Am I a Follower of Jesus?
by Ricky Zeznanski
As a follower of Jesus, I want to be in his word daily. I have learned to ask God the following questions during my prayer time as I seek his will for me.
Am I born again? John 3:3: Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Have I accepted Christ into my life? Have I confessed my sins? Have I accepted his forgiveness of my life? Have I completely surrendered my life to him? And have I begun to walk in his ways?
Do I pray? Am I a person who prays? Jesus’ example in Luke 6:12: In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. How often do I pray? Do I start my day in prayer? Do I end my day in prayer? As a follower of Jesus, prayer should be a major and vital part of my life. I should pray about anything and everything.
Do I listen to Him? Matthew 17:5: He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, this is my beloved Son, whom I am well pleased; listen to Him. This is probably the hardest thing for me to do. The world today is so busy. It is very hard to get quiet, shut down my mind and just listen to God. Do I read the Bible every day? He speaks to me through Scripture as I meditate on it.
Do I believe him? Do I believe in all the things Jesus said in Scripture? Do I walk by faith? Do I trust him for all of my needs? If I don’t believe him, I won’t obey him. Do I trust him for my difficulty, hardship and pain? Do I trust him when I’m facing temptation? What part does faith have in my life in a practical way?
Do I obey Him? John 8:12: Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Obedience should be essential in being a follower of Jesus. I should desire to be obedient because I love him. And because I know that the results are not only a blessing in this world, but they are also eternal.
Do I love him? Mark 12:30: Jesus says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” This means with all my being. With all my personality. Everything about me should show how I love God. Does everything I do show my love for God
Do I share him? Matthew 28:19-20: Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. Am I sharing the good news about Jesus? Am I making myself available in places that give me an opportunity? Is my walk a walk that shares Jesus? Do I serve him? John 12:26: Jesus says, “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will be My servant also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” How do I serve Jesus? By serving others. Jesus was a great example. Followers of Jesus make a difference!
Do I suffer for Him? Philippians 1:29: For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake. This comes with the territory of being a follower of Jesus. I will suffer rejection. I may suffer financially and in relationships. I am not accepted in some circles. But I know that the benefits outweigh the suffering.
Every day I fall short in some of these areas. But I ask these questions every day as a reminder of what a true follower of Jesus looks like.
Am I a follower of Jesus?
Author Bio
Ricky Z serves as the co-ministry leader for Celebrate Recovery at Council Road. He is also employed at Capstone Construction and speaks around the state at many of the prisons and jails, leading the 12-step study. He recently married Amy Boman, and they both enjoy ministering together.