It Matters Who You Follow
Matthew 24:23-27 “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time. “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
Once upon a time, two teens were leaving the house to drive to school. They’d recently moved to a different house but were going to finish at the school they attended through the year. Neither was very good at directions, so when they pulled out of the driveway and saw a school bus, they thought they were golden! “We’ll just follow the bus!” they thought. “Because the bus always goes to school, right?”
They wound their way along, past farm fields, houses and barns, neither was worried that they didn’t really know where they were. They were following the bus and that would lead them to school; they were certain. Imagine their dismay when they pulled into the school lot and it wasn’t their school at all! They’d followed a bus for a different school district. It ‘looked’ the same, but it wasn’t going to the same destination. They were fooled into believing it would because, at first glance, it was just like their school bus. They didn’t check for evidence, they just followed.
Who you follow matters. What you pay attention to makes a difference.
Far too often, there are things that ‘look’ like they’re Biblical, or they sound “Christian” enough that we don’t ask questions or dig deeper. We follow because we hear or see enough to make us comfortable. Yet, we might find ourselves following after something that isn’t really Biblical and that’s the goal of the Enemy. Jesus said in Matthew 24, that as the end of days neared, there would be great deception and if possible, even the elect would be deceived.
As parents, we need to pray seriously, specifically and continuously for our sons and daughters that as the days grow darker, they would follow Jesus without wavering. We need to pray that they would have discretion in who and what they choose to listen to and follow. We need to pray that they would spot deception. Pray that they would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit speaking and moving in their lives so that they will heed His warning when they encounter deception. Pray that they would be uneasy and alert to the present danger and wiles of the devil.
It matters who they follow and we need to stand in the gap in prayer as they navigate this life and the spiritual dangers around them. Just because they’re adults doesn’t mean they’re ‘golden’, it’s all the more reason to double-down on prayer for their spiritual growth and protection. This week, make a list of those things you want to pray over. Maybe put those items on an index card and carry it with you. Pray daily. Pray often. Pray using scripture and pray without ceasing.