By Larry Chkoreff
First Printing - March, 1999 - version 5.5
Second printing - August, 1999 version 5.6
Third printing, 2002 version 5.7 - French
Fourth printing 2005 version 5.7 Spanish
Fifth printing 2005 version 6.0 English
Grow or Die is published by and is a discipleship curriculum of the International School of the Bible, Marietta, GA USA
Email address growordie@isob-bible.org -www.isob-bible.org
978-0-9676731-3-4
This book is the sole property of ISOB. It may be reproduced freely, but only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge, and only with the advance consent of the author. It may not be altered or edited in any way. All reproductions of this book must contain the copyright notice ("Copyright (C) 2000 by ISOB.").
This book may not be used without the permission of ISOB for resale or the enhancement of any other product sold.
The
theme of Grow or Die
Path
to Grow..
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................... 6
Section 1 - Seminar 1........................................... 12
Chapter 1 - Fruit................................................. 13
Chapter 2 - The Flowing River............................. 23
Chapter 3 - Prisoners in the Promise Land......... 46
Chapter 4 - Who God is......................................... 54
Chapter 5 - Sit..................................................... 62
Chapter 6 - Walk.................................................. 70
Chapter 7 - Stand................................................ 75
Section 2 - Seminar 2........................................... 84
Chapter 8 - Power to Run the Race - Introduction 85
Chapter 9 - The Cross.......................................... 88
Chapter 10 -Deliverance.................................... 108
Chapter 11 - Baptism in the Holy Spirit............. 116
Appendix A - List of ISOB Lessons....................... 129
End Notes........................................................... 132
Dear Reader:
After passionately following Jesus since 1979, He has commissioned me to document the process that He has taken me through time and time again. While there are no short cuts in bearing fruit, or in developing your relationship with Jesus, and there are many things that you just experience for yourself, there are principles that I have learned that could take years of pain and discouragement off of your life.
This book contains a short version of Grow or Die called the "Seminar Series." It consists of two seminars. The first seminar (Section 1) consists of the seven "lead lessons." The second seminar (Section 2) consists of four follow up lessons. These 11 lessons are extracted from the full Grow or die course that consists of over 100 lessons.
The entire Grow or Die course is available for individuals and/or groups for discipleship.
Some groups have organized into ISOB mentoring schools (in several countries around the world). Some groups are using the materials for group study as they meet. Individuals are doing self-study in many cases.
Others have seen the Lord start a church-planting ministry as a result of leaders being built up and bearing fruit through this curriculum.
Grow or Die is currently being presented as a seminar for Gospel workers in several countries. The seminars range from 4 hours to 14 hours.
ISOB does not charge for any of its materials beyond the costs of reproduction. The lessons are available on CD ROM for Windows and Apple computers.
In addition to Grow or Die, ISOB has books, videos and CDs for ISOB Bondage Breakers, a series for breaking strongholds and addictions. We have a marriage series and other valuable disciples books and lessons.
We bless you in your adventure with Jesus,
Larry Chkoreff
President
International School of The Bible ñ 1999 ñupdated 2006
This book is dedicated to my two best friends, Jesus and my precious and godly wife Carol, who for years has encouraged me to write these lessons, and finally to assemble them in book form. I am also thankful to the ISOB Partners around the world who, since 1998, have taught these lessons and encouraged me with the fruit of their labor.
This prayer is declared over every person who reads this book.
The Cross. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for the victory of your Cross. Thank you that we were crucified with you.
Hell. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for going into Hell for us and suffering death for us.
Resurrection. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, that you were raised from the dead, and that we were raised with you and are seated with you in Heavenly places in Christ.
In-filling. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for filling us with the Holy Spirit.
Suffering. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for considering us worthy to share in the fellowship of your sufferings.
Triumph. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for the triumph that you promise us in this life and in eternity.
Have you ever felt without purpose, and without hope?
Have you ever felt as if you were on a wheel like a hamster (or a mouse) in a cage, going nowhere? Have you ever wondered how God expects you to make it through this life? You may feel that God will take you to Heaven some day, but you feel that He has just left you to make it on your own while you are in the here and now. Well join the ranks. Even believers in Jesus Christ feel that way from time to time.
Sometimes just trying to make life work for ourselves seems to be our purpose. For the mother that means raising her children in Godliness, feeding and caring for them. For the wife it means looking for intimacy and emotional security with her husband, a true two-way relationship. For the man it often means trying to provide for his family and trying to find some significance in his life; he wants to be admired. To the young person it may mean finding his/her place in life, his/her occupation and spouse. So often overcoming life's problems seem to become our purpose. However, when these work out we often feel empty and without further purpose, or if they do not work out we feel discouraged and hopeless.
What is the answer?
If we are, as Galatians 2:20 says, crucified with Christ, and Christ is living His life in us, then we are not going to feel right unless our purpose is God's purpose. Yielding to Him completely, and asking Him to make His purpose your purpose is the only thing that will bring peace to your life.
I believe that God has many purposes for us and for this life. However I feel that they all come under the heading of one major purpose, the primary purpose, which is bringing the Bride to his son Jesus. Certainly God wants to take care of your needs, but we need to focus on God's need. His overall purpose is to be glorified.
You may say, "How does this apply to me?" I can barely survive life, and you are talking about a Bride and glorifying God." Hang on, this applies to you! If you can get your life lined up with God's overall purpose, He will take care of all of your needs.
He has a purpose customized just for your life. He wants you to be whole to have your needs met, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. However He has His own path for accomplishing that, and it revolves around His Bride.
Ephesians gives us some insight. The Body or the Church is His Bride. Jesus is passionate about His Bride the Church.
Ephesians 5:32 talks about the mystery of Christ and the church being similar to a husband and a wife. Ephesians 5:32 says, "This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church."The marriage of the Lamb to His Bride seems to be one of the culminating events near the end of the Book of Revelation. Revelation 19:7 says, "Let us be glad and rejoice and we will give glory to Him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself."
This does not mean that we all need to go to foreign lands and preach in the streets like an evangelist. No, God has gifted each and every one of us in a unique and special way. The work (for bringing the Bride home) that He has for you is suited only for your own individual personality, and only you can do it. You are equally important with every other Christian.
Think of it. If there is just one human being who is supposed to be in the Bride and he/she is not in yet, then the Bride is incomplete. As long as the Bride needs to grow into a mature person, then our job is incomplete.
God may call you to pray, or to love your next-door neighbor, or go to a distant land. He may call you to raise your children in godliness, and to love your spouse. He may call you to overcome the afflictions in your life. Only He knows what He has for you. You can trust Him. However if you allow His purpose to be your purpose, it will eventually contribute to the building up of His Bride, the Church.
We should see ourselves as a grain of sand on the beach. We are not to be noticed, however, without us the beach is incomplete. God needs us to do our part.
Old Testament types give us a look into the heart of God and how He feels about this whole thing.
Eve came from Adam's side. The church came from Christ's side at the Cross.
Look at Genesis 24. Abraham (representing the Father) sends his servant (representing the Holy Spirit - embodied in you and me) to seek out a bride for his son Isaac (representing Jesus).
Genesis 24:4-9 says, "But you shall go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife to my son Isaac. And the servant said to him, 'Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I necessarily bring your son again to the land from which you came?' And Abraham said to him, 'Take care that you do not bring my son there again. The LORD, the God of Heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, 'To your seed I will give this land:' He shall send His Angel before you. And you shall take a wife to my son from there. And if the woman will not be willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath of mine. Only do not bring my son there again.' And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning the matter."
You should read the entire account in Genesis 24. The servant finds Rebekah, the one who waters his camels and gives him water when he arrives at his destination. This happens "before he had finished speaking" (vs. 24:15). He was giving God a "fleece," and before he could get the words out of his mouth, Rebekah showed up and fulfilled the fleece.
Genesis 24:64-67 says, "Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, 'Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?' 'He is my master,' the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."
What a perfect way to picture the heart of the unseen God! The Father is determined to obtain a wife for his Son.
You may be asking this question. "How in the world does God expect me to participate in the ministry of bringing home the Bride, if I can't even make my life work for myself?"
I am glad you asked. That is the whole issue of this book.
We need to learn what kind of servant the Father sent after the Bride."He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, 'Put your hand under my thigh.'" (Genesis 24:2).Notice, the Father did not just send out any servant, He sent out the one who was in charge of all he had. Matthew 24 tells us about another servant who was put in charge of all the possessions. Let's see what we can learn from him. Matthew 24:42-51 is the reference.First, the servant was ready for His Lord to return. This not only means that we should be ready for Jesus to return to earth someday, but also for Him to "return" now, during this life, to check out how we are being faithful with what we have been entrusted. The servant was faithful. Being faithful in the small things in life is important to God. God is interested in how we handle the daily affairs in our lives. God never gives us more until we handle the little that we already have with faithfulness. We need to be faithful in the practical things and in spiritual things.
The servant was also a giver. He was taking care of others. Matthew 24:46 says, "It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns."
The servant was not treating other people poorly.The servant was not living like the unbelievers.
The servant was wise. Obviously, this is not referring to the wisdom of the world, but to Godly wisdom. 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 says, "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
1 Corinthians 1:23-24 tells us that Christ crucified is wisdom.
I believe, that true wisdom from God is reserved for those who have gone through "a type of death." It is reserved for those who have lost hopes, dreams, family members, position, reputation; the list goes on. It is for those who have made bad decisions in life and are now willing to make Jesus Lord. Wisdom says that the Cross has given you a fresh start; there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1-2).
Job 28 talks about looking for wisdom. It says that it is not found in the land of the living. It implies that only death has seen it. The Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19 had too much to trust in so far as the world was concerned.
When you know for sure that the "world system" and your own efforts offers no hope, then you are a candidate for wisdom. If you fall into this category, lift up your head with hope, because you are a candidate for the supernatural intervention of God!
Life can be difficult, but it can be lived out in victory if we always focus on Jesus.
People, ministers, friends, even churches can disappoint us, but Jesus never will. Hebrews 2:8b-9a says that we don't see all things going perfect just yet, but we see Jesus who tasted death for us. When we realize what Jesus did for us and who He is, we fall in love with Him.
When we fall in love with Him, we can get our satisfaction out of knowing that what we are living for is His purpose, and that is pleasing to Him.
The good thing is that while we are going through the process, we are always focused on Jesus, doing things for Jesus, going through trials for Jesus, serving Jesus. While our eyes are on Him, He is our reward. We do not have to focus on changing our character, or on getting our needs met, or even on ministry. We just have to focus on Him and being one with and in union with Him. We see the "amazing grace" of God overtake us. I can tell you from experience, this makes even the tough times in life tolerable and even joyful.
Now we need to learn how the Father treated His servant, and how we can expect God to treat us.
I see the Father allowing this servant to bear fruit in three ways.
1. The fruit of the Spirit. This servant developed godly character.
2. The fruit of having all his needs met. Notice in Genesis 24:10 that the Father gave the servant all he needed for the journey, not only 10 camels, but all the goods he needed.
3. The fruit of ministry. This servant participated in pleasing the Father and the Son by bringing home the Bride.
Here is how God is glorified and at the same time all of our needs are cared for. "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:8). God is glorified when you bear fruit because it is His power and His Word that causes fruit. Fruit was the original method God had in mind for taking care of His people. Fruit for our lives brings only what He can do, not what we can do with His help!
We wish to point out some themes that you will recognize as you go through this book. The Parable of the Sower is in Mark chapter 4. Mark 4:11 says that the mystery of the Kingdom is in the parable. Notice, not a mystery, but the mystery. The mystery is the Word of God planted in a human heart that bears fruit to the Glory of God. It supplies our character, everything we need for life and godliness including our material and social needs, and it supplies our ministry fruit as well.
Matthew 16-17 tells us more about the Kingdom.
In verse 16:21 Jesus tells His disciples about His death and resurrection. That is His Cross. We will focus a lot on His Cross and the blood covenant it represents.
Then in verses 16:24-26 Jesus says that we must take up our cross. That is our cross. We will focus a lot on taking up our cross as it takes two people to shed blood in order to ratify a blood covenant.
Then in verse 16:28 Jesus told His disciples that some would see the Kingdom even now before they tasted death.
In Matthew 17 Jesus was transfigured and seen in His future glory by His disciples.
After some discussion about Elijah and Moses and building a residence there to stay in the glory, God spoke from Heaven and said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him."
When we see His Cross, and take up our cross, we will see Jesus and hear His Word, which will be planted in our heart as a powerful and living seed to produce Heaven on earth. Glory to God!
It's all about being desperate!
Why then do so many complicate Christianity? Why do so few walk this way and miss the mystery? Why is it sometimes so difficult to convince Christians to do whatever is needed to see Jesus, to take up their cross, to hear the Word, and trust that it will do God's work for their lives and for God's Kingdom?
Jesus gives us a very simple answer. I have seen people all over the world get a hold of this and I have seen people totally miss it. I pray that all who read this will catch it.
In Matthew 19 the Rich Young Ruler confronts Jesus. Jesus knew that he had much to trust in; riches, fame, position, religion, etc. He advised him to give it away if he really wanted life. You know what happened; he refused and Jesus was grieved because He loved him.
Then the disciples got anxious about how could anybody enter the Kingdom. Jesus told them a parable to answer their concerns. Matthew chapter 20 contains a parable about a man who owned a vineyard and went to the market place to hire workers for the harvest.
He hired the first man for one denarius a day. This was for a full day's work. I submit that he hired the strongest and most able of the five men. This was Man #5
At the third hour he returned to hire more help and asked Man #4 to work a partial day and he would pay him fairly.
At the sixth hour he did likewise. Man # 3.
At the ninth hour he did likewise. Man # 2.
At the eleventh hour he returned again. Man # 1.
He asked Man # 1 why he was still there. The man answered, "Because no one would hire us." He went out and worked for one hour.
First, these men were not lazy or they would not have been sitting in the employment agency all day. Most likely this one-hour man was the least able of all. Perhaps he had a physical or mental handicap. I submit that he was the weakest of all. Remember, this parable is about the Kingdom of God and how and when people receive it.
When pay time came, the master called the one-hour man first, Man # 1, and the all day man, Man # 5, last saying, "So the last will be first and the first last. For many are called but few chosen."
The one-hour man received the Kingdom of God in the here and now and brought the Kingdom to earth, as in the Lord's Prayer. Perhaps Man #5 went to Heaven when he died and received the Kingdom at that time. But the one who had nothing else to trust in received it now.
What was the manifestation of receiving it now? If you are a one-hour man, you will trust only in hearing the Word of God while fellowshipping with Jesus to supply everything you need for life and godliness ñ see 2 Peter 1:2-11. While we ministered this in a Spanish speaking country the group of leaders really got it. They came up with a theme and carried signs reading, "El Hombre una sola hora." The one-hour man! "We are one-hour people," they shouted. Are you desperate enough to call yourself a "one hour person" and shout halleluiah?
Many people in this world are desperate, but not all desperate people are broken.
I submit that the one-hour man was both desperate and broken. Broken means that one has come to the place that he/she knows that there is no help available from any human being or agency, not even from one's own abilities. Notice that the one-hour man remained in the employment agency. He was not out begging, or trying to manipulate people to support him. Applying this to your Christian walk, it means that unless your Lord does something, you are done for, you are lost!
At the end of each chapter of this book, please give yourself this quiz:
What is the mystery of the Kingdom?
Who gets the Kingdom first?
That is what this book and discipleship process is all about, bearing fruit in our lives for the Kingdom of God for all three of these areas. May you be blessed!
Chapters 1-7 deal with:
1. Fruit
2. The Flowing River
3. Prisoners in The Promise Land
4. Who God is
5. Sit
6. Walk
7. Stand