Following Jesus
Pastor Paul's desire is for all of us to be encouraged and built up in our faith in following Jesus. He wants us to not only follow Him religiously or academically, but to truly know Him and be His followers. He also expressed that many people call themselves "Christians”, but they are not followers of Jesus. They simply go to church without realizing that they ARE the Church.
God is Calling You to Follow Him!
Stay focused on the right thing (Joshua 3:4). Do not be distracted. In the desert or wilderness, sometimes an optical illusion or hallucination caused by atmospheric conditions occurs—a mirage.
Jesus called Simon Peter and Andrew.
Matthew 4:19-20, “Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
God is calling you to follow Him without delay, immediately
Bible never had Jesus say to worship Him. Jesus says to follow Him.
Jesus called Matthew.
Matthew 9:9, “As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So, he arose and followed Him.”
God is calling you to follow Him.
John 10:3-4, “the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”
God calls us each by name and leads us out as we listen to the voice of the Shepherd. Hear His voice.
Apostle Paul followed Him and became an example for others to follow as an example. We are to be a witness and live a life that is a witness (I Corinthians 11:1)
Abraham followed God to see the promises (John 8:56)
Moses followed God by faith and looked to the reward (Hebrews 11:24-25)
What Keeps You from Following Jesus?
Fear
Old sin nature
The world and the god of this age
The flesh (Galatians 5:19)
The devil (James 4:7)
God Has Been Following Us All Along
In a pillar of clouds and fire
His light never left its place in front of the people (Exodus 13:21-22, HCSB)
He provides us with spiritual food and drink (1 Corinthians 10:3-4)
Spiritual Rock is Christ
God’s promise to be with us (Hebrews 13:5, AMPC)
“Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down ([relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]”
God’s presence with us always. He is with us until the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20)
Yet on the Cross, Jesus Was Alone
The disciples and the Father “unfollowed” Him (Matthew 27:46, AMPC)
Week 1: Do You Know Who You Are Following?
At some point, even the disciples did not know Him. (Matthew 16:12-16, Mark 4:35-41)
Following Jesus: Know His identity, power, authority, and faith when you go through the storms.
Jesus has power over chaos and death.
Faith and fear in the midst of the storm. Focus on Jesus!
PRAYER POINTS:
Pray that we will not fail to recognize that Jesus is in our midst, that He lives in us. We need to make time to fellowship with Him.
Pray that as we get to know Him, we will follow Jesus with all our might and strength. May we walk in confidence in His power, authority, and love as we face our challenges.
Pray that we can rest assured that Jesus' power is greater than our fear of facing chaos in our lives.
Pray for the discipline to be led by the Spirit of the Lord and be laser-focused to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author, and Finisher of our faith.
Week 2: Follow Jesus and Cross to the Other Side
Facing fear and trusting God during difficult times.
Facing fear and vulnerability in the face of unexpected storms and finding peace through faith in Him.
Jesus is the Word made flesh; when He said, “Let us cross to the other side,” you can be certain that you will cross to the other side.
Learn the importance of confronting and calming your own fears in life.
PRAYER POINTS:
Pray that we will be steadfast in our trust and faith that trumps all fear in the midst of our challenges.
Pray for the peace of God to surpass all our understanding although we have to walk through the valleys in our lives.
Pray that we can trust Jesus’ leading when He speaks through our spirit to cross to the other side of victory
Pray that we can rest in His goodness and trust in His promises and choose not to live in anxiety and fear but in peace and joy in His presence
John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]
Week 3: Following Jesus and Spiritual Warfare
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" (Mark 4:39).
Build spiritual walls to resist temptation and overcome challenges.
The importance to trust and rely on Jesus in our journey of life.
Knowing the importance of Jesus' presence in our lives for protection and spiritual growth.
Acknowledging dependence on God, crucifying the old man, and living in the presence of Jesus for holiness and freedom from sin.
PRAYER POINTS:
Pray for the confidence and authority to speak peace into our lives amidst the chaos, knowing that Jesus lives in us and His resurrection power is also within us
Pray for the construction of our spiritual walls to be built upon the rock of Jesus Christ, rather than on sand.
Pray for the ability to know and hear His words, recognizing that Jesus lives in us and surrounds us with His presence.
Pray that as we acknowledge Jesus in our lives, we will not easily succumb to sin and deception, understanding that His love is greater and His sacrifice for our freedom is incredibly valuable.
Week 4: Why Wake Up Jesus?
And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" (Mark 4:37-38)
Spiritual warfare and deliverance.
God's presence in storms and the importance of faith.
Believers who follow Jesus face resistance from the powers of darkness, but God stands with them.
PRAYER POINTS:
Pray that we will have open hearts to understand that God cares for us, just as a loving father care for his children.
Pray for us to recognize the spiritual battles we are facing and to equip ourselves with the armor of God.
Pray that we will remain strong in our faith, using our shield of faith to protect us from the attacks of the enemy.
Pray that we will continue to resist the enemy and that he will flee from us as we remain steadfast in our faith.
Let’s be fierce followers of Jesus Christ!