Text: Luke 9:57-62
Memory Verse: “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:62).
Some people often think that the decision not to pursue personal ambition is the same as following hard after the Lord. This is not correct because the kind of followership that makes a man fit for the kingdom is higher than that. Christ Jesus said to the man who was looking back that no man who puts his hands to the plough, and still looks back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Following Christ has a cost, and you must be ready to pay the price before putting your hands on the plough.
Some of the reasons that often make many to keep looking back or return from following the Lord sincerely are:
1. Lack of a genuine encounter with Him.
2. Pursuit of personal ambition.
3. Desire for the wealth of this world.
4. Love for worldly values and systems.
5. Fear of men.
6. Diminished interest in things from above.
7. Family culture and insensitivity.
Any of the above will render you unfit for the kingdom of God. You must acknowledge and identify those things that are making you look back in your pursuit of eternal purpose and high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus desires to see total dedication, not half-hearted commitment, if truly you are willing to serve Him. Stay away from traps from the enemy of your soul, who is bent on distracting you.
Prayer Points:
1. Holy Spirit, I know that following You requires sacrifice, I ask that You saturate my heart with deeper love for You to align me with Your purpose for my living.
2. Lord, help me to align wholly to Your will.