Being a follower of Jesus in today’s world is not clean, polished, or easy. It’s messy. It’s costly. It’s confusing sometimes. And yet, it is the most life-giving, soul-steadying, hope-filled path I’ve ever known.
I don’t stand here as someone who has it all together. I stand here as someone who has tried to do life my way, felt the emptiness of that, and found out that Jesus wasn’t just an option, He was my only hope. And even now, as a follower of Jesus, I still feel the pull of the world, my flesh, my past, my pride. I still feel the tension.
But I can say this with all my heart: Jesus is worth following. In this generation. In this culture. In this mess. Right now.
The Difference Between “Believing in Jesus” and “Following Jesus”
A lot of people today would say, “Yeah, I believe in God,” or, “I believe in Jesus.”
But the Bible never said that salvation was about casually believing God exists.
“Even the demons believe and shudder.” (James 2:19)
The question isn’t “Do I believe Jesus is real?”
The question is “Am I following Him as Lord?”
Jesus never walked up to people and said,
“Admire Me.”
“Agree with My teachings.”
“Use Me as a backup plan when things go bad.”
He walked up to fishermen, tax collectors, religious people, broken people and He said:
“Follow Me.” (Matthew 4:19, 9:9)
He said:
“If anyone wants to be My disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)
That means:
- I don’t just invite Jesus into my life
- I surrender my life into His hands.
It means Jesus doesn’t just become my comfort in crisis.
He becomes my King in every moment.
Let’s just name the world we live in for a moment.
We live in:
- A scrolling world – constant distractions, constant noise.
- An opinion-driven world – everyone has a platform; everyone has a take.
- A self-obsessed world – “Build your brand, protect your image, chase your happiness.”
- A confused world – about identity, purpose, truth, morality, even what it means to be human.
The Bible actually describes this kind of world:
“People will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive… without self-control… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:2–5, paraphrased)
And in the middle of that world, Jesus still says:
“You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14)
“You are the salt of the earth.” (Matthew 5:13)
Which means this:
He is not surprised by the world we live in.
He chose to put us here, now, on purpose, to shine.
We’re not an accident in this time of history.
We are assigned.
The Call of Jesus: Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross, Follow Me
Let’s slow down and really sit with Jesus’ words:
“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)
Deny Yourself
That’s the first thing He says. Not:
- “Express yourself.”
- “Fulfill yourself.”
- “Center yourself.”
He says, “Deny yourself.”
That doesn’t mean I hate who I am. It means:
- I stop treating my desires as the highest authority.
- I stop letting my emotions determine what’s true.
- I stop worshiping my own will.
It means I start saying to Jesus:
“Not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
In today’s world, that’s radical. Because everything around us says:
- “If you feel it, it must be true.”
- “If you want it, you deserve it.”
- “If it’s hard, it can’t be right.”
But following Jesus flips that.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can say is:
“Lord, I want this but I choose You instead.”
Take Up Your Cross
We hear “cross” and we think “symbol,” “necklace,” “tattoo.”
But in Jesus’ day, the cross was a brutal instrument of execution. When He said, “Take up your cross,” everybody knew what He meant:
“Come and die to your old life. Come and die to self-rule. Come and let Me be Lord.”
Taking up your cross daily means:
- I die to my right to hold grudges.
- I die to my right to revenge.
- I die to my old identity rooted in sin, shame, and the opinions of others.
- I die to the idea that my life is my own.
“You are not your own; you were bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
Jesus Says Follow Me
Following Jesus isn’t just about what we turn from—it’s about Who we turn to.
He doesn’t say:
- “Follow a system.”
- “Follow a moral code.”
- “Follow religious rules.”
He says, “Follow Me.”
That means:
- We walk with a Person.
- We trust a Person.
- We listen to a Person.
- We obey a Person.
Christianity is not primarily a philosophy, it’s a relationship with the living Christ that transforms everything.
Who Am I in a World That Wants to Define Me?
One of the biggest battles in today’s world is identity.
The world tries to define us by:
- Our past.
- Our performance.
- Our appearance.
- Our success or failure.
- Our trauma.
- Our sexuality.
- Our bank account.
- Our achievements.
- Our likes and followers.
But Scripture says something completely different about those who belong to Jesus.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.” (1 Peter 2:9)
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are.” (1 John 3:1)
Here’s how I feel about that personally:
There are days my feelings tell me:
“You’re not enough. You’ve failed too much. You’re behind. You’re weak. You’re a mess.”
But in those moments, I have a choice:
- I can agree with my feelings,
- or I can agree with God.
Being a follower of Jesus means I let His voice define me more than my past, my fear, or people’s opinions.
And that’s not just a comforting thought. That’s spiritual warfare.
What Does Following Jesus Look Like in Everyday Life?
Let’s get really practical. What does it actually look like to follow Jesus in todays world and beyond?
I’m not talking about just going to church or saying Christian words. I’m talking about the shape of a life.
Following Jesus in Your Private Life
Who you are when nobody’s watching reveals who you really follow.
- When your phone is in your hand and temptation pops up.
- When you’re alone with your thoughts.
- When no one will know what you looked at, said, or did.
Jesus said:
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)
Following Jesus means:
- Choosing purity on the screen.
- Catching your thoughts and giving them to Him.
- Confessing sin quickly instead of hiding it.
Not because God is trying to kill your joy but because sin is trying to kill you.
Following Jesus in Relationships
Jesus said:
“By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
Not by:
- Our arguments.
- Our theology debates online.
- Our ability to win a point.
But by our love.
Following Jesus in relationships means:
- Forgiving when bitterness feels justified.
- Serving when you feel unnoticed.
- Loving difficult people.
- Apologizing first.
- Speaking truth in love, not truth as a weapon.
Sometimes the most Christ-like thing we can do is say:
“I was wrong. I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”
Following Jesus in a Culture of Noise
We’re constantly bombarded by voices:
- Social media.
- News.
- Podcasts.
- TikTok, YouTube, reels, endless opinions.
If we’re not careful, our minds are more discipled by the algorithm than by Jesus.
Following Jesus today looks like:
- Choosing to be in the Word more than you are in the feed.
- Turning down the volume of the world so you can actually hear God.
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)
That means:
- Open your Bible.
- Sit with God in silence sometimes.
- Let Him shape how you think.
Following Jesus in Suffering
Some of the most powerful moments of following Jesus don’t happen in blessing, but in brokenness.
When:
- Prayers don’t get answered like you hoped.
- People betray you.
- Health fails.
- Doors close.
- You lose what you thought you’d always have.
Jesus never promised a pain-free life. He promised His presence in the pain.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Following Jesus in suffering means:
- You bring your tears to Him instead of turning away.
- You trust Him when you don’t understand.
- You cling to Him instead of numbing yourself with sin.
And I’ll be honest:
Those are the moments where following Jesus moves from a theory to a lifeline.
We Cannot Follow Jesus Without the Holy Spirit
If we try to follow Jesus in our own strength, we will burn out or give up.
Jesus told His disciples something wild:
He said it was better for them that He go away.
“It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.” (John 16:7)
He was talking about the Holy Spirit.
That means:
- You and I, right now, have the Spirit of God living in us if we belong to Christ.
- The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us. (Romans 8:11)
That changes everything.
The Holy Spirit:
- Convicts us of sin, not to shame us, but to free us.
- Guides us into truth.
- Strengthens us when we’re weak.
- Produces fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22–23)
Following Jesus isn’t about trying harder, it’s about surrendering deeper and walking in step with the Spirit.
There are days I’ve tried to “be a better Christian” out of my own willpower and I just end up frustrated.
But when I stop and say:
“Holy Spirit, I can’t do this without You. Help me forgive. Help me be pure. Help me be patient. Help me obey,”
He meets me there.
The Role of Community: We Were Never Meant to Follow Alone
Following Jesus in today’s world is far too hard to do alone.
The enemy loves isolated believers.
Isolated sheep are easier to pick off.
God designed us to grow in community.
“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together… but encouraging one another…” (Hebrews 10:24–25)
Following Jesus today looks like:
- Having people who know your real struggles.
- Being part of a local church, not just watching online when convenient.
- Serving others, not just consuming spiritual content.
- Letting others speak into your blind spots.
- Surrounding yourself with people who push you closer to Jesus, not further away.
Some of the greatest growth in my walk with Jesus hasn’t been in big moments, it’s been in conversations, prayers, corrections, encouragements, and late-night talks with brothers and sisters in Christ who love me enough to be honest.
My Personal Heart in All This
If I can just be real for a moment:
There are days I feel like I’m doing well, walking in step with God, sensing His presence, bold in my faith.
Then there are days I feel:
- Distracted.
- Spiritually dull.
- Pulled back toward old patterns.
- Tempted to compromise.
- Afraid of people’s opinions.
There are days where I look at the world and think,
“God, how do I follow You faithfully here? How do I stay pure in this? How do I stay soft and not bitter? How do I stay bold and not hard-hearted?”
And in those moments, I keep coming back to this:
Jesus didn’t choose me because I’m strong.
He chose me because He is.
He didn’t save me because I could handle life.
He saved me because I couldn’t.
So when I feel weak, that doesn’t disqualify me from following Him, it actually reminds me why I need Him.
Being a follower of Jesus in today’s world, for me, looks like:
- Daily dependence.
- Daily repentance.
- Daily surrender.
- Daily coming back when I wander.
- Daily reminding myself: “I am not who I used to be. I belong to Jesus now.”
And honestly, there is such freedom in that.
Why It’s Worth It
Why follow Jesus in a world that thinks we’re outdated, narrow, or extreme?
Because:
- He is the only One who can forgive sin.
- He is the only One who defeated death.
- He is the only One who can heal the deep places of the heart.
- He is the only One who gives a hope that doesn’t shake when the world does.
- He is the only One worthy of your whole life.
Paul said:
“I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)
That’s where I want my heart to land:
- That knowing Jesus is worth more than my comfort.
- More than my reputation.
- More than my plans.
- More than my control.
I don’t want this to just be a nice message with good lines and verses.
I want this to land in your heart like a personal invitation from God.
So let me ask you a few questions, and I want you to answer honestly between you and the Lord:
- Am I just believing in Jesus or am I following Him?
- Where am I saying “yes” to the world and “maybe” to God?
- Is there an area of my life I haven’t surrendered, relationships, sexuality, money, bitterness, habits, secret sin?
- Have I grown lukewarm, casual, or distracted in my walk with Him?
- Do I need to come back, not as a half-hearted fan, but as a surrendered disciple?
If You’re a Believer but You’ve Drifted
If you know Jesus, but you’ve gotten:
- Comfortable in sin,
- Numb in your spirit,
- Distracted by the world,
- Or tired of the fight
This is your moment to come back.
Not with shame.
Not with self-hatred.
But with repentance and trust.
Jesus doesn’t say, “Clean yourself up and then come.”
He says, “Come to Me.”
If You’ve Never Really Surrendered to Jesus
Maybe you believe in God. Maybe you’ve been around church, religion, or spirituality. But deep down you know:
“I have never really surrendered my life to Jesus. I’ve never said, ‘Be my Lord, not just my backup.’”
You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to understand everything. You just have to be willing to say:
“Jesus, I believe You are who You say You are.
I believe You died for my sin and rose again.
I’m done running my own life.
I surrender. I give You my heart, my past, my future, my everything.
Teach me to follow You.”
You can pray something like this from your heart:
“Jesus, I come to You honestly.
You know my past. You know my sins. You know my struggles.
I confess that I have tried to live life my way. I have followed my own desires, my own truth, my own plans.
Today, I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead to give me new life.
I ask You to forgive me. Wash me. Make me new.
I turn from my old life, and I turn to You.
Be my Savior and my Lord.
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit.
Teach me how to follow You in this world, day by day, moment by moment.
My life is Yours now.
In Your Name, Jesus. Amen.”
Following Jesus in today’s world isn’t just about a moment of prayer, it’s about a life of walking with Him. Here are some simple, real steps:
- Get in the Word daily.
Even if it’s a chapter a day. Start in the Gospels. Let His voice shape your mind. - Talk to God honestly.
Don’t just pray religious phrases. Tell Him what you feel, where you struggle. Invite Him into real places. - Get connected to a church.
Not just a building, a community. Show up. Serve. Be known. - Confess and get accountability.
Don’t fight secret sin alone. Bring it into the light with a trusted believer. - Choose small acts of obedience.
As God nudges you, text someone, say sorry, let go of something, delete something, start something, obey. That’s where growth happens. - Keep coming back.
When you fail, because we all do, don’t run away from God. Run back to Him. That’s what followers do.
In a world that says,
“Follow your heart,”
I’ve decided I’m going to follow Jesus.
In a culture that says,
“Do what makes you happy,”
I’m asking,
“Lord, make me holy.”
In a time where people are desperate to be seen, known, and validated, I’m choosing to believe:
I am fully seen by God,
fully known by God,
fully loved by God,
and called to follow His Son.
And I’m inviting you:
Don’t just be a fan of Jesus.
Don’t just be a casual believer.
Be a follower. A disciple. A surrendered son or daughter.
Because everything in this world will fade.
Trends will change.
Opinions will shift.
Bodies will age.
Achievements will be forgotten.
But the One we follow?
He is eternal. He is faithful. He is worthy.
And one day, we will see Him face to face and in that moment, no sacrifice, no obedience, no step of faith, no act of love will feel wasted.
Following Jesus in today’s world may cost you something.
But not following Him will cost you everything.
So, let’s follow Him fully, honestly, imperfectly, but wholeheartedly, starting now.
– Jason Millin
KINGDOM LIFE AZ 
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