Who Are You Following?

 

 

Every day you are faced with choices that determine whether you are a follower of God or the  multitudes which are set on doing evil.

Your personal choices define whether you are a follower of that which is good or that which is evil. 

What are they revealing about you today?

 

 

Who are we following? 

As Born Again Christians, we would readily answer - "Jesus."

After all, the first command that He gave to all those who would serve Him was - "Follow Me."

 

Yet, we all know it to be true that we may say with our lips that we are following Him, but our actions can paint an entirely different picture. To narrow it down a bit, our everyday, personal choices - in fact - tell the real story as to whether we are following God or Satan. Even though we confess Jesus as Lord, it is very possible in some areas of our lives to still be following the devil. We must be aware of this and examine ourselves to see where we stand on this matter. 

 

In John 10:27, Jesus said - "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

In 1 Corinthians 4:16, the Apostle Paul declared - "Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me."

Again, in 1 Corinthians 11:1, he said - "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

In Ephesians 5:1, he stated - "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children."

The writer of Hebrews admonished us in Hebrews 6:12 with these words - "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

 

On the other hand, in Exodus 23:2, Moses gave the command to the Children of Israel - "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil..."

And Proverbs 12:11 adds - "...he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding."

 

So we see from this list of Scriptures, that we are either following God or Satan.

We are either following those who are walking closely with God - ever seeking to imitate His ways and mannerisms - or we are following the multitudes who are wandering down the broad path of sin which leads to destruction.

We are either following those who "through faith and patience" are inheriting the promises of God, or we are following those "vain persons" who are seeking  for fulfillment and satisfaction in the shallow and empty things of this world.

 

How can we tell who we are truly following? 

 

We can tell by our choices - even by the ones which are as recent as this past week.  

Did we choose God's ways before the ways of Satan or the flesh?

Did we choose to imitate those before us who walk closely with Him - earnestly seeking Him in prayer and in His Word for everything?

When faced with impossibilities, did we choose the way of faith and patience in the promises of God?

 

What are we following?

 

Who we are following or imitating will determine what we are following.

 

In Romans 14:19, the Apostle Paul mentioned those who "follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."

In 1 Timothy 6:11, he mentioned those who "follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience," and "meekness."

Again, in 2 Timothy 2:22, he spoke of those who "follow righteousness, faith, charity," and "peace."

In Hebrews 12:14, the writer referred to those who "follow peace with all men, and holiness..."

In 1 Peter 3:13, the Apostle Peter referred to the "followers of that which is good."

 

3 John 1:11 - On the contrary, the Apostle John mentioned those who follow "that which is evil."

 

We need to ask ourselves the question - This week, based on our choices, what were we following?

 

In our dealings with others, did we make the choice -

...for mutual peace and unanimity or contention and strife?

...to prefer others or promote our own agenda?

...to build up others or tear them down?

...to encourage someone facing great difficulties or discourage them with words of doubt and unbelief?

...to keep ourselves from sensual desires, pride, ambition, and lust for power or indulge in such passions?

...to deal righteously and justly with others or be crooked, dishonest, and deceitful?

...to love and forgive others or hold a grudge and seek to get even for a wrongdoing?

...to bless our brethren or curse them through gossip, slander, and backbiting?

...to exalt ourselves and our ministry or devalue another and their ministry?

...to bear the reproaches of others in a spirit of meekness or retaliate with sharp words?

 

Oftentimes, we are unable to wholeheartedly follow the Lord and His righteousness or goodness because we have not totally forsaken the evil that surrounds us.

 

1 Corinthians 6:18 tells us to - "Flee fornication."

1 Corinthians 10:14 says to - "flee from idolatry."

And lastly, 2 Timothy 2:22 talks about fleeing from "youthful lusts."

 

We can never sincerely follow the Lord in our everyday choices if we do not deal specifically with the works of the flesh as represented by "fornication" and "youthful lusts" as well as any idols in our hearts. There will always be a struggle in our souls between following Jesus or the Devil and his lusts; there will always be a pull away from following the good to following that which is evil, sinful, compromising, or worldly.

 

In other words, before we can follow that which is good, we must definitely flee from any and all evil.

 

We are either following the ways of the Lord or the ways of Satan, the flesh, or this world.

We are either following good or evil, righteousness or unrighteousness, holiness or impurity, peace or contention and strife.

 

How do we know who and what we are following?

By the many choices that we make throughout the day.

 

May God open our eyes to see who it is that we are actually following.

If it isn't Jesus, may we take hold of His supernatural grace which He is offering at this hour and flee from whatever is hindering us from doing so.

In Jesus' Name.

Amen & Amen.