Spiritual Self-Study
Discipleship is more than believing right things... it is a way of living... a
life-style. A disciple of Jesus not only experiences a change of position, but
God's grace transforms us resulting in a changed performance too. We are
"called to holiness." To follow Jesus is to develop toward a
particular life style of living -- in thought, word and deed. In short,
discipleship is becoming Christ-like.
The following self-study will help you move forward in your journey toward
Christ-likeness. A self-study like this is a way for you to privately examine
your own spiritual progress and then decide where God want's to work next in
your life. Get ready for a powerful life-changing experience as you go through
this process.
INSTRUCTIONS: Circle a number which represents how you are doing in each of the
following areas of discipleship. "0" represents absolute failure in
that area, and "9" means you are experiencing habitual success in that
area. No one else will see your results, this is just between you and the Lord,
so be honest with yourself and with him.
1. THANKFULNESS
It is the habit of my life to thank God and others for what they have done. I
can honestly say that I am a thankful person and often express my gratitude.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
2. GENTLENESS
My life is free from all outbursts of selfish anger or rage. I am approachable,
easily appealed, quiet in spirit, open to criticism, and I don't get defensive
when I am corrected or rebuked.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
3. HUMILITY
I do not have an inflated self-opinion and consistently consider others before
myself. I have a teachable spirit, and avoid all bragging, name dropping, and
spiritual pride.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
4. PURE ATTITUDES
My lifestyle is one of right relationships, not just outwardly, but inwardly
too. I have no hate, ill will, malice, or bitterness toward any other person
anywhere on this earth.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
5. MEEKNESS
I refuse to fight back when people criticise, condemn, reject, or complain
against me. Even if they do it with wrong motives. I practice giving a soft
answer to turn away their wrath.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
6. PEACEMAKING
It is my practice to try to bring peace between others who are at odds. I don't
just stand by and allow division to fester without trying to get involved to
bring peace.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
7. BOLDNESS
I have been able to launch out and take risks for God, keeping fear under
control and risking obediently when God calls me to do something. There is
nothing God is now asking me to do which I am resisting because of fear.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
8. COMPASSION IN ACTION
I search out opportunities to care for the needy, visit sick people, aid the
elderly, visit prisoners, clothe the naked, and house the homeless. My
compassion is more than a feeling, it leads to action.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
9. TRUST
I not only believe, but act like, "His eye is on the sparrow and I know
He's watching me." My life is one of simple reliance on God. I am free from
fretting, worrying, or anxiety about the future.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
10. PERSISTENCE
It is normal for me to hang in there when things get difficult, stressful, and
unrewarding even if I must face suffering, trouble or persecution.. My
persistence keeps me from giving up too easily so I just "keep on keeping
on."
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
11. HARMONY
I am not a participant in any "group sins" like quarreling,
dissension, fighting, or factions in my church, at work, or in my family.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
12. SUBMISSION
I do not resist those in authority over me, even if they are less competent or
gifted.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
13. RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS
Reflecting on all my relationships, past and present, I am able to say that
there are no broken relationships with anybody anywhere which I have not
attempted to straighten out.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
14. GIVING LIVING
I regularly practice generous giving to both the church and to the poor,
homeless, helpless, widows, orphans, and other needy folks. Generosity is normal
behavior for me.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
15. FAMILY TIME
It is the routine of my life to control the amount of time I spend in work,
pleasure, or other activities which take too much time from my family. Family
time is a top priority of my life and I live like it.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
16. FORGIVING
If there is an individual or a group of people who have hurt me in the past, I
hold no resentment, bitterness, or any grudges against them. I have fully
forgiven everyone who ever hurt me.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
17. RESTORING OTHERS
I hurt when sin overtakes another Christian, so I do not avoid or exclude them.
I often get involved, humbly coming alongside to help them back on their feet
spiritually.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
18. RESTITUTION
If I have ever taken things which do not belong to me, or hurt people by what I
said or did, I have gone back and made restitution for everything God has
prompted me about so far.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
19. RESISTING MATERIALISM.
I resist the grasping materialistic lifestyle of my culture, choosing rather to
live a life of contentment and satisfaction with what I've got. I am not always
"wanting more."
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
20. STEALING
I am careful to avoid taking anything that belongs to another, no matter how
small.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
21. SELFISH AMBITION
I have laid aside all jealousy of another's success, envy and selfish ambition.
I do not secretly hunger to climb the ladder to gain personal power and
position.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
22. SPIRITUAL INTIMACY
It is the routine of my life to spend Time Alone With God each day and to read
the Bible and pray. And beyond that, I "practice the presence" of
Jesus all day long. I am constantly sensing His surrounding presence in my life,
like that air I breath.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
23. THOUGHT LIFE
My thought-life is absolutely free from all impure thoughts. I have habitual
victory over all sinful sexual fantasies or daydreams.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
24. LIVING ABOVE REPROACH
I carefully tend to my relationships with the opposite sex so that not even the
hint of impropriety exists. I painstakingly avoid situations which could feed
sinful desires or even tempt others to gossip about me. I have no dangerous
emotional bonds which could lead to trouble.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
25. TRUTHFULNESS
My yes is yes, my 200 is 200, my ten point buck is a ten point buck. I totally
avoid half-truths, flattery, white lies, and exaggeration. I practice absolute
honesty in speech.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
26. TONGUE STEWARDSHIP
I abstain from slander, gossip, harshness, unkindness, biting criticism, caustic
remarks, obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking. Instead, I use my tongue to
build others up, giving words of encouragement, comfort, help, inspiration, and
challenge. My tongue is under the Holy Spirit's control.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
27. USE OF TIME
I am a good steward of my time; I live close enough to Christ that His
priorities are becoming my priorities. I do not waste time on watching too much
TV or other time wasting activities.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
28. GUARDING THE "EYE GATE"
I carefully guard what I allow to enter my mind through the eye gate. I avoid
questionable movies, magazines, videos, and TV shows which could cause me moral
problems.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
29. WITNESSING
I typically share the gospel with unsaved people every time the Lord prompts me
to do it. Evangelism is a habit of my life.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
30. SPIRITUAL PASSION
I hunger to become more Christ-like and take my spiritual growth seriously. I do
not ignore, dismiss or excuse areas where I fall short, even those I have listed
above, since I have a spiritual passion for becoming more Christ-like.
0________1________2________3________4________5________6________7________8________9
Application
I. LISTENING
Now look back through your answers and find One or Two areas where God seems to
be speaking to you. If you marked yourself low in a dozen areas, concentrate on
listening to the Holy Spirit in order to narrow these down to one or two. Seldom
does the Lord deal in more than one or two areas at once.
Note: If you get a terrible feeling of despair after looking through your list,
recognize that these feelings come from Satan, not God. Satan condemns
us for our poor performance. The Holy Spirit convicts
us. Condemnation makes us want to give up; conviction makes us want to change.
After taking some time to LISTEN to the Spirit, list in the following space the
specific areas you feel God wants to begin changing today.
The areas I need to work on are:
1. _________________________________________________________________ .
2. _________________________________________________________________ .
3. _________________________________________________________________ .
II. ACTION
God seldom changes us without our involvement. Becoming Christ-like is a
partnership in which God does His part, but He usually wants us to take some
action too. What must YOU do to get change started in this area? List what you
will DO to cooperate with God in changing this area He's speaking to you about
today.
I will: ____________________________________________________
When I will do it: ____________________________________________________
III. ACCOUNTABILITY
Commitments are easier to make than keep. The great secret in keeping
commitments is having someone check up on us. Who is it that you could ask to
check up on you? Who could be your accountability partner to see that you and
God finish, over the next few months, the changing work begun today?
Whom I could ask: __________________________________________________
When I will ask them: __________________________________________________ .
IV SEVEN-DAY-CHECKBACK
Report to myself on the actual action I took growing out of this spiritual
self-study.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
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