10 Principles in spiritual apprenticeship
1. You must serve:
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” (John chapter 12 verses 26)
Service is the path way to promotion. Effective service gains one promotion.
2. Be royal:
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1Peter chapter 2 verses 9)
3. Be trustworthy:
“Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.” (Mathew chapter 12 verses 18)
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” (Proverbs chapter 22 verses 29)
4. Reverence:
5 – “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 – Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 – With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:” (Ephesians chapter 6 verses 5 to 7)
The same respect you have for God, have it to your master as well.
5. Faithfulness:
14 – “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 – And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 – Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 – And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 – But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 – After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 – And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 – His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 – He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 – His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Mathew chapter 2t verses 14 to 23)
6. Love for the master you are serving:
22 – “And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.
23 – The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed.
24 – And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.” (1Samuel chapter 26 verses 22 to 24)
7. Protecting and covering your leader:
8 – “Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
9 – And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?
10 – David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.
11 – The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.” (1Samuel chapter 26 verses 8 to 11)
8. Submission:
9 “[Tell] bond servants to be submissive to their masters, to be pleasing and give satisfaction in every way. [Warn them] not to talk back or contradict,
10 Nor to steal by taking things of small value, but to prove themselves truly loyal and entirely reliable and faithful throughout, so that in everything they may be an ornament and do credit to the teaching [which is] from and about God our Savior.” (Titus chapter 2 verses 9 to 10 AMP)
9. Serve with humility:
22 – “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
23 – And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 – Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25 – But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” (Colosians chapter 3 verses 22 to 25)
“Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.” (Mathew chapter 24 verses 46)
10. Followership: You must stir up the attitude to learn to follow.
18 – “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 – And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 – And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” (Mathew chapter 4 verses 18 to 20)
