Whose voice are you listening to?

You can learn a lot about how to be more like Christ by studying what Jesus did in the Bible. But did you know that you can also learn a lot by studying what he didn’t do? Jesus was fully God and fully man, so he went through every temptation we do. He knew who he was and he operated from this place of confidence. By studying how he responded to the people and challenges around him, we can grow our faith and be confident too!

1. Jesus didn’t let other people deter his faith.

Part of faith is being decisive and knowing what you want. If you’re always asking other people for affirmation or approval, it will weaken your faith. Never allow other people or circumstances to affect your faith. Never weigh your faith against the actions of other people. It’s between you and the Lord; it’s by your faith that you will obtain the promise!

Q: Who do you tell about the things you are believing for? Do they encourage your faith? Are they neutral? How do you feel when you leave the conversation? Get around people who speak life over what you are believing for!

2. Jesus didn’t let people affect his character.

Some people are good at calling out the old nature in your life. Trying to resurrect old emotions and ways of thinking. You need to be around people who will call out your new nature instead of reminding you of your past. Don’t be fooled, bad company corrupts good morals. (1 Corinthians 15:33) If you keep hanging around people who bring out your old nature, you will find that you start compromising your character. Jesus treated everyone the same, even the one who betrayed him. He didn’t let the actions of others affect his character.

Q: Is there anyone in your life who makes you act like you did before you got saved? How do you feel after those conversations? What other relationships remind you of your old nature? What boundaries can you draw to ensure you stay focused on who God is calling you to be?

3. Jesus never let the opinions of other people take him off his mission.

You don’t need everyone’s opinion before you do what God has called you to do. Staying focused on what God says about you will help you shake off the weight of other people’s opinions.

Q: Who is your source? What do you do when someone criticizes you or hurts you? How do you stay focused on your mission? What verses help encourage you?

Pray this: Father God, thank you for giving me your word to instruct me. As I read more about Jesus, help me to become more like Him. Show me what I can apply to my life and draw me near to your presence. In Jesus’s name, amen!