Welcome to disciple making:
This series on disciple making is Booklet 1 – Essentials, which is part of the program
Transferable Cross Training (TCT) developed by Dr. Karl Payne. The purpose of TCT is to help equip men and
women to be effective disciple makers. The materials are field tested with various proof verses that can be
memorized, and each lesson is focused on transferability. It is our desire is for those who accept the challenge
of discipleship that, with or without a Bible and notes in hand, each individual who has taken the time to master
the concepts and principles in this series will have confidence to comfortably and biblically respond to common
questions and comments from friends or enemies of Christ. By God’s grace we can make a difference in eternity
by being actively involved in the most important job assignment entrusted to mankind. For more information
about TCT or obtaining the booklet series, see
www.KarlPayne.org
Please remember that the uniqueness of this discipleship series is its simple transferability.
It is the expressed desire of the author that students actually use these materials after completing each
booklet, by sharing them with others in a manner consistent with
2 Timothy 2:2.
The battle is on and the spiritual battle is real. Unfortunately, most Christians are losing more battles
than they are winning. The victories do not have to go to the opposition, but they will continue to do so until
believers learn how to fight biblically.
How do they attack Christians?
The World: is an organized system in opposition and rebellion against God.
1 John 2:16 characterizes the world as: the lust of the flesh
(physical desires), the lust of the eye (beautiful externals) and the boastful pride of life (selfish ambition).
The Flesh: is represented as an old nature, the old man or the old self within each
individual, including Christians, which is an opposition and rebellion against God.
Galatians 5: 19-21,
Colossians 3:5-8, and
Mark 7:21-23 provide a partial list of areas that the flesh
can easily inflame in this battle.
The Devil: is a real enemy, according to Jesus and the Bible, who is in opposition and
rebellion against God. His primary attack against Christians seems to be through debilitating accusations. These
accusations are usually mental attacks, in the mind, and are carried out by demonic spirits who faithfully serve
the devil. Revelation 12:10 mentions this type of opposition.
It is possible that the flaming arrows targeted at Christians which are mentioned in
Ephesians 6:16 could also represent demonic accusation.
The Christian's defense against the world, the flesh and the devil.
The World: 1 John 2:17 indicates
that we are to evaluate alluring temptation and say "no". The external things of God should not be
sacrificed for the temporal things of this world. Christians do not have to pretend that the tinsel and trappings
of this world are not appealing. Sometimes the things of this world have the appearance of great value. Looks,
however, are often deceiving; just ask Adam and Eve. The real issue is not how this world looks, but whether or
not the temporal pleasures of this world are worth the eternal price tag that accompanies them.
The Flesh: Galatians 5:16 and
Ephesians 5:18 indicate that if we walk controlled by the
Spirit we will not carry out the desires of the flesh.
Ephesians 4:20-24 and
Romans 12:1-2 state that victory over our old nature or self
is possible through consistently renewing our mind. We replace or substitute our old wrong way of thinking
with new Christ-like thinking contained in the Bible. Lastly,
2 Timothy 2:22 declares that in some situations involving the
flesh the faithful believer should simply run.
The Devil: Scripture like James 4:7-8
and 1 Peter 5:8-9 indicate that the Christian is to firmly
resist the attacks of the devil. Jesus' example in
Matthew 4:1-11 shows that He used scripture agains the devil in
confronting him. Boldly resisting and fearfully running are two very different responses. Christians are commanded
to resist, not run from this defeated enemy. Perfect love is supposed to cast out fear.
Problem
The world, flesh and the devil are real opponents who attack Christians in different manners. Since Christians
are to defend themselves in diverse manners according to which enemy they are confronting, it becomes extremely
important that a Christian knows which enemy he is dealing with so that he knows which defense system to activate.
if the Christian does not know how to correctly identify his enemies as they attack, will he stand firm in his
resistance (devil defense), be filled with the Spirit, renew his mind or run (flesh defense), or evaluate the
situation and say no (world defense)?
Sadly, most Christians do not understand warfare. They do not understand the defense systems at their disposal.
Therefore, too many Christians lose more battles than they win, and end up blaming God for their failures. The real
truth of the matter is that the defense system will work just as they have been designed to do. But they must be
aimed at the right enemy to be effective. The real problem is not with the system; it is with the operator.
The battle is on and the battle is real. The victories likewise are real and so are the casualties. Christian,
are you winning more battles than you are losing? Do you understand the opposition? Do you understand your defense
systems? Are you blaming God for your defeats? Is it time to study God's Word so you can fight your opposition
biblically? Sincerity is not enough.
REMEMBER
- Distinctions:
- Demons accuse, Holy Spirit convicts.
- Demons accuse with generalities, Holy Spirit convicts on specific sin.
- Pronouns are important (Demons accuse with pronouns).
- Offensive prayer works.
- You must know the Word if you hope to use it in battle.
- According to Ephesians 6:16, being on the receiving end
of fiery arrows from demonic archers is a non-negotiable part of Christian living. Debilitating, deadly,
demoralizing accusation is a daily reminder that we live on a battlefield and that spiritual warfare is real.
However, allowing those arrows of accusation to hit and burn is an option or choice believers can accept or
deflect, depending upon their response.
- Although demons have great strength, wisdom and cunning, according to
Luke 10:18-20, Christians have been delegated authority through
the Lord Jesus Christ over them and protection from them. Demons are not colleagues or spiritual equals, they
are losers, and should be approached and treated as such.
Karl Payne's personal note: I grew up in a home
that would have been considered moral and ethical, but not religious. Both of my parents were teachers.
Dad was a Mathematics / Science specialist for the Sacramento City School District and my mom taught
grade school. My Dad would occasionally pray for our food, but we did not read the Bible or discuss
religious topics. I decided my first Sunday of seventh grade that I had no real interest in church or
Sunday school and informed my parents that I would no longer attend either. I assumed I was a Christian
because I had been baptized as a child at my mom's request, but my primary interests were baseball,
football and music.
On June 17th, 1970 I became a Christian while attending a youth retreat sponsored by Young Life,
a Christian ministry focused upon reaching high school students. The two biggest hurdles I faced
in that decision both related to honest assumptions. My first assumption related to what I had
understood it meant to be a Christian. I assumed that I was a Christian because I had been baptized.
Christians get baptized, I had been baptized, therefore, I was a Christian. I also thought that
heaven, if it was real, was attained by being a nice person. I reasoned that since on a moral and
ethical scale which had the Pope on one end and Hitler on the other, that my live style was closer
to the Pope's than Hitler's, thus making me a shoe in for heaven if God was fair.
The second assumption I had made related to education. In eighth grade my science teacher told our
class that "religious people were mental cripples who needed a crutch to get through life." I was
very impressed by this teacher and took to heart what he said. In the eleventh grade, my physiology
teacher told our class that "educated people believed in evolution." As I grew older my education
had become more important to me. As a result of several teacher's comments I assumed that it was
not possible to think deeply and still be a Christian. Religion in my mind was therefore something
for nice people who were not too concerned about an academic education. My first assumption was
to confuse churchianity with Christianity. Churchianity represents men and women making their best
efforts to reach up to God and receive His approval, based upon their individual efforts to be found
worthy in His eyes. Biblical Christianity is a message explaining how God has chosen to reach down
to mankind through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, providing salvation by His
grace as a free gift to all who believe, in spite of our unworthiness. Religion is essentially a
message of man reaching up to God. Christianity is a message detailing how God has reached down to
man. Religion exalts man. Christianity exalts God. I had received just enough religious training
to confuse religion with Christianity and had rejected an honest consideration of Christianity in
the process. My second assumption was to confuse naturalism, dialectical materialism and the
suppositional baggage assumed to be true by both philosophical world views, with actual empirical
data and good science, which provides conclusions based upon testing, observation and repetition
rather than wishful thinking and naturalist / atheistic suppositional indoctrination.
On the 17th of June, 1970 at 8:00 P.M., I listened to a gentleman clearly explain that God's plan
is that I have eternal life (John 3:16, John 10:10, Romans 5:1), but that my problem with sin (to miss
the mark in word, thought or deed) had separated me from Him (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23). This sounded
more like bad news to me than good news. He went on to say that God had provided a remedy for my sin
by sending His only son Jesus Christ to die on a cross as a payment for my penalty (2 Corinthians 5:21,
Philippians 2:4-10, 1 Timothy 2:5, Romans 5:8, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9), but that it was absolutely
necessary for me to respond to His remedy for the remedy to be effective (John 1:12, Romans 10:9-10,
Revelation 3:20). I bowed my head in that room and quietly asked Jesus Christ to become my Savior
and Lord. Jesus came into my life and has made me a new person, from the inside out (2 Corinthians
5:17). That was nearly thirty-one years ago. Knowing Jesus is more than religious activism or academic
curiosity. It is a real relationship. Spiritual maturity is a process (1 John 2:12-14) that should
continue to develop and grow as long as we are alive.
God used a Campus Crusade for Christ high school ministry to teach me that aggressive, reproductive
Christianity (2 Timothy 2:2) should be considered normal Christianity. Sincerity is necessary for
Christian living, but it is not sufficient for impacting our world for Christ (Matthew 28:18-20,
2 Corinthians 5:17-21, 2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Peter 3:15). He has used several godly men, seminary and
nearly twenty-five years of serving in church ministry to teach me that making disciples means far
more than leading people to Christ and asking them to pray and read their Bibles. It is impossible
to give what you do not have or share what you do not know. When people tell me that their Christian
faith is boring, what they are really telling me is that they do not pray, they do not study and they
do not give away what they have been given. The Christian life is an adventure that is exciting to
live and share. To judge Christianity by people who sit on their hands, criticize others and turn a
living faith into dead religion is to misrepresent Biblical Christianity. Christianity was never meant
to be lived as a passive spectator sport.
Dr. Karl Payne, at heart, is an apologist who loves to train and
equip Christians for spiritual service and warfare (Eph.4:11-16). He enjoys preaching, writing and
retreat / conference / seminar speaking. He derives his greatest pleasure tackling the challenge of teaching
Christian workers, interns and budding preachers / teachers at both the Bible College and Seminary levels.
In addition, he has co-authored two books: A just Defense and Cross Training through
Multnomah Press.