LET JESUS LEAD
Many remedies cure spiritual dullness. One big way includes removing faith roadblocks. Release the Holy Spirit through confessing sin. Tell Satan where to go. Remain faithful in prayer. And then, expose your faith. That is, let your faith show, in actions for hurting people, with quick and open response to Christ’s commands, in how you treat others, and so on.
As a result, if you have done all of that, and still need to get your spiritual life going, I’ve got good news. Mark 3 gives lots of advice that boils down to this. Let Jesus lead every part of your life.
Who’s Your Main Leader?
Who sets your spiritual goals? There’s a way to tell. Does your spiritual life have little design and doesn’t seem to go anywhere? Are you centered on seeking pleasures, comfort, or complacency? If so, I know right away your spiritual leader is YOU.
Maybe your spiritual life is different. You may be tossed to-and-fro with every dilemma that comes along. Your key emotion is anxiety. Or you’re chronically indecisive wondering, “What am I going to do next?” That means some other person out there or up close and personal leads you, but not Jesus.
Who Do You Follow?
Maybe your spiritual life is on a destructive course. You’ve got nothing but a weak foundation. Gut level honesty forces you to admit you’re basically motivated by fear or deceit and lies. If so, you’re following the evil one.
Ah, but if you’re on course spiritually, if you’re accomplishing good things that build your faith or someone else’s, and if the core incentive is doing right before God and pleasing Him, then you’re letting Jesus lead. Now, let’s look at Mark 3. The first thing to do: make sure to soften your heart.
Mark 3:5, “And after looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of hearty, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.”
Jesus glowered at the attitude of the religious leaders towards the miraculous healing of a suffering man. He stood in disgust at the hardness of their hearts.
Some Signs of Hearts Turning Hard
~Disregard pains of others for personal advantage (Mark 3:5). The man suffered a withered hand. But to some observers his healing didn’t matter because it didn’t benefit themselves.
~~ Pass Over God’s work to maintain position or power. Wasn’t that Pharoah’s problem in the midst of obvious miracles (Exodus 7:13)?
~Pay no heed to God’s commands due to vanity (2 Kings 17:14). The Israelis got so enamored with what they wore, what people said about them, and how they looked to others.
~~ Ignore God’s power and rely on your own (2 Chronicles 36:13). Zedekiah, the last king of Judea and Jerusalem, depended on the Egyptians to deliver them from the Babylonians, not God.
~Brush aside God’s wisdom and follow your own (Jeremiah 7:26).
~~ Fearful of the supernatural (Mark 6:52). Jesus walked on water and that scared the disciples. They wanted a safe and sane spiritual journey.
~Captured by the deceits of sin (Hebrews 3:13).
~~ Telling lies and refusing correction (Jeremiah 5:3).
~Cynical about testimonies of miracles (Mark 16:14).
~~ Stubbornness in refusing to repent (Romans 2:5).
But what do we do to get our hearts softened? Here’s four ways . . .
How to Soften Your Heart
1.) Determine to obey God in tough situations.
2.) Expose each part of your life to the light of God’s Word.
3.) Sincerely deny yourself.
Jesus said, “If anyone come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me” (Matthew 10:38).
Practice the art of thinking of others first. Give yourself to their best interests, rather than always and only your own. Above all, let Jesus lead in everything that concerns you.
Give Him room to work.
Mark 3:9, “He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the multitude, in order that they might not crowd Him.”
At times Jesus got too crowded. In this case, He asked to get away from being too close to the people. He could stand in the boat away from the shore, so He could exercise His ministry.
5 Most Common Ways We Crowd Jesus
1.) Make unthinking demands.
Remember the first miracle. Jesus attended the wedding reception in Galilee and His mother said, “There’s no more wine. You ought to do something about it.” And He replied, “It’s not yet my time.” What He said in effect, “Don’t crowd me.” Instead, let Him lead.
2.) Plan His schedule.
In Mark 1, after much ministry at Peter’s house, He got up early the next morning to pray (vs. 35). Then people rushed back to Peter’s house—inside, outside, and all around. Peter ran to get Jesus. “You must come back,” he said. “Everyone’s here already.”
And Jesus said, “Don’t crowd me, Peter. I’m not going back. It’s not on my schedule. I have other places to go and other towns where I should preach.”
You may know where you want Him to be, what you want Him to do. And you get upset if He seems to delay or doesn’t show up. Let Him lead.
3.) Harass Him for miracles.
After He fed the 5,000 people, He traveled to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The crowd followed and caught up with Him. “We wanted to be with you,” they said. Jesus told them, “All you wanted was some more free bread.”
4.) Demand He prove Himself.
The Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “We know people are saying that you’re the Messiah. That would be nice if you really were. Now, prove it once and for all. Do some miracles for us.”
Jesus said, “I’m not going to do any miracles for you. Don’t crowd me.”
We can do the same thing. “Lord, if you’re really there, then you’ll do this for me.” Whether we’re in the fox hole with the bullets flying or on the freeway with the cars whizzing by. We call on Him to prove Himself.
5.) Limit Him by lack of faith.
When He went home to Nazareth, He taught in the synagogue. However, He could do very few miracles because the hometown people didn’t really believe. They crowded Him.
You may say things like, “Lord, there’s no way you can put that marriage back together.” Or “that person is beyond help.” Negative proclamations limit Him. To follow Jesus as your Leader, give Him plenty of space to accomplish the impossible. And you let Him lead when you . . .
Following Jesus by Stephen Bly, study from book of Mark
Respond To His Summons
Mark 3:13, “He went up to the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him.”
Respond when He calls with thoughtfulness, enthusiasm, and with His Kingdom in mind.
~~ When Jesus Calls, Think It Through
Paul writes to his friend, Philemon, “I could just demand that you take your servant back and you treat him right or send him to me. I have the spiritual authority. But I’m not going to demand it.” Then Paul goes on to spell out why it’s good wisdom to do just that. He’s saying, “Philemon, think it through for yourself. I’d like you to respond after careful thought to your decision.”
~~ Then Follow with Enthusiasm
Paul required a major nudge to follow Jesus. On the road to Damascus, Jesus appeared to him in a blinding vision of light. Days later, when his eyes opened, he immediately went to the synagogue and told his story. He preached until they threatened to throw him out and stone him. Then he left for Jerusalem. When the astonished disciples finally accepted him, what did Paul do? He kept preaching with great enthusiasm. He kept going despite dangers and persecution.
~~ Keep His Total Kingdom In Mind
That is, what will my response mean not only for me, but for the whole plan of God? He doesn’t call us just for our own enjoyment, even though ministry brings many delights. But that’s not the main point.
Mark 3:14,15, “And He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out the demons.”
When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, He sent them out to do ministry, to be witnesses, and to have authority over Satan. They did all that with thoughtfulness, enthusiasm, and with the Kingdom in mind.
Build Up His Church.
Become active in your church family, your fellowship. Figure out where you belong. These are your people. Put that into action by practicing your spiritual gifts, your love, your sacrificial service in the midst of these Jesus followers. If your spiritual life is on zero, it just could be it won’t get going again until you let Jesus lead you to connect and commit to other believers.
STEPHEN BLY
Fillmore, California
Circa 1982
Praying Hands Image by Prawny from Pixabay
Heart Rock Image by lunasol97 from Pixabay
Teddy Bear Heart Image by N-region from Pixabay
Crowds of People Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
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“Let Jesus Lead” audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Recorded at Fillmore Bible Church, Fillmore, California, Circa 1982. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series.
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