Restoration Road Ministry.org

Jesus asks us to follow him as his sheep, by keeping our eyes firmly fixed on him and following him wherever he leads. We do this through each step of faith we are asked to exercise in this relationship we are to have with him. Yet, we fail in all of these areas despite his instruction and our interest and are easily led astray. We believe this occurs because we have not repented fully for our ongoing sinfulness, and thereby remain centered on the flesh rather than Christ Jesus.

Scripture says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28, ESV, 2001, Crossway).

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or the left; turn your foot away from evil” (Proverbs 4:25-27).

“I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken” (Psalm 16:8).

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:1-4).

This requires us to surrender ourselves unto him, instead of walking in the path we choose for ourselves, which requires us to let go of what keeps us enslaved to our flesh through worldly sin. Satan uses these sins to pull our attention away from our Shepherd, which results in being led astray from where Jesus is leading, as many Christians can attest to if they are honest with themselves. However, oftentimes we are led off course subtly and before we know it we have ventured far away from where we ought to be, under the care, protection, and guidance of our Shepherd.

Scripture says, “He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died” (2 Corinthians 5:14).

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).

“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more” (Galatians 4:9)?

These sins include anything that place our focus on ourself and the world, rather than living out our life being set free through our obedience in Jesus Christ. These preoccupations include such things as selfish ambitions, selfish attitudes/behaviors/thoughts, selfish desires and lusts, and selfish enslavement to our prior way of life which brought shame and guilt. Essentially, anything that takes our eyes off of Jesus Christ, through a worldly and fleshly focus, is what we have been asked to leave at the cross.

We cannot hope to find freedom in Jesus Christ if we choose to remain imprisoned through our own willful disobedience to God’s word. And we cannot follow our Shepherd if our attention is placed elsewhere. Satan is using all forms of sin to keep us bound to him as our captor, and unless we choose to remove the chains of sin through our repentance and obedience to God, we will remain forever enslaved to our enemy.

Letting go does not excuse our former sinful life, but it does offer us the ability to no longer carry the weight of guilt that it once produced. Let the memory of your sin keep you from returning to it again, but leave the sin at Jesus’ feet as you move forward. Jesus Christ already paid the debt for our former sins, and through him we are forgiven, if we have repented for them. So why continue holding on to that which keeps you enslaved to Satan, when you have already been set free through Jesus Christ?

We must acknowledge that we are sinners, and prone to sin daily through our weakness in the flesh, and therefore be eager to repent for future sins that continue to enslave us as we follow Jesus.

Scripture says, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4)?

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Therefore we ought to “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8).

Our freedom will remain short-lived if we fail to surrender our lives as sheep unto our Shepherd and remain in his will rather than our own. The tendency and opportunity to sin does not necessarily go away just because we desire to follow our Shepherd as his sheep. And so we must be on guard for our enemy and his schemes that he will use against us in our flesh.

Scripture says, “Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him” (Exodus 23:21).

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap” (Luke 21:34).

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

The schemes Satan uses are vast, but the consequences remain predictable for those affected. Satan seeks to steal, kill and destroy. This occurs when the sheep have been pulled away from their Shepherd’s protection, so it is imperative to remain in God’s will instead of our own, and therefore remain within his fold instead of venturing off outside of his care. We do this by reading and studying his word, allowing him to teach, and following his instruction.

Scripture says, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning” (1 John 3:8).

Each day we must surrender ourselves once again to Jesus Christ as our Shepherd and repent again for any wayward tendencies we have not yet let go of, because of our flesh that is prone to sinning. By doing so, we reestablish the right relationship we are to have under him, as well as the obedience we are to exercise in our surrendered state. This obedience keeps us walking in step with our Shepherd instead of wandering off of the narrow path we are to travel.

Remember that the path to God’s kingdom is narrow and hard, and therefore nothing about our walk will come easily to our flesh. But, if we allow our spirit to be led by our Shepherd, he will make our path straight, regardless of the trials we may face along the way.

What you can expect to receive from the Lord, as a result of your faithfulness, is a life forever changed, no longer living in darkness and in bondage to sin, where there is no escape, but rather living in the light of truth, free from the shackles of sin, and no longer imprisoned to death because of it.

The deeper you are willing to surrender yourself to your Shepherd, by living your life in his will regardless of the personal cost, the greater your reward will be. He is faithful to those that place their faith in him, and he has promises to bestow on those that will place their hope in him alone.

In Christ.