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But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. 1 John 2:27 ESV
Jesus left and the Holy Spirit came.
You can’t have satisfactory discipleship without the anointing of the Spirit. Discipleship is following Jesus by having a relationship with the Holy Spirit. When you hear and obey God’s Spirit, you are a disciple of Jesus.
Jesus said, “Go and make disciples!” Most Christians have never been discipled and most Christians have never discipled. Leaders talk incessantly about discipleship, but few have actually discipled a new believer – or know how to disciple a new believer.
The church lost discipleship because the church lost its connection with the Spirit.
Most Christians don’t clearly discern the Spirit’s voice and leading. Leaders have lost adequate understanding of what the Spirit can and won’t do, resulting in the proverbial those not understanding leading those who do not know.
Okay, I will stop the rant.
When you read the Old Testament, you wonder why Israel soon departed from the Law – in spite of the Law being given on a mountain through fire (Exodus 19:18). The church also soon departed from the Spirit, despite the Spirit’s initial release by fire (Acts 2).
Sorry, I’m still ranting.
Following the Spirit, with power and revelation, Christians should have been honed to be a powerful church after 2000 years. Historically, it can be said that the Spirit was lost and then re-discovered with Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles in 1905.
Even in the last 100 years, following the Spirit has been marred by quenching, grieving, false prophecies, wrong doctrines, and all sorts of mayhem. Entire denominations say it begins with speaking in tongues while other denominations teach that tongues stopped in the first century.
Same with the power of the Spirit – some believing “on” while others declaring “off.”
When will I stop this ranting?
Meanwhile, no true discipleship happens because following Jesus is thoroughly influenced by the Spirit. Paul prays that the church through the ages would:
Be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19
I rant because the church today does not disciple, doesn’t know how to disciple, and hasn’t developed a relationship with the Spirit. Yes, the Spirit who was sent by Jesus to lead discipleship.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus, but send the Spirit again first.