LESSON 12
“MULTIPLYING ONESELF”
DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them
and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth
and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air
and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
Genesis 1:27-28
I. God’s Intention and Plan
God made us in His own so we can understand Him. He wanted
to relate with us. God is not understood by His other creations
(animals, fish, birds, vegetation, etc.) because they were not
made in God’s image. Only man and woman are made in the
likeness of God. He or she can understand God, and God can
understand him or her. God did not intend for Adam and Eve to
be His only offspring, but He desired to have many more. So He
commanded them to bear many children to fill the whole earth.
II. The devil twisted God’s plan
The devil cannot touch God, but he can hurt God by destroying
His plans. He deceived the first woman and used her to tempt
the first man (Genesis 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 2: 14). This was where
the devil succeeded in driving man away from the plan and glory
of God.
a) The Result of Sin in the First Man
When man sinned against God, his relationship with Him was cut
off and his relationship with the devil started (1 John 3:8). The
Spirit of God left him and evil spirits dwelt inside him (Matthew
12:43-45). The blessings of God departed and the curse arrived.
The authority that God gave to man was lost, so worldly things
dominated him. The image of God in him was lost, and the
characteristics of the devil overtook him (John 8:37-44).
b) Sinners Dominate the Earth
Sin was passed on to all people after the first man and woman
sinned (Romans 5:12). People who were supposed to be God’s
children became the children of the devil (1 John 3:10). It is true
that all people came from God but because of sin, all people
became slaves of evil spirits (Ephesians 2:2). Because of what
Adam did, Satan became the god of this world fallen into
darkness (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19). Instead of God’s
children taking charge of the whole earth, the children of the
devil inhabited it. The wicked spread in the whole world
(Galatians 3:22).
III. Jesus Came to Defeat the Devil and Save His Creation
Jesus came to destroy the work of the enemy (1 John 3:8; Acts
10:38). He preached everywhere that the Kingdom of Heaven is
already on earth (Matthew 4:17). He spread the power of the
Kingdom through miracles. He went to the cross to defeat death
and strip darkness of its power (Colossians 2:15). There in the
cross He took upon Himself the punishment of our sins that we
may gain freedom.
IV. Jesus’ Strategy of Regaining the Nations
When God wanted His children to multiply in the world, He
started with only two people-Adam and Eve. When the devil
opposed Him, His goal and strategy remained the same- to
multiply His children through a small group. Before Jesus
went to the cross, he took enough time to produce 12 disciples
(Mark 3:13-15). Jesus came to save the whole world, and His
strategy was to raise and equip strong disciples. They were very
committed believers who would continue what their Master
started (Matthew 24:14).

V. All believers are called to become disciples
It is not enough that we are saved. It is very important that the
image of God in us stolen by the devil be returned (2 Corinthians
3:18). We need to be disciples of Christ. This means that we
must live out the teachings of Jesus Christ (John 8:31) that we
may be like Him. This is what the Father intends us to be
(Romans 8:29). A disciple is a copy of his or her Teacher who is
Jesus Christ.
VI. All disciples need a spiritual father
All are called to be under a “spiritual father” to become a mature
Christian. This is the relationship of Joshua to Moses (Exodus
33:11), Elisha to Elijah (2 Kings 2:2) Paul to Barnabas (Acts
11:25-26), Timothy to Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 2:2), and Mark to
Peter (1 Peter 5:13). No one will become a disciple if he or she
will not submit to a discipler.
persuade others to grow. We cannot lead young Christians to
spiritual journeys we ourselves have not walked through. We can
only share truths that we ourselves have experienced and lived
out.
c) The Spirit of the Father is in Us
What we need in order to raise disciples in not our spiritual gifts,
but the Spirit of the Father inside us. Jesus became an effective
discipler in His time because of the Holy Spirit in His life (John
14:7-10). Discipleship is a process of caring, equipping and
fathering others. Fathering is the will of the Father through the
Holy Spirit to work in us for the sake of others. Through the
giving of our time to our disciples, our Heavenly Father can work
in their lives so they may change, grow and walk to His call in
their lives. This is what Jesus did in His time.

APPLICATION:

VII. All Christians are called to make disciples
Jesus left this earth with a commandment to His disciples to
make more disciples who will also make some more disciples.
This process will go on and on until all nations will be filled with
them.
1. What happens to a child without a Father to take care of him
or her?
2. Are you ready to submit to a spiritual father or discipler?
3. Are you ready to make disciples just like Jesus whom you
follow?

a) Through Us, God’s Offspring will Increase

God did not only call us to grow mature in Him, but we also need
to give birth (evangelism) and raise many disciples. A disciple is
like Jesus Christ, and God wants many disciples through us. Just
as we follow Christ, let us also encourage others to follow us, like
what Apostle Paul said, “…imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1
Corinthians 11:1).

b) A true disciple will yield many more disciples

A true disciple will bear spiritual children (John 4:1-2). This is the
mark of a mature believer of Christ. Only a mature Christian can