A Guide for Following JesusSample

"Don’t be afraid."

Jesus never promised a pain-free, perfect life. In fact, He actually told His disciples that they would have trouble. Yet He followed that statement up with a promise: He would overcome the world.

This is why Scripture reminds us over, and over, and over: we don’t have to be afraid. There are horrifying, terrible things that take place on this earth, yet we don’t have to fear because we know Jesus, and we can be confident He will redeem all things.

There are a lot of names for Jesus in Scripture, but one of the prominent themes is how Jesus is King. Jesus talked a lot about how He has a kingdom – a kingdom that isn’t like the world. A kingdom of God.

In the Old Testament (1 Samuel 8), God’s people decided they'd had enough of God leading them, and instead asked God for a human king. He listened and gave them what they asked for. But time and time again, the kings disobeyed God's good guidance and the kingdoms fell. Even the best king wasn't enough.

Today, there are a million things asking to be our king, and a million things vying for our attention and begging to be the foundation of our lives. And like God’s people in the Old Testament, we often give in, trying to create our own kingdoms — kingdoms of success, security, power, control, fame, wealth, and prestige.

But our kingdoms fall when our King is not in His rightful place: at the very center of our lives. Our kingdom is nothing without King Jesus — the King of Kings, the One we pledge allegiance to above all else. When King Jesus is the One we follow, the upside-down kingdom we reside in is unshakeable.

You don’t have to fear because Jesus is King. The kingdom you live in is not in trouble and neither are you.

Because of Jesus, there’s no need to be afraid.

Prayer: King Jesus, thank You that because of You, I do not have to live afraid. Give me courage no matter what I face in this life. Thank You that You are always with me and that You are the true King. Help me to put You as number one in my life.

Go deeper: Consider if Jesus is the king of your life, or if you've put something else in His place.

For a deeper understanding of the kingdom of God, check out this video from our friends at BibleProject: