Which are YOU… A fan of Jesus or a follower of Jesus?
Are you a fan of Jesus or a follower of Jesus? This is a poignant and relevant question. Why? Jesus had many admirers. Today, he has millions of admirers. He is known well and respected by others. Many people can tell you about the miracles he performed on the earth. Many can tell you how he suffered on the cross. Many can tell you how he was resurrected. Many can prophesy in his name. Many can heal the sick in his name. Many give lip service to Jesus. Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV reads “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew You; depart from me, You who practice lawlessness!’ Is this an example of fans of Jesus? What would make Jesus say such a thing to these religious folks? Could it be they never gave their hearts to Jesus?
Who would a follower of Jesus be? Well, I believe Jesus gave a clue in Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus says those who do the will of my Father in heaven will enter into heaven. So, a follower is someone who does the will of Father God in heaven. God is not looking for perfection. That is why he sent His son, Jesus. He is looking for a heart that loves Him and His son and who is obedient to the Holy Spirit. Here lies one of the mysteries of God because only he can judge our hearts. However, a follower of Jesus goes beyond knowing everything about him, a follower is a reflection in his life of Jesus Christ and manifesting the Fruit of the Spirit. We can only do this when we choose to walk in the Spirit. Additionally, he is not practicing lawlessness. And when we do mess up we are Godly sorry and God knows it. No need to beat ourselves up about it. We confess and repent and move forward. Satan is the accuser and will tell us who we are not in Christ. God’s love for us and what Jesus did for us on the cross. That should empower us to do better and be the follower, not the fan of Jesus, we should be. Love & Blessings!