Servias Ministries Blog

It would be wise to be especially vigilant and “awake” beginning tomorrow. The five wise virgins were constantly prepared.

Faith and works should complement each other.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 16:

27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Galatians chapter 2:

16 we know that no one receives God’s perfect righteousness as a reward for keeping the law, but only by the faith of Jesus, the Messiah! His faithfulness has saved us, and we have received God’s perfect righteousness. Now we know that God accepts no one by the keeping of religious laws!

Paul wrote the above passage concerning our faith in Christ and our salvation through Him.  This faith and acceptance of His work is unmerited favor or grace which is our justification, not by our works. We cannot enter the Kingdom by works but only through our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Paul also wrote in Ephesians chapter 2:

8  For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the Love gift from God that brought us to Christ!

9 So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.

10 We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!

Faith established our destiny so that we would do good works which are known as good fruit.

Jesus affirmed this when He spoke in Matthew chapter 5:

15  And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light.

16 So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to Your Father in Heaven.”

Our lights were established by grace and our works should result in exalting Our Heavenly Father.  Otherwise, if they promote or exalt you, they are works of the flesh. 

Works (Strong’s #2041, ergon), which means “toil or labor,” can have either a good connotation or a bad one. The works that God refers to as “good” in the Bible are those deeds, actions, and fruit that the Holy Spirit directs and produces through us by His dunamis power. The “bad works” that the Bible refers to are those things that the flesh directs and that are accomplished by our own power and ability. The difference between them is not only the motive behind the action, but also the one accomplishing the work.

“Works of the Spirit” are those actions prompted, directed, and produced by the Holy Spirit and that, ultimately, will bring glory to Christ. In contrast, “works of the flesh” are those deeds done in our own power and ability and that elevate us. The Bible tells us that everything we do is to magnify Christ, not ourselves.

James wrote by The Holy Spirit in his Epistle, chapter 2:

14  What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

17 Thus also (a believer’s) faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble!

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

We don’t do “good works” to earn God’s Love or to earn ourselves a place in the Millennium. Doing good works is simply the outgrowth of “walking by The Spirit.”  Our motive is not to try to earn our way to heaven or to earn rewards, but comes from our Love of God and our desire to do His Will.

What is the goal of our faith?

Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Peter chapter 1:

6  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

8 whom having not seen you Love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

9 receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls.

In other Words:

For you are reaping the harvest of your faith—the full salvation promised you—your souls’ victory!

The goal of our faith is the salvation of our souls and this happens at the end of our faith, not the beginning. When FATHER talks about “saving our souls,” He’s not referring to the new birth. He’s talking about the sanctification process––the cleansing, renewing, and transforming––of those who already believe, which occurs at the end of our faith.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 10:

36-You need the strength of endurance to reveal the poetry of God’s Will and then you receive the promise in full.

37 For soon and very soon, “The One Who is appearing will come without delay!” 38 And he also says, “My Righteous ones will live by faith. But if fear holds them back, my soul is not content with them!”

39 But we are certainly not those who are held back by fear and perish; we are among those who have faith and experience true life!

Perseverance or endurance is one of the most important characteristics of faith. The words endure and persevere (Strong’s #5278, hupomeno) mean “to stay under, to undergo, to hold up under [suffering], to be patient, to tarry or to abide under.” Perseverance is “resigned submission to a situation that is out of our control.” It means not to be overtaken by it, but to overcome it. Perseverance is another word for patience and forbearance.

In the chapter of Agape Love, Paul wrote in 1^st Corinthians chapter 13:

4  Love suffers long and is kind; Love does not envy; Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek Its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the Truth;

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The purpose of our lives here on earth—including our trials—is to train us to rule and reign with Christ there in the Kingdom. He is constantly testing us to see if we are worthy of such a great responsibility. Endurance and perseverance are two major parts of this testing.

Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 2:

26  To everyone who is victorious and continues to do My Works to the very end I will give you authority over the nations

27 to shepherd them with a Royal Scepter. And the rebellious will be shattered as clay pots—

28 even as I also received authority from the Presence of my Father. I will give the morning star to the one who experiences victory.

29 So the one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is presently saying to all the churches.

It’s not enough to just enter the race, we must persevere to the very end of the race in order to win.

Paul also wrote in 2^nd Timothy chapter 2:

11  This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

The Overcomers WILL cross the finish line.

Walking in faith is trusting FATHER on a moment-by-moment basis!

Faith comes in the form of a constant choice and it’s a choice we can never stop making, no matter how hard the situation. It’s a choice to follow God and do what He asks, regardless of how we feel, what we think, or what we want. Just as God Loves us unconditionally, we must trust Him unconditionally.

Luke wrote of Paul by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 20:

24  “But whether I live or die is not important, for I don’t esteem my life as indispensable. It’s more important for me to fulfill my destiny and to finish the ministry my Lord Jesus has assigned to me, which is to faithfully preach the wonderful news of God’s grace.

Faith is trusting God even when we’ve been stripped of our position, our finances, our reputation, our comfort, our family, and even our last ounce of understanding. It’s getting to the place where we can say and mean, “I won’t let any of these things move me,” even if that means letting go of all that we hold precious.

The real test of faith comes when we can trust FATHER in the depths of the trial, even before the victory is realized, and even before the promises are revealed.  Faith has to pass the test of disappointment and your urge to want to quit. The enemy will set up every roadblock he can think of to entice us to just give up. We must do just the opposite! When we experience opposition, we must shout our unconditional Love for God from the housetops and be assured in our hearts that the victory will come.

Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Peter chapter 1:

3  Everything we could ever need for life and Godliness has already been deposited in us by His Divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing Him who has called us by name and invited us to come to Him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness.

4 As a result of this, He has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the Divine Nature (partakers of the Divine Nature), by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.

Do you have faith in the above Truth?  As overcomers, it is vital that we come to the realization that we can and should walk in what has been deposited in us: HIS Divine Nature!

5 So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness, and to goodness add understanding,

6 and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add Godliness,

7 and to Godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending Love.

8 Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately.

9 But if anyone lacks (the realization of) these things, he is blind, constantly closing his eyes to the mysteries of our faith, and forgetting his innocence—for his past sins have been washed away.

The above passage is essential to our understanding of who we are in Christ!  We already have all these virtues in us awaiting activation so let none of these remain dormant.  Why?  It is so that we can bring forth good fruit as directed by The Holy Spirit.

Accessing Father’s power requires us to walk in faith!

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 11:

6 And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that He is real and that He rewards the faith of those who passionately seek Him.

And in Romans chapter 4:

19  And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

It is FATHER’S power in response to our faith.  God’s responsibility is to perform what He promises in His Word. Our responsibility is to believe and trust that He will.  Power is the supernatural ability that God gives us to do His will, but faith is the means by which that power is appropriated. God’s power is only made visible by our faith.  FATHER waits to reveal Himself—His Love, His power—until we take the first step of faith.

The Greek word for faith is pisteuo (Strong’s #4100), which means “to put trust in, to be committed to, to be persuaded of, to place confidence in, and to rely upon.”

Paul also wrote in Hebrews chapter 11:

1  Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.

2 This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for.

3 Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s Words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.

You only need to look through a telescope to get a better understanding of FATHER’S mighty power.  All the planets and stars are perfectly aligned and remain in their assigned orbits.  We count on that!

Faith is not only the assurance that Christ is who He professes to be, but also the trust that He will do all that He promises to do. Faith is not only believing His promises intellectually, it is also trusting our lives to Him.  Real faith is not feeling, not seeing, not understanding, and not knowing but still choosing to trust and rely upon Him. It’s being convinced that no matter what we see happening in our lives, no matter what we understand to be true, and no matter how we feel, God will be faithful to His Word and perform His promises to us in His timing and in His way!

Faith is the key that opens the door to our Spiritual victory and what will enable us to walk triumphantly. We need faith in order to choose God’s Will. We need faith in order to trust God’s power to implement His Will. And we need faith in order to become overcomers who do His Will.  The Lord provides us with His power to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. Our responsibility is to have the faith that He will.

Be patient and submit to FATHER’S timing.  Allow yourself to visualize (through your imagination) success through your hope and expectation.

Wisdom wrote in Proverbs chapter 13:

12 When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on, the delay can be depressing. But when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul, it is a tree of Life.

Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter 1:

18 I pray that the Light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with Light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of His calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that He finds in us, His Holy ones!

We must take our eyes off the temporal situations and focus on FATHER’S Eternal plan for us. That’s our hope! That’s our destiny! And that’s our future!

What are the dangers of being disqualified?

Jesus addressed His disciples (you and me) when He spoke in Matthew chapter 24:

50 the Master of that servant (evil servant) will come on a day when he is not looking for Him and at an hour that he is not aware of,

51 and will cut him in two (separate from him, cut asunder) and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The word evil in Matthew 24:48, is the Greek word kakos (Strong’s #2556), which means “someone who has been disqualified.” It means “a worthless or injurious person.” It means he lacks the qualities that he should possess. Simply put, he is “not worthy.”

This servant thought His Lord would delay His coming. And this, of course, affected how he lived his life. He was lazy, untrustworthy, and cruel.  He abused his position by being ill-tempered and self-indulgent to those who worked with him. He thought he would never be called into account for these things because he secretly believed His Lord would not come.

Jesus then replaces the term “cast out” here with the term “cut asunder” (Strong’s #1371), which metaphorically means “to be cut open so all can see.” It means “to expose and scrutinize the thoughts and motives of a person’s heart.” It is simply an analogy for what will happen at the Judgment Seat.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 4:

12  For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy, like a two-mouthed sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts.

13 There is not one person who can hide their thoughts from God, for nothing that we do remains a secret, and nothing created is concealed, but everything is exposed and defenseless before His Eyes, to Whom we must render an account.

We can potentially be disqualified from ruling and reigning as co-heirs with Jesus Christ, depending on our current motives and acts!

Like the disobedient servant in the parable of the ten talents, this unfaithful and unfruitful servant will be thrown into a specific place––a place with all the other hypocrites, who said they were Christians, but really didn’t live it––and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In this “outer darkness” there is going to be much “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This particular phrase occurs three times in the Bible describing believers. These people are in the kingdom, but they will be cast out from experiencing the joy of The Lord, thrown into the outer darkness (or the darkness outside The Throne Room) where they will experience weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Weeping and gnashing of teeth” occurs when carnal believers reflect remorsefully on their lives and all the missed opportunities.

A believer who refuses to avail himself of the moment-by-moment cleansing that God provides is seen as walking in darkness. He has not been cleansed by the washing of the Water of the Word, therefore he can only remain in the darkened courtyard outside the light of the Holy Place.

Unfaithful believers are those believers who are disobedient, self-consumed, and self-indulgent. They have hardened their hearts, they walk by the flesh, and they are dull of hearing.  They will be in Heaven but will have restrictions placed on them.

If we don’t learn how to have our souls experientially sanctified here on earth, we will lose incredible opportunities there in Heaven.  Let the Spirit of God convict you to turn around and begin to live as God desires. There is still time!  Even a worker who comes in at the end of the day receives the same reward as the one who has worked all day (The Parable of the workers in the Vineyard: Matthew 20:1-16).  I know this Truth gives me comfort and assurance!

What are the dangers of being carnal or lukewarm?

It is impossible for us to really know who is carnal and who is spiritual. Only Our Heavenly FATHER knows the Truth thus we are not to judge! That’s Jesus’ business at the Judgment Seat. We are told to simply produce good fruit.  Our lives will either show forth the fruit of the Spirit manifested by God’s Love or we will display rotten fruit brought forth by our carnal behavior.

Jesus referred to this when He spoke concerning the parable of the hearts (aka Sower) in Luke chapter 8:

14 The seeds that fall into the weeds represents the hearts of those who hear the word of God but their growth is quickly choked off by their own anxious cares, the riches of this world, and the fleeting pleasures of this life. This is why they never become mature and fruitful.

The danger of being carnal is that we can be born-again by God’s Spirit (justified) and yet spend most of our time in the soulish or fleshly realm. If this is the case, our ministry, our teaching, and our preaching will not produce any real Godly fruit.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 6:

63 It is the Spirit who gives Life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are Life.

Carnal Christians not only quench the power of God from coming forth through them, thereby hindering their own sanctification, they also hinder salvation and/or sanctification in others. They give a false impression of what a true Believer is really like. They can actually become stumbling blocks to passing along the True Gospel because nonbelievers look at them and say, “Hey! If that’s a Christian, I want no part of it.”

If a carnal Christian persists in doing things his own way, he will never grow to full maturity. This results in spiritual dullness, with no possibility of sparking a revival in himself, much less in anyone else. By living this way, he discredits Christ in all his actions.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 10:

32  “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father Who is in Heaven.

33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father Who is in Heaven.”

Both our words and our actions create a confession!

If there is no fruit of the Spirit, it doesn’t matter how many verses of Scripture we know, we still will be denying Christ in our actions.

Jesus also spoke in Matthew chapter 16:

24  Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If you truly want to follow Me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share My cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to My ways. 25 For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for My glory, you will continually discover True Life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep.

26 For even if you were to gain all the wealth and power of this world—at the cost of your own life—what good would that be? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?

Jesus addressed His disciples (you and me) when He spoke in Matthew chapter 24:

42  This is why you must stay alert: because no one knows the day your Lord will come.

44 So always be ready, alert, and prepared, because at an hour when you’re not expecting him, the Son of Man will come.”

45  “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom His Master made ruler over His Household, to give them food in due season?

46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when He comes, will find so doing.

47 Assuredly, I say to you that He will make him ruler over all His goods.

48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My Master is delaying His coming,’

49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the Master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for Him and at an hour that he is not aware of,

51 and will cut him in two (separate from him) and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus is clearly warning us as believers to not live a carnal life!

What are the characteristics of a carnal Christian?

“A self-centered mindset” describes a carnal Christian.

A carnal Christian often makes himself the center of attention and values his own will above God’s. He is a “soulish” Christian, which means his own self-life rules. He can do righteous deeds and do them well. However, any good deed that the flesh does is an abomination in the sight of God.

Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 16:

15 And Jesus said to them (the Pharisees), “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

In other Words:

 “You always want to look spiritual in the eyes of others, but you have forgotten the eyes of God, which see what is inside you. The very things that you approve of and applaud are the things God despises.”

And Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Galatians chapter 5:

16  I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Paul also warns us of those who are not led by The Holy Spirit when he penned Romans chapter 16:

17  Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

19 … I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.

Carnal Christians reveal themselves by their words.

Also in Ephesians chapter 5:

6  Don’t be fooled by those who speak their empty words and deceptive teachings telling you otherwise. This is what brings God’s anger upon the rebellious!

7 Don’t listen to them or live like them at all.

11 And don’t even associate with the servants of darkness because they have no fruit in them; instead, reveal Truth to them.

Carnal Christians say one thing, but often do another. They are also often talkative and flippant. They tend to use many words and have the attitude that they are more advanced than others. As a result, they are often faultfinders. Working for the Lord is also of the utmost importance to them; however, they feel that everything must be done in a hurry and all must be done to attain the glory for themselves. They do not wait on the Lord for His direction and His answers.

They walk by sight not by faith. They are often uncommonly gifted, have great talent and magnetic personalities, but at the same time are worldly, ambitious, and self-pleasing.

Many carnal Christians try to satisfy their curiosity by studying. They believe that knowing something mentally is the same thing as possessing it experientially. Consequently, they are often double-minded, living two lives. They have an abundance of acquired knowledge, but very little Spirit-revealed knowledge.

They don’t realize that increased spiritual head knowledge can often become a trap. Head knowledge can strengthen our carnality and deceive us into thinking we are spiritual. The danger is that because God’s Spirit is suppressed, the soulish and bodily realm will rule.

God designed the sanctification process to remove all hindrances such as these, so that the Holy Spirit can control and direct us.

Much of what a carnal Christian does, he does for show and to gain something for himself, even if it’s just the praise of men. He does these things for the love of self, not for the glory of God. Remember, a lack of Love for others, no supernatural power, and no Godly Wisdom reveals a denial of Christ’s character in that person.

We must focus on being fully led by The Holy Spirit!!!

What are the characteristics of a carnal Christian?

“A self-centered mindset” describes a carnal Christian.

A “carnal, unfaithful or nominal Christian” is one in whom the flesh is in control, not the Spirit of God, a sign of immaturity.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 5:

12  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

He is a saved believer, but he loves the world and himself more than he loves Christ. Thus, he operates out of his own desires rather than God’s will. He does not apply the kratos power of God to rein in his own thoughts and emotions. He can’t because the Spirit of God is quenched. Because of this, there is no life transformation in his soul, no Agape Love, no resurrection power, and no fruit.

Paul urges us in Romans chapter 12:

1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, Holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God.

And in Galatians chapter 5:

16  Let me emphasize this: As you yield to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life.

17 When your self-life craves the things that offend the Holy Spirit you hinder Him from living free within you! And the Holy Spirit’s intense cravings hinder your self-life from dominating you! So then, the two incompatible and conflicting forces within you are your self-life of the flesh and the new creation Life of the Spirit.

18 But when you yield to the life of the Spirit, you will no longer be living under the law, but soaring above it!

Instead of overcoming the flesh, the world, and the enemy by the power of God, these unfaithful Christians allow their flesh to rule over them, the world has a hold on them, and the enemy has acquired a stronghold in them.

Some of the characteristics that a carnal or unfaithful Christian displays are a bad temper, anger, fretting, murmuring, pride, selfishness, malice, worldliness, evil speaking, bitterness, jealousy, envy, quarreling, and hatred.

They also portray self-confidence, self-centeredness, self-exaltation, self-reliance, self-importance, self-love, and self-ambition. On the other end of the spectrum, they can also be totally consumed with themselves through self-pity, self-condemnation, and self-doubt. Either way, they are pridefully consumed with themselves and not God.

The Beloved Disciple summed it up as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st John chapter 2:

15  Don’t set the affections of your heart on this world or in loving the things of the world. The Love of the Father and the love of the world are incompatible.

16 For all that the world can offer us—the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance—none of these things come from the Father but from the world.

17 This world and its desires are in the process of passing away, but those who love to do the will of God live forever.

Who do you love more- self or FATHER?  That is the question each of us must ask in order to move toward full maturity as an overcomer.

What are the characteristics of a True Disciple?

“A Christlike mindset” describes a true disciple.

A real disciple is always concerned with the personal application of Truth first. Then he becomes willing to share what he has learned.  God’s Truth must first be personalized in a disciple’s life, before it can be shared. It’s one thing to know God’s principles in your head, but it’s something totally different to walk out those principles in your everyday life.  Paul’s life was an example of the fruitfulness of a true disciple.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 15:

18  And I will not be presumptuous to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me. For many non-Jewish people are coming into faith’s obedience by the power of the Spirit of God, which is displayed through mighty signs and amazing wonders, both in Word and Deed. Starting from Jerusalem I went from place to place as far as the distant Roman province of Illyricum, fully preaching the wonderful message of Christ.

True disciples not only “talk the talk, but walk the walk!”

What are the characteristics of a true disciple?

A spiritual or a faithful believer is a person who not only has been born again, but who is also abiding in and walking by the power of the Holy Spirit, thereby producing fruit.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 15:

1  “I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.

2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

The true disciple has allowed the kratos strength of God to rein in his emotions and will, so that his works are done through God’s empowering, not the flesh.

Paul wrote in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 5:

23  Now, may the God of peace and harmony set you apart, making you completely Holy. And may your entire being—spirit, soul, and body—be kept completely flawless in the appearing of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.

24 The One who calls you by name is Trustworthy and will thoroughly complete His work in you.

The true disciple’s motive for speaking, his strength for working, and his reason for living is simply the Love of God which causes us to Love others deeply with a pure heart, a clean conscience, and sincere faith.  He is more concerned about what Christ thinks of him, than what others think. Christ’s Presence in this believer brings about “a peace that passes all understanding”.

The true disciple will be filled with the fruit of the Spirit as evidenced by: Love (Agape), joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. These characteristics all manifest themselves in humility.   And besides this… add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience Godliness; and to Godliness brotherly kindness, all resulting from Agape Love.

This disciple radiates God’s Holiness. Consequently, the world hates him as they did Jesus in His earthly ministry.

Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Peter chapter 1:

10  For this reason, Beloved ones, be eager to confirm and validate that God has invited you to salvation and claimed you as His own. If you do these things (written above), you will never stumble.

11 As a result, the Kingdom’s gates (portal) will open wide to you as God choreographs your triumphant entrance into the Eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Messiah.

As we mature as true disciples, our fruitfulness will abound!