Radical Disciples – A Remnant Revolution

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”(Matthew 28:20)

The Greek word translated keep is tereo, which means “to guard, to watch, to observe closely, to hold fast.” This same word is used to describe the care that the Philippian jailer was to exercise in keeping Paul and Silas from escaping.

During the times of wind-driven ships, navigators would use the phrase keeping the stars. This meant that they would use the stars to chart a course across the ocean. This is precisely how the commands of Christ are to be used: as dependable lights for charting a course throughout life.

Here is a short list of the commands the disciples of Christ should seek to obey and set as a course upon which their lives are driven – If one where to live up too and obey these commands in their everyday life – the world around them would be influenced by the fragrance of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Kingdom being poured out as from broken vessels:

Always showing Our Love for Christ

“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

Their life must Abide in God’s Love

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10).

They must always be perfecting God’s Love

“Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him” (I John 2:5).

Be filled with the Spirit

“If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23).

Experiencing God’s Love

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father…” (John 14:21).

Knowing Christ Intimately

“…And I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21). “Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (I John 2:3).

They must be a Truthful Witness

“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (I John 2:4).

Truly be a Friend of Jesus

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants… for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:14–15).

Faith to see their Prayers Answered

“Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (I John 3:22).

Life of Bearing Much Fruit

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples”(John 15:7–8).

Being Joyful at All Times

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11).

Cleansing the Heart and Soul

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you”(John 15:3–4). “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).

They must demonstrate love for One Another

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:2–3).

Being a True Disciple

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34–35).

They must Demonstrate Ultimate Love

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12–13).

They must be obedient of the Great Commission

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20).

 

Humble Does Not Mean Silent

Some have taught that a true disciple must be humble in such a way that he never speaks out, never confronts error, and never challenges those who carry a title of leadership. But the question that must be asked is this: what do we do when those in leadership begin to believe there are none greater than themselves? What do we do when humility is demanded from the people, but never demonstrated from the platform? What do we do when honor is used as a weapon to silence truth rather than a garment that reveals Christ?

Biblical humility is not weakness, cowardice, or spiritual passivity. Humility is surrender to God, not surrender to intimidation. James 4:6 says, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” That means humility does not bow to pride; humility bows to God and receives the grace necessary to stand when pride builds thrones for itself.

In the religious kingdom of Jesus’ day, the Pharisees, scribes, and members of the Sanhedrin carried recognized positions of authority. In the eyes of the system, they were leaders over Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary and Joseph. Yet standing before them was not merely a carpenter’s son from Galilee, but the eternal Son of God clothed in flesh. In humble boldness, He confronted the false leadership of a man-made religious kingdom and released the words of His Father’s Kingdom.

Jesus never dishonored the Father, but He absolutely confronted religious pride. He called the Pharisees “blind guides,” “whited sepulchres,” and those who “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men” (Matthew 23:13, 24, 27). Those were not the words of rebellion; they were the words of holy truth spoken through perfect love. The Lamb of God was meek, but He was never manipulated by religious control.

There is a false humility that tells the people of God to remain quiet while deception builds walls around the captives. But Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, not protect the systems that hide them. Luke 4:18 declares that He was anointed to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, preach deliverance to the captives, and set at liberty them that are bruised. When the words of His Kingdom were released, walls of deception shook, prisoners heard freedom, and religious power structures were exposed.

David Wilkerson once warned that pride is independence, while humility is dependence. That is a word the modern Ecclesia must recover. True humility does not mean depending on man’s approval, denominational permission, or religious acceptance. True humility means depending so completely upon God that when He sends you with a word, you obey Him even when powerful men misunderstand you.

We must always walk in humility, honor, and respect, but never in fear. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” Fear of man will cause prophets to become performers, watchmen to become silent, and shepherds to become hirelings. But the fear of the Lord will cause sons and daughters to stand with trembling hearts, clean hands, and burning obedience.

God sent Elijah to confront Ahab, a king who had led Israel into mixture, idolatry, and compromise. Elijah did not come with arrogance, but he did come with authority. He stood before Ahab and declared, “As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand…” (1 Kings 17:1). That one statement reveals the secret of true prophetic boldness: Elijah could stand before a king because he first stood before God.

The same spirit of holy boldness rested upon Peter and John when they were commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus. Acts 4:19 declares their answer: “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.” They were not rebellious men trying to build their own name. They were Spirit-filled witnesses who had been with Jesus too long to be intimidated by religious threats.

David Wilkerson taught that true spiritual boldness comes from being with Jesus and being filled with Holy Spirit. That is the difference between fleshly confrontation and Kingdom confrontation. Flesh confronts to win an argument, protect a wound, or prove superiority. Kingdom boldness confronts because love refuses to let people remain chained to deception.

This is where many miss the heart of Christ. Jesus turned over tables, but He also wept over Jerusalem. He rebuked Pharisees, but He also stretched His arms wide on the cross for sinners, priests, rebels, and mockers. The same Christ who confronted the religious system also prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

So yes, we must contend. Jude 3 tells us to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” But we must contend with clean hearts, not bitter spirits. We fight the fight set before us, but we do it under the government of Holy Spirit, with truth in our mouths, love in our hearts, and the cross before our eyes.

There are still giants in the land today. There are still spiritual strongholds that mock the people of God, intimidate the Remnant, and try to convince the sons of the Kingdom that silence is humility. But David did not defeat Goliath by pretending the giant was not there. He defeated him because he knew the battle belonged to the Lord.

A humble man can still carry a stone and sling. A humble woman can still release the word of the Lord. A humble son or daughter can still stand before kings, councils, systems, and giants when Heaven gives the command. Humility does not remove boldness; humility purifies it.

The hour has come for the Ecclesia to recover holy courage. Not rebellion. Not arrogance. Not dishonor. But the boldness of Christ, the love of Christ, the purity of Christ, and the fire of Holy Spirit burning through surrendered vessels who refuse to bow before giants that God has already marked for defeat.

Remember this: the Remnant is not called to be rude, reckless, or religiously combative. But neither are we called to be silent while deception imprisons the people Jesus died to set free. We must walk low before God and stand tall before giants. We must carry honor in our posture, truth in our mouth, love in our spirit, and the fire of Heaven in our bones.

Russ Welch

Might Arm Ministries

A radical disciple of Jesus Christ must be willing to swim against the tide of modern religiosity. We can not go with what is considered the “norm” in the church any more than Jesus did in Israel 2000 years ago. We like He must walk in the Spirit having heard the Fathers voice and instructions, we must walk in the path that He has chosen.

If we are unwilling to deal with rejection because of our unwillingness to bow to the many man-made religious idols in the church today, we are not truly ready to follow Jesus.

We must be willing to take a stand for the truth and do so with perseverance, not swaying with a pure heart and clean hands even if it appears we are the only one doing so.

Take a moment and ask yourself:

• Are you willing to speak out when a false lying spirit rises up?
• Are you willing to refuse to adhere to the doctrines of a church when they bring division rather than unity, operating in a spirit of confusion rather than that of our Lord?
• Are you willing to reach out and embrace the lost no matter what they look or smell like?
• Are you willing to walk away from good friendships if they lead you away from the will of the Father?
• Are you willing to be obedient to the Spirit regardless of what your fleshly emotions push you towards?
• Are you ready to be laughed at, scorned and or even beating for your love of Christ, His Word and His people?

Though these are only a few of the selfless actions we are called too, ask yourself these questions as you weigh the cost of picking up the cross of Christ and walking down the road of true discipleship!