Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Visitation and discipleship

By Prophet O. Azuka
09 August 2020   |   3:55 am
The two words captured in the above topic are very important to God if put into practice by believers.

The two words captured in the above topic are very important to God if put into practice by believers. Unfortunately, the reality of the words are practically lacking in churches today. Those who claimed to be Christians and are engage in the business of evangelism, have failed in carrying out visitation and discipleship as expected. This negligence is as good as not preaching the gospel at all. It is liken to a mother who gave birth to a new baby but abandoned it afterward.

Visitation and discipleship are very germane for the stability and growth of new converts in faith. If converts are not properly followed up, the enemy will confuse them and make nugatory the word of God they had received.

Paul and Barnabas were good examples of this discourse. They were used to this practice because they knew the importance of it in the expansion of God’s Kingdom. These two disciples went back to the cities they evangelised to see how the new converts are faring and to encourage them in faith.

New converts are so fragile and nascent in faith that if proper attention is not given, they will be lost in ignorance. They need the help of believers to stand. The reason stemmed from the fact that the word of God they received will be tried and attacked by the devil, hence, the place of visitation and discipleship until they grow up to maturity.

Appointment with new converts must be honoured. All their questions must be answered with exactitude. During visitation, important questions should be asked to see if the words of God are still retained. Previous materials given to them such as tracts should be reviewed with them for proper understanding.

Every new convert irrespective of his/her appellation and status in society, is still a baby in the Lord and needs attention and care. In other words, they need the ‘sincere milk of God’s word to grow thereby.’ The benevolence shown to new converts during this early stage of ‘nursing’ will go along way to concretise their feet in the Lord.

New converts, like Paul and Barnabas did, should be exhorted in the way of the Lord as follows: teach them how to pray in order to overcome temptations (Col.4:2); teach them to read and study the word of God regularly (Joshua 1:8); instruct them to imbibe the habit of ‘no Bible, no breakfast; no Bible no supper.’ This will build up their faith in God and assist them stand firm in times of trials and temptations; lay emphasis on the need to always be in fellowship without making excuses (Heb. 10:25).

New converts should also be taught the need to suspend their businesses to attend fellowship; teach them how to fast and pray at all times. This will toughen their spiritual muscles to withstand all the fiery darts of the wicked (Joel 2:12-18; Matt.4:1). The scriptural fasting and prayer demands commitment and devotion for effective result. During period of fasting and prayer, business should be suspended for this programme; teach them on how to manage their time (Eph.5:16; Col.4:5). Time is very important to whoever wants to excel and succeed in life. Free periods in one’s daily schedule should not be used for frivolities and jesting. Rather, the time should be channeled to deep meditations of God’s word for insight and revelation.

Further to the above, new converts should be encouraged to hold on to their newfound faith tenaciously even in tempestuous times. More importantly, converts should be engaged in the work of God such as evangelism (Acts 6:1-3; Matt. 10:5,6).

The only primary business we have in this world as believers is to bring souls to the Lord and that we must do faithfully.

For further reading: Matt. 13:8:3.

You can fellowship with us @ Kingdom Power International Christian Praying Centre, 65, Oluwatedo Road, Cele Road, Isashi, Ojo, Lagos State.

For details of our programme, visit us @www.kpicpc.org. You can also follow us live on Facebook @kpicpc & You Tube @ kpicpc

0 Comments