gotten.
It’s very cute, to say the least. But it wouldn’t be so cute for a 35-year old (such as myself) to try to do one pull-up and then throw a fit when I didn’t see immediate results.
You don’t develop muscles after one pull-up. It takes consistency and hard work over a long period of time.
It is the same with spiritual growth and discipline. And while reading the Word and prayer “counts”, no matter how long or short of a time you spend doing it, consistency does matter. Having a religious attitude with it is not helpful, either. You will develop spiritual “muscles” much faster if you are able to be consistent in your disciplines. A truth rarely spoken is that discipleship is vital in your Christian walk—and it’s your responsibility.
The Art of Self-Discipleship
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
To be a disciple is to take hold of something so that it becomes a part of who you are and then to show others the way to do that as well. We are not just called to become disciples, but to bring others along, as well, as Jesus said in the Great Commision, “go and make disciples”. In other words, go and multiply yourself. We have to become equipped to share the Word and teach others “to take hold” and become disciples, too!
There is nothing as powerful as the Word of God. We must be in the Word every day if we are to grow!
The good news is that we don’t do this on our own. The Holy Spirit is our leader, comforter, friend, and champion. It is through His power alone that we can be transformed to look more like Jesus. When Jesus was getting ready to ascend back into Heaven, He said it was good that He was leaving, because then He could send the Holy Spirit to be with us always.
John 16:12-14 NIV
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.
A lot of people argue that they don’t understand the Word. The Bible is difficult for them to understand. It’s okay if you don’t understand everything—it’s a Living Book. Even someone who has been a Christian for 50 years can read the Bible and learn something new. It’s the Holy Spirit who leads us into ALL truth, because He is the Truth!
It’s not our job to try to manufacture our own transformation. It is through dedicated study and time with the Holy Spirit that He manifests our transformation.
2 Timothy 2:15 TPT
“Always be eager to present yourself before God as a perfect and mature minister, without shame, as one who correctly explains the Word of Truth.”
Transformation helps you to look more like Jesus. Grace does not allow us to just sit around and do nothing. It gives us the power for growth and transformation!
You can’t go to the gym once and expect to see transformation. In the same way, you can’t read the Bible or prayer or worship one time and see the spiritual muscles developed. This is not to bring a spirit of heaviness or religiosity when it comes to reading time. It’s about the heart. If you read one verse a day, and just chew on that all day, talk with Jesus about it, and try to gain understanding and wisdom, then you’ve done the work.
“You can only receive what you cultivate for yourself.” - Jim Weaver
Muscles take time to grow! Learning how to disciple yourself is vital in a world with ever-shifting moral attitudes, propaganda and opinions. Your pastor can’t eat for you. Your friends can’t work out for you. It’s time to present ourselves as mature believers and ministers of Gospel, spiritually strong and able to help others along the way.