Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." He will lead you to where the fish are. He will lead you to where the gold is in the fish's mouth. He will lead you to the place where there is silver. He will supply your needs.
There are great rewards when you follow Jesus. If we will follow God, follow the Lord Jesus Christ, He will supply our needs. He will give us a life where His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
I realize we are always going to have to command the devil to get out of the way. The devil is always going to be there to contest everything God has for us. The devil is going to contest everything that you try to do for God. You have to stand up to him, stand your ground, demand your rights, shake him off, chase him off, and resist him steadfastly.
Living a life of faith is following Jesus. It is not just being in a stationery, comfortable place where you say to yourself, "I've got it made." As ministers of God and as members of the Body of Christ, we are continually subject to the call of the Master.
In Matthew 4:19, Jesus says, "Follow Me...." He did not say to follow Him for a while and then sit down and stop following. Wherever Jesus goes and beckons you to follow Him, you should continue following Him.
Our main duty in life is to follow as Jesus directs us. When you are following Jesus, no matter what hardships you endure, He has just passed by them and He knows they are there. He has walked the same paths you are now walking. He knows every crevice, every obstacle and every blessing.
We are living in a world filled with trouble. We are in a world of stress. We are in a world that is in chaos. No doubt the end time is upon us and our days are similar to those we read of in I Kings 17.
Elijah represents the man of God, the preacher especially leading his flock, or in his ministry. During this period of famine, in the time of drought, in the time of great distress and upheaval, it is of utmost importance that Elijah listen to God and do EXACTLY what God tells him to do.
Our business today is to tune our spirits to the Holy Spirit, to listen to God, to do what God tells us to do, and go where God tells us to go. When we do these things, our needs will be supplied and we will be safe!
Elijah drew aside from his daily routine and prayed. He sought God. It is important to get in touch with God, to hear from God. We need to get away from people. There is a time we need to draw away. People will confuse you. They will discourage you. They will talk about other people. They will drag your faith down many times.
Sometimes you just have to get alone and climb the hill of God, above the fog and smog of this world. Wrap your fingers in the garments of God and say, "My Father, my Father, I will not let you go until you bless me!" We must seek God diligently and follow His direction for our lives.
There is a place called "there." If I am there in the place called "there," where Jesus sent me, He will sustain me. He will take care of me because He has commanded that I be taken care of "there." If I am not there, I cannot blame God. I am going to be there!
"There" is where God has commanded the ravens and the widow to take care of me. If I am not there and the ravens come, and the widow supplies, I will not get what God provided. I am going to go to the place called "there."
Make This Your Prayer:
Father, In Jesus' Name, I seek Your divine guidance for my life, I thank You that Jesus lives in me and the Bible says that He is made unto me wisdom. You told me that if I lack wisdom, to ask You, and You would supply me with all wisdom for every situation liberally. As I now ask You, I thank You, Father, that from this time forward You are supplying me with the wisdom that I need.
I am Your sheep and I do hear Your voice, and no other voice will I follow. I trust in You, Lord, with all my heart and I do not lean unto my own understanding. I acknowledge You in all my ways and I know that You are directing my path. I will follow the way of peace, for Jesus, the Prince of Peace, lives within me.
Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. As I read and meditate in Your Word, You will speak to me. I thank You, Father, that the Holy Spirit lives within me and He will guide me into all truth. He will not guide me into error, but only into truth and good. My spirit does bear witness with the Holy Spirit confirming the will of God for my life.
I rebuke any confusion or frustration and I boldly declare that I will rest in Your love. I commit my way unto You, and You shall bring it to pass. Thank You, Lord, for keeping me in Your perfect way! Amen.
(The preceding confession is based upon the following scriptures: I Cor. 1:30; James 1:5; John 10:4; Prov. 3:5, 6; Isa. 9:6; Ps. 119:105; John 16:13; Rom. 8:16).
Excerpt permission granted by John Osteen Publications
The late John Osteen served the Lord Jesus Christ as pastor, evangelist, author, and teacher for sixty years. Ordained as a Southern Baptist, he received the baptism in the Holy Ghost in 1958, an experience which revolutionized his ministry into a worldwide outreach for Jesus Christ.
