Discipleship training (spiritual growth/sanctification) doesn't leave people where they are. It is good they are excited and are inviting everyone they meet to come to Jesus. But, these new and immature Christians must start living what they are sharing. Spiritual Growth training (discipleship) starts taking them to very exciting new successes in Christianity. Sooner or later the new and immature Christians are going to run into spiritual issues they can't handle. Also, they are going to start realizing that their life isn't being lived like it should be.

They must be guided into spiritual and Biblical training as soon as possible.

• They must not get the impression that it is okay to go on sinning (hurting themselves and others) and not move into righteousness (treating people with kindness and love).
• Their relationship with God must be brought into intimacy.
• Their life must start taking on the character of God.
• They must start being an example of godliness to those around them.
• They must start treating people with the life of Christ.

We are now ready to take General, Sanctification, and Preventative Spiritual Growth and reexamine it so we will not only be able to live it in front of them but teach them how to live it as well. We have to grow in our ability spiritually and ministerially where we can pass these truths on to others. We all learn things and apply them in ways that are more unique to us. As we start trying to apply these same truths to others, we discover that a lot of these people don't think, learn, and grow spiritually the way we do. This is where Jesus really shines in teaching us how to train disciples (trainees). As we go through the ministry of Jesus in Matthew, we will grow more and more in our ability to yield to Jesus and the Holy Spirit to do the ministry of discipleship in others.

Fourth, the full armor of God exemplifies, for those who don't have theirs on yet, the procedures for putting it on, keeping it on, and how they are to use it:

1 Cor 11:1 (NIV) Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Phil 3:17 (NIV) Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.

The same procedures we learned how to use to live the victorious Christian life in General, Sanctification, and Preventative Spiritual Growth will be taught and lived in front of them. The new and immature Christians will be able to see how we are getting and keeping ours on and how we use it skillfully. They will be able to see all the benefits we are getting out of using our full armor. As they learn from us, they will start to gain major spiritual victories from their own personal relationship with God. It is an exciting moment when we are able to see the mighty work of God being done in and through someone we have helped.