Letting someone lead me in a workshop blindfolded made me aware of how crucial trust, listening, and obeying instructions can be. I could not evaluate or make decisions that required sight, so I had to trust the person leading me. If I didn’t follow their instruction, I bumped into things. This experience can often parallel my challenge to follow Jesus.
We All Follow Someone
As infants and toddlers, we all start out following our parents or caregivers. When we mature, we make our own decisions and choose to live according to what we desire and prefer. In our imperfect human condition, it’s natural for us to think we know what is best. However, at some point, we realize there is greater wisdom, authority, and power, so who do you follow as the ultimate authority?
Choices of Ultimate Authority
The world would like us to believe that there are three choices of power to follow, ourselves, another power, or Jesus. Let’s look at these options.
- Ourselves: The problem with choosing ourselves is that people are imperfect, pride-driven, self-focused, and sin-driven apart from Christ. People may claim to follow God, but their words and actions, in the name of God, reveal their sinful hearts. True followers of Christ will not twist or misuse God’s word to sin, gain power, wealth, or kill. All of these motives are sinful and not of Jesus. If we follow ourselves or other imperfect people, we will find destruction and possibly eternal damnation. History confirms that apart from God and following the words and actions of Jesus, we make a mess of things.
- Another Power: Every other entity or world religion began from imperfect people’s motives, thoughts, and reasoning. World religions, powers, and idols were created to cater to sinful flesh desires that are not always honorable, respectful, or just in equal measure. Some were created to gain wealth and have control over others. If all other religions or powers apart from God and Jesus are imperfect, why would you trust and follow them?
- Jesus: Jesus was the only perfect person to walk the earth. All of his teachings have endured centuries of investigation. There is no way to explain the continual transformation believers experience at their salvation and during their life’s journey with him. Following a Savior who promises never to leave or forsake us is comforting. Serving our King, who empowers us to overcome our spiritual battles through him and the Holy Spirit, gives us hope, strength, and confidence. Knowing that Jesus will come back and take us to heaven for eternity is the ultimate perfect power I will follow. What about you?
The Truth: There are Only Two Choices to Follow
We can follow the perfect Jesus, our light and salvation, or follow Lucifer, who influences and directs imperfect people and the religions, entities, idols, and powers they create to justify living in sin. The devil convinces us he’s not real and that he can give us all our dreams, desires, fame, fortune, and power. The devil plays on our lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and our pride (1 John 2:16), which is our desire to be our own god.
He uses our desires for these things to twist our thoughts and beliefs or to keep us away from Jesus and God. His whole mission is to keep you from knowing and serving Jesus. Make no mistake, the battle for our soul is between Jesus and the devil, the only two powers. The devil came to steal, kill, and destroy your life on earth and your soul for eternity. Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full! (John 10:10) Jesus said.
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other." (Matt. 6:25, ESV)
The truth about the devil is revealed at the end of all days. Scripture says.
"The devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Rev. 20:10, ESV)
Following Jesus Ensures Our Eternal Future in Heaven
How can we know perfect love, wisdom, or path to follow in our imperfect condition? There is only light and darkness in our broken world. Jesus understood that we can get confused by imperfect people’s lies, schemes, false teachings, and entities and religions proclaiming to be other gods. As we study Christ’s life, he teaches his disciples how to walk with him and grow a deep personal relationship.
As we come to know Jesus, we hear him, trust him, and obey him regardless of how we feel, what the world or our sin-flesh thinks, or how things turn out on earth. We have come to trust that God’s plans and Christ’s ways are best because they ensure our place with them in heaven. Trusting and walking with Jesus helps us experience his words to all his disciples.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:14-15; 27-30 NLT)
Will You Let Jesus Lead You?
We must each decide who we will follow and serve. Jesus made it clear that we must choose who we will follow, and our choice has eternal consequences. He knows our hearts, attitudes, words, and actions will always reveal our choice. Jesus is waiting to take your hand and teach you his ways as you study God’s word, talk and pray with him, and praise him throughout your day. Let him lead you on his path and give you wisdom, strength, and courage to walk through the challenges in your life.
Will you choose Jesus, the only perfect love, wisdom, and power? Will you choose the devil who influences and deceives us through our sin-focused, self-focused, flesh desires? Only you can choose.
I want to leave you with a Psalm of David that gives a complete picture of what it is like following Jesus.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." (Psa. 23:1-6, ESV)
