Who Are You Really Following?

A few years ago, I had the privilege of ministering to a family in crisis. They were navigating a tragic death, and I was asked to step in to serve them. I was a friend of the family and was working to assess their level of trauma and, more importantly, their position in the family of God. Were they believers or sorrowing without hope? When I directly asked if they followed Jesus, they calmly replied that they followed Joel Olsteen. I knew then we had a soul-level problem.

I could have addressed the false teachings and prevalent misuse of Scripture, but most concerning was the confusion that following a person was sufficient for eternity. Jesus clearly declared in John 14:6 that the only way to the Father was through Him. That ministry experience shed new light on the prevalent followers of false teachers. How often are we exposed to false teaching, and can we identify it, reject it, and turn to truth?

Jude 5-16 highlights the danger of false teachers and even begins to compare to Old Testament examples and enlightens on how to identify a false teacher. When the individual is more concerned with your investment in their ministry through your financial contributions, teaches that you possess the power to be in control of your circumstances, promises your best life, focuses more on humans than deity, sounds like self-help rather than submission to God, or values your dream over God’s mission; please run away as fast as you can.

Turn to Jesus and rely on the full authority of His Word (2 Timothy 2:15). Jesus must be the center (Colossians 1:16-17). He must increase and we must decrease (John 3:30). Jesus is greater (1 John 4:4). Jesus wins (Romans 8:37). Without Him we are nothing (John 15:5). We are desperate for Him for life and breath (Psalm 34:14-15).