Follow the Leader

“Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of your life.” Galatians 5:25 NLT

“Who are you following and what is the influence under which you live?”

My thoughts today encourage you to “follow the leader.”

Do you remember as a child playing the children’s game, follow the leader? Whatever the person before you did, you were to follow their lead and do the same thing. Some people never stop playing that children’s game, even long after they are adults.

Some follow the crowd. Wherever the crowd is going, that’s where you will find them. That life is eventually and predictably a dead end. With adults, that’s called trying to fit in rather than stand out. “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.” Exodus 23:2 NIV. Some follow friends, without thought or regard for their correctness or consequence. With children or teens, we call that peer pressure. See 3 John 11 NLT. Some follow their whims and impulses, marching to the beat of their own drummer. Usually they are so out of step that they are left alone and lonely.

Some follow others’ expectations of them, often losing their way and themselves in the process. Some follow their aspirations and dreams, often finding only shattered hopes at the end. Everyone is following someone, and be very mindful that someone is following you. Who, or what, are you following? As importantly, where do you think that will end up?

The Bible is pretty clear about who you should follow. “Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if (another god) is God, follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21 NIV. “Christ . . is your example. Follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21 NLT.

Jesus simplified the question as to how to follow His leadership. “Then Jesus said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be My follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow Me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for Me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?” Luke 9:23-25 NLT.

The Bible teaches that your life is to be lived in the control of the Holy Spirit, which will always be for your good and never for your harm. Paul’s urging (See Ephesians 5:18) would be literally translated as “Be (continually being) filled with the Spirit,” as an active and ongoing experience. The Greek word “filled” describes a dynamic experience – expressing the idea of a wind continuously filling the sails of a boat until that boat is empowered by the influence of the wind’s force and presence, not the static reality – of a glass being filled, but showing little other discernible effect. “Being filled” places the emphasis and meaning to describe the power of influence that results in specific action and direction. That’s what you experience when you follow Jesus.

When the Holy Spirit controls (energizes and directs) your life, He will produce this kind of fruit in you: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control . . If you are living now by the Holy Spirit, follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of your live. Galatians 5:22-25 NLT. There is only One Leader you should be following – closely and completely!

My prayer for you is to live daily in the power of a continuous filling of the Spirit.