In order to follow spiritual leaders, we must first follow the ultimate spiritual leader, Jesus Christ. It is important to ensure that the spiritual leaders we follow are truly from God and are leading us in accordance with His word. We are warned in Acts 17:11 to be like the Bereans, who "were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
Let us pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, asking for guidance and discernment. Help us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves as we navigate the world and its many teachings. Give us a spirit of discernment, so that we may test the spirits, to see whether they are from You (1 John 4:1).
Lord, we ask that You would reveal to us the spiritual leaders You have placed in our lives. Help us to follow them as they follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Give us the courage to stand firm in Your word, even when spiritual leaders may lead us astray. Help us to be like the Bereans, searching the Scriptures daily to ensure that we are being led in accordance with Your will.
We ask this all in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. It is only by His name that we have access to You, Father, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). If anyone has not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we encourage them to do so today, for "whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13).
Amen.
Let us be mindful of the words of Paul in Acts 20:28-30: "Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood. For I know that after my departure, vicious wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will arise from among your own selves, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them."
We must always be on guard, testing the spirits, and searching the Scriptures to ensure that we are following spiritual leaders who are truly from God.