How To Become a Dangerous Disciple

By Larry Blankenship

How to Become a Dangerous Disciple was written for those who struggle, new converts, and especially those who have been in and out of the church but never seem to find the path or the peace that God promises His followers. In this book, you will find the steps that will help you rekindle your faith and make you a powerful vessel for Him . . . a dangerous disciple.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9781681972268

Book preview

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How

to Become

a Dangerous

Disciple

Larry Blankenship

Introduction

When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it wanders through arid places, seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, I will return to the house I left. When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean, and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation (Matthew 12:43–45).

I would love to say that I have followed God faithfully since the moment of my salvation. That I have stood strong, steadfast, unwavering, and knew for certain that I would hear those words, Well done, my good and faithful servant. The truth is actually shameful. The truth is that I have spent more time in sin and darkness than I have in the light of obedience to God. The truth is that the power of sin and my own inner weakness kept drawing me back to the world, a world that wanted me to die in my sin. It was a laughing, mocking world that taunted me of my empty pride, addictions, and weakness of will.

It was a world that left me living in shame and despair. My inner pride kept me from admitting to my deep shame and my weak inability to serve my savior. A savior that I knew for certain had died, beaten, and crucified, nailed to a wooden cross. A savior that took all the world’s evil and sin upon himself, so that I, me, would have a chance at redemption, a chance at forgiveness, a chance to serve my creator in the manner that He made me.

It seemed like every time I would grasp this truth, some other overwhelming obsession would have me turn and slap Jesus across the face and nail Him right back to that cross. At times, it was as if I had no choice. The draw back to that world was almost unbearable, as if I had no choice of my own. Proverbs 26:11 says, As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. The realization that I was that fool living in my own endless folly left me living in a world I can only describe as hopeless despair.

My pride would not allow me to wallow in that despair. So I turned to the only other thing I understood, anger. I became angry with God. I cursed His name, and in that hopeless anger, I resigned myself to my fate. I let myself get lost in that darkness, lost in that anger, lost in the joy of sin.

Do not deceive yourself. The power and pull of sin is like an addiction, a driving need some, I am sorry to say, will never escape. I found great joy in feeding my addictions and in feeling the power of money and intimidation. The adrenaline rush of violence and that power of feeling like the Alpha male wolf running wild and feasting on blood. Mix that with the overwhelming desire to have vengeance, just for being born, and it all becomes intoxicating. I wanted to make God and every fool around me regret the day I was born. I worked hard at it.

I thought if God really cared about me He would help me to change. I thought He would make it easier for me or at least in some supernatural way he