Introduction: Are you discipling anyone? That is our Lord’s will. But how do we disciple? By looking into the life of our Lord Jesus, we can find insights from the GREATEST LEADER that ever lived. This devotion will examine the process of choosing and empowering those around us. Please take note of the (5) steps Jesus took.

1. Jesus PRAYED before choosing them! (Luke 6:12)

“12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples..”

Jesus prayed all NIGHT! This was in preparation for choosing His disciples. 
Hint: Pray over people before you work with them! Are you following this pattern? Why not start?

2. Jesus CALLED them out to follow Him!

“12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples…. : and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; 14Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, 16And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.”

3. Jesus POURED into them! (Luke 6:20)

“20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said….”

For three consistent years, the Master Teacher poured into the disciples. Are you investing into people? Paul writes to Timothy,

“2And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2Tim 2:2)

Pouring into others takes a great amount of patience.

4. Jesus EVALUATED them! (Luke 9:40)

“And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not. 41And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you?”

Here the discouraged disciples were defeated. Why? Because they were powerless; and in all indication they were prayerless. Are you prayerless?

5. Jesus REWARDED them! (Matt 19:27-30)

“Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”

I love this text. While technically speaking, it is written to Israel, and will be fulfilled in the future. Practically speaking, this a promise to us as well in that Jesus will keep His promise to Israel, which means He will also keep His promises to His Church today. That includes us!