Discipleship Discover your Identity in Christ

By Anton Labuschagne

The Cost and Joy of Discipleship

The lack of true discipleship undermines anything that we seek to accomplish in life. Many Christians today never commit to a growing relationship with the Lord and because of this they become unfit to face the challenges in life.

This dynamic study
Covers basic foundational truths which every believer should know and understand,
Challenges every believer to read the Word of God on a daily basis,
Encourages all believers to memorise scriptures that are relevant to use in their daily lives,
Helps all believers to declare the truth of God’s Word in faith over their lives,
Leads all believers to pray effectively over their lives and the lives of others,
Equips every believer to hear and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit,
Prepares every believer to reach the lost and share the Gospel confidently, and

Stirs every believer to walk in the unconditional love of God.

ANTON LABUSCHAGNE and his wife, Anita, served as missionaries to the United States for seven years to minister to the homeless, drug addicts and prostitutes on the street. They have successfully planted a Rhema Family Church in South Africa and are passionate about growing Church families and multiplying the followers of Jesus Christ through dedicated Discipleship training.

1 Cor 11:1 “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anton Labuschagne
• Release date: Nov 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370138203

Anton Labuschagne

I am happily married to my beautiful wife Anita for many years and have 4 amazing children, Anri, Jana, Kristoff and Migael and 2 wonderful Sons in Law Cu and Henri. I am also the grandfather of Lian and Necu which are very close to my heart. I served the Lord passionately for 31 years and have experienced numerous moments of supernatural breakthroughs as we have dared as a family to walk in Faith in absolute obedience to the voice of God. We spend 7 years in the USA while ministering to the Homeless, Drug addicts and prostitutes and during this time experienced a life changing impartation into our own hearts of God's unconditional and unmerited love and favor for all mankind. This book is written out of this experience of how much God loves us and was meant to help every reader to discover his/her true identity in Jesus Christ through the revealing work of the Holy Spirit which will enable all to live victoriously in Christ. It was also meant to make powerful disciples which can change the lives of others around them.

Book preview

Discipleship

Discover your Identity in Christ

Discipleship

Discover your Identity in Christ

Copyright © 2017 Anton Labuschagne

Published by Anton Labuschagne Publishing at Smashwords

First edition 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without permission from the copyright holder.

The Author has made every effort to trace and acknowledge sources/resources/individuals. In the event that any images/information have been incorrectly attributed or credited, the Author will be pleased to rectify these omissions at the earliest opportunity.

Published by the Author using Reach Publishers’ services,

P O Box 1384, Wandsbeck, South Africa, 3631

Edited by Sheena Carnie for Reach Publishers

Cover designed by Reach Publishers

Website: www.reachpublishers.co.za

E-mail: [e-mail]

Congratulations!

You are starting a journey toward a deeper relationship with God.

Let me begin by thanking you. By picking up this book you are saying a few things:

1. That you want to grow in your relationship with God.

2. That you take the command of Jesus according to Matthew 28:19 seriously.

3. That you have the burden to leave behind a legacy by touching the lives of others.

4. That you make it a priority to become a disciplined follower of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel came to us as believers because it was already on its way to someone else. The blessings, promises and power that are part of this incredible relationship with our Heavenly Father are designed to be shared with everyone around us.

I have found that very few believers have had someone in their lives who accepted the responsibility of equipping them in the foundational doctrines, principles and practices of faith. Most church-goers today have never experienced the benefits of personal discipleship with accountability in a small group environment.

But this is changing for you today.

This book should not be read and then abandoned on a shelf; it is a resource meant to help you make disciples for years to come. Please write your personal notes in it and record the testimonies of what God is doing in your life.

May you walk in the blessings of the Lord and may He keep you and make His face to shine upon your life.

CONTENTS

About the Author

Foreword

Introduction

1 The Word of God

2 The Old Covenant versus the New Covenant

3 Jesus Crucified

4 The Kingdom of Jesus Christ

5 Spirit – Soul – Body (I am a three-part being)

6 Repentance and the New Birth

7 Spiritual Growth

8 The Holy Spirit, our Helper

9 Love is the Greatest

10 Righteousness and New Creation Realities

11 Characteristics of a New Creation

12 Baptism in Water

13 Grace versus Law

14 Authority in Christ

15 Filled with the Holy Spirit

16 Prayer and Intimacy

17 Faith

18 Transformation

19 Praise and Worship

20 Do the Word – Building on the Rock

21 Walk in the Spirit

22 The Great Commission – Making Other Disciples

About the Author

I met Anton in January of 2013 when we attended our first service during our search for a place to worship. I was struck by the American accent of the Pastor. This was clarified for me when I learned about his seven years spent in the USA with his family, while him and his wife were ministering to the homeless, drug addicts and prostitutes on the street. It was obvious that he still has this compassion for the poor. I came to know him better during that year while spending Wednesday evenings over a cup of coffee. I soon realized that his ministry was based on his conviction that God's word is the absolute truth. I find him to be a person with a solid character living out his convictions. The Discipleship Series to me is the evidence of these convictions. I wish him success with this publication in which he is willing to share his practical experiences.

Chris Murray

I know Ps Anton Labuschagne for the last 7 years and have always been impressed by his very good personality, Christian character, wisdom, humility and depth of knowledge.

Ps Jean-Claude Ndagano

Foreword

Discipleship changed my life!

This course took veil after veil from my eyes and left me gaping in awe at the Master and what He did for me! Could this be true I wondered countless of times? - yet Scripture confirmed it. The joy of finding out who I truly am in Christ has liberated me and given me an awesome security. I am left with the knowledge that my Father in heaven is a good-good God who loves me (and His bride) unconditionally!

Madelein Murray

Thank you to our Father God for the opportunity to have this book as a study guide. It is surely inspired by the Holy Spirit and it helped us to understand the Finished work of Jesus on the cross. The truth really set us free!

Francois and Nolene Coetzee

The layout, content and context of the discipleship book was unbelievable designed. The interaction with the team was an eye opener and helped to unearth wonderful deep biblical truths and revelations. Without doubt the discipleship raised my spiritual bar and of course that of my members.

Maurice Vukeya

The book on discipleship meant a lot to me: it added a value and means for me as a leader in a local Church to make more disciples. It has become an instrument for my own edification before I get to edify others. I have used it many times to write some of my sermons. In Short, it's a powerful instrument for the leaders and congregants who aimed to be made disciples which will enable them to make other disciples.

Jean-Claude Ndagano

During the discipleship my spiritual life has grown in big steps. Constant learning of the Word, by the way of memorizing key verses from the Word of God played a big role in it. I have learned that the love of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus, placed me in right standing with my Heavenly Farther. Now I know that He is my loving Father and will never harm me.

Chris Murray

The discipleship program has been an enriching experience for me. I have been honored to know God in a deep, engulfing, personal way beyond what words can express.

Laura Owosuyi

Introduction

I believe we all sometimes go through a time in our lives where we want to grow in our faith and in our relationship with God, but just don’t know how. I grew up with a Bible next to my bed and my parents were dedicated Church goers, which I really appreciate, but I did not understand the heart of God through His Word – even though I was reading it every day.

I heard people pray but did not know how to communicate with my Father in Heaven. I struggled to understand the true value of the cross and resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ and was completely ignorant of the work of the most important person on this earth – the Holy Spirit.

I had friends that went to church; some lived dedicated lives and some lived compromised lives. Both sides were pretty much acceptable to me as I was just living for every day with this false sense of hope that things would get better without being challenged, in spite of my commitment to step up and possess those things which Jesus paid for on the cross. Things like salvation, divine healing, provision, forgiveness and victorious living.

There was a time when I wanted to hide the Word of God in my heart but was unable to memorise it. It was as if I heard it, received it with joy and then forgot all about it the next day. Remember the parable Jesus told about the sower and the seed that fell on the wayside and on the rock? (Mat 13:18-23). I wanted to share my testimony about what God did for me when he saved me from a terrible place in my life, but I did not know how to do that. I read the scriptures diligently but did not know how to apply them.

All of this brought me to a place where I became interested in what it really means to be a disciplined follower of Jesus Christ. I committed my life to this process and today realise the incredible effect it had on my relationship with the Lord, my fellowship with the Holy Spirit and my confidence in being able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness.

This book has the potential to move you into a much deeper relationship with the Lord, but it will challenge your commitment, discipline, sincerity and, most importantly, your love for God.

You will find times when the Holy Spirit will reveal truths to your heart that will blow your mind. You might find yourself in a place where you ask questions and, through your study, these questions will be answered. This book is written in a way that will take you deeper and deeper as the Holy Spirit will reveal and unveil the Word of God to you.

Before you even start to read the first chapter, make a commitment:

1) That you will continue to study all 22 chapters no matter how you feel. (The enemy will want you to stop halfway.)

2) That you will discipline yourself to study one chapter per week.

3) That you will follow the five-day reading plan at the beginning of each chapter. Finish the reading before you start the next chapter.

4) That you will memorise the scriptures listed at the beginning of each chapter. You can write them on a card if you want to and carry them with you every day to help you to remember them. Find a friend you can quote these scriptures to on a regular basis.

5) That you will diligently study each chapter with scripture reference. Get yourself a highlighter and highlight the scriptures in your Bible. As you page through your Bible you will get to know your Bible much better.

6) That you will declare the Word at the end of every chapter over your life.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will write the truth of the Word of God on the tablet of your heart and that your life will never be the same, in Jesus’ name.

1

The Word of God

God’s Word is the only undeniable truth and should be trusted even if it is contrary to the facts we might face in life. Because God our Father, in His infinite love for us, is not only willing but also able to do the impossible, it is a KEY to victorious living that I set my faith only on His opinion. The truth that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life sets the foundation for us as Christians to make His Word the highest priority in our lives. Through this chapter you become acquainted with and will be enriched by powerful characteristics of the Word. As additional reading you will be able to study seven dispensations or periods of time, which can be identified from Genesis to Revelation.

May you fall in love with the Word of God all over again through this study.

1st week five-day Bible reading schedule

Day 1 About creation - Genesis 1:1-2:25

Day 2 About Moses - Exodus 2:1-4:31

Day 3 The Lord is my shepherd - Psalms 23:1-6

Day 4 Jesus feeding the 5000 - Luke 9:1-36

Day 5 The Word is powerful - Hebrews 4:1-16

1.1) The importance of the Word in our lives

The Word of God is the only foundation on which we can build our lives successfully. Jesus said that he who hears His word and does it is like a man who builds his house on a rock.

Matt 7:24-25  Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

The house represents my life and it was the opinion of Jesus Himself that I should build my house on Him and His Word so that I’m in a strong position to face the storms of life which are designed to make me fall or fail. Please note that the wind and rain that beat against your life are not there to make you stronger but are sent to destroy your life. The only answer is the Word of God in your mouth and in your heart. I pray that the following truths will motivate you to passionately study His Word.

1. Settle in your heart today that studying His Word diligently is necessary to know who Jesus really is (John 5:39-40). It is sad to hear people talk about Jesus with completely different opinions of His character and His dealings with us as His children. No book on the shelf and no TV program can substitute the Bible. Nothing in this life should receive more attention than the Word of God. It is important that you personally study His Word and trust the Holy Spirit to reveal it to your heart. I always ask God to increase my hunger for His Word because I know that is how I will grow in my love for my Heavenly Father and how I will defeat the onslaught of the enemy in my life. Ephesians 6 says the Word is the Sword of the Spirit which we use to win the battles of life. (Eph 6:17)

2. Timothy was Paul’s student and the commission to Timothy as a young man was to study the Word of God. That was the only way he could show himself approved as someone who could rightly teach the Word of truth. We are not supposed to give our opinion of what God says unless we have gained sufficient understanding through our study of the Word of God.

2 Tim 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

3. The Bible very clearly says that Jesus is the Word. While studying the Word of God I grow in my understanding of His person which is important to defend Him in a conversation and to oppose the lies of the enemy.

John 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God."

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and truth.

4. The Word is necessary to transform our lives. Being born again means my spirit has been renewed (2 Cor 5:17), but the next step is to transform my life. The following scripture uses the word mirror to describe the Word of God which reflects the truth to us as we read and study the Word.

2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.