Are You Following Jesus?
When you position yourself each and every day to talk to Holy Spirit, you will hear Him. Often times, He keeps the conversation going from the previous day. That’s exactly what He did today!
When I flipped my Bible open to Matthew 16-17, I thought He was about to talk to me about my little faith again. But that wasn’t it. As I read through part of chapter 16, He wanted to have a conversation with me about how some stuff is just necessary and what following Him really means!
Let’s jump right into my conversation with Holy Spirit from this morning, shall we.
In Matthew 16:21 it says, From them on Jesus began to point out to His disciples how it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.
As I was reading that, I heard the Holy Spirit say: Necessary Parts. That some parts of our suffering in this life are necessary parts. But we can’t simply focus on the human perspective of suffering. We have to see things from a divine perspective. In Matthew 16:22, after Jesus had said what he said, Peter was like aww naw nah! I mean that’s how it sounded in my mind. But the scripture says: Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to you!”
First of all the fact that it says Peter began to rebuke him was a clue for me that this was not really Peter. Who in they right mind would rebuke Jesus? I mean would you? I know I wouldn’t.
In verse 23, Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You’re a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns. That’s when I heard Holy Spirit say to me, don’t let anyone or anything hinder you or be a stumbling block to God’s Kingdom agenda.
The question that immediately popped up in my mind was: What or who is hindering me or causing me to stumble, and keep me away from being On Assignment by God?
You will notice that Satan used one of the people that was closest to Jesus to try and cause him to stumble or be hindered. I thought about how often even my own kids or other family and friends can TRY TO hinder what I am doing. We have to be like Jesus and say, get behind me Satan, even to people close to us. It’s not them, it’s an evil spirit in them that is trying to hinder us from moving forward with God’s plan.
The Holy Spirit said, don’t be like Peter. Don’t be so concerned with human things that you not thinking about what actually concerns God.
Our salvation concerns God. Us being with Him concerns Him. Us being On Assignment and mission-minded concerns Him.
What is our mission? Discipleship.
In Matthew 16:24 it says this:
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. — Matthew 16:24 AMP
In the study notes, Dr. Evans said people don’t typically wake up and say, “I can’t wait to deny myself today!” But in order to experience the lordship and provision of Christ on earth, we must be willing to SAY NO to ourselves! Dr. Evans said if we totally (not partially) identify with Jesus and live according to HIS agenda, we will find the abundant life we never knew possible. That’s interpreted from Matthew 16:25.
In verse 26 it says what good is it to gain worldly stuff while losing spiritual blessings and PEACE that makes life worthwhile.
In Matthew 16, verse 27 it says: For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father; and then he will reward each according to what he has done. I love how Dr. Evans explains that as sure as Jesus conquered he world, HE WILL reward those who choose His Way.
Some other stand outs as I was studying the word of God were: Jesus is looking for kingdom disciples who will put His will over their own. God is looking for servants, not celebrities.
Be encouraged today to lay it all down for the Lord. Be encouraged today to know that sometimes (a lot of times), you will have to go through some necessary parts in life that may not be pretty or feel good, but when you have a divine perspective about it, you know that in the end, YOU WILL GET A REWARD from the Lord for denying yourself and following Him!
I just love my Conversations With God!
SALVATION PRAYER
If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and you’re not a believer, but you have a desire to be, all you have to do is openly confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9). When you pray that prayer, you are saved. Get connected with a good, bible-based church in your community, stay connected to other believers, and start having daily conversations through prayer with God every single day. Welcome to your new life with Jesus Christ!!!
ASSIGNMENTS
What did Holy Spirit say to you in your conversation with Him this morning?
What or who is hindering me or causing me to stumble, and keep me away from being On Assignment by God.
Record yourself reading the Word of God on video or audio and watch how God will use your own voice to give you revelation and build your faith (keeping this assignment on here for a while).
Struggling with Consistency? I want to help you! Leave me a message! Text 601-299-4398!
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