Whole life Discipleship

 

Discern and Affirm

Assess these 5 Areas

1. Assumptive Spirit (the most primary assumptions you make about life, it is pre-thought: meaning you don’t even think about these points)

2. Emotions

3. Cognition/thinking

4. Behavior

5. Context (of /relationships, things, circumstances, events, development, health)

 

A.     Assumptive Spirit (the most primary assumptions you make about life, it is pre-thought: meaning you don’t even think about these points)

 

  Area                                      Means of transformation

    Spirit                                     Person of God

    Emotions                          Presence of God

    Thinking                             Heart of God

                                                    Behavior                             Will of God

    Context                               Creation/incarnation of God

 

“For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” Rom. 8:16 NLT

-          beware in this area the “Christianese!” 

-          Inquire about consistent practice of time with God

 

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.  As the Scriptures say, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” 1 Cor. 1:18-19 NLT

 

“No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” 1 Cor. 2:11-12 NLT 

 

Tools: Prayer, waiting on the Lord, gifts, worship together

 

B.     Emotions

 

“God created emotions, and He ministers to them.  We provide care that addresses emotions.  This does not mean that we condone every action of a person, but we do recognize pain and extend compassion.” – Mcmahan

 

Asking questions like how did you feel about that?

 

1.      Choosing to forgive others

2.      Repenting for sin

3.      Receiving God’s forgiveness

4.      Forgiving self

5.      Renouncing and breaking agreements with the enemy

6.      Receiving God’s blessing/healing

 

“But don’t let the passion of your emotions lead you to sin! Don’t let anger control you or be fuel for revenge, not for even a day.” Eph. 4:26 TPT

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Gal. 5:22-23 NLT

 

Faith and hope are foundations to build healthy emotions of love, peace and Joy

-          Try to trace back roots of unhealthy emotions to discover the hopelessness that needs to be replaced with hope through the transformational power of God’s Word!

 

How are you coping with feelings?

 

1. Cognition/Thinking

 

We need to renew our minds to the Word of God. 

 

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Rom. 12:2 NLT  

 

-          We need to identify thought patterns, then compare them to the pattern of the Word.

 

We want to ask questions about understanding issues, about sequence, about patterns, about priorities. 

 

“Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so” is the only complete answer to the false and destructive images and ideas that control the lives of those away from God. – Dallas Willard

 

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing clearly the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Cor. 4:4 NRSV 

 

D.    Behavior

 

“For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” Matthew 12:34b NLT

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. John. 4:34 NLT

You are my friends if you do what I command….  This is my command: Love each other. John 15:14,17 NLT

 

E.      Context (of people/relationships, things, circumstances, events, development, health)

 

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” Ecc. 4:9-10 NLT

“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. There are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecc. 4:12 NLT

 

Financial context, physical context, shelter/food context

 

What are the key relationships in your life? 

How much time is spent with who? 

What is the impact or influence from those relationships? 

What relational support system is present in your life?

Where is God working in circumstances and relationships around you? 

What is He wanting to do or develop in you as you face circumstances?

 

 

What is the first question? – Dr. Oliver Macmahan

1. What does this person need?

2. What can I do for this person?

3. What can we accomplish together?

4. WHAT IS GOD DOING?