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I Will Follow Where You Lead
In this message, Pastor Willie Russell challenges believers to examine whether they are truly following Jesus or simply walking alongside Him, or worse, expecting Him to follow them. Drawing from Jesus' wilderness temptation, Pastor Russell shows that even Christ was led by the Holy Spirit, not merely released into the wild. When the devil tried to redirect Jesus' steps, Jesus firmly declared, "Get behind me", establishing once and for all who was leading whom. Using the powerful image from John 10 of a shepherd calling his sheep by name and leading them out, not simply letting them loose, Pastor Russell made a personal declaration: "I wasn't let out. I was led out." That distinction changed everything. Being led means there is purpose, direction, and a divine destination. The call to action is simple: fix your eyes on Jesus, trust the Holy Spirit within you, and run your race with perseverance. Bottom line: God calls you by name because He has somewhere specific to take you.
Related Sermons
Small Group Guide
Small Group Discussion Guide
"I Will Follow" | January 3, 2024
Based on the message by Pastor Willie Russell
1. SERMON RECAP
Pastor Willie Russell opened the new year by challenging the congregation to examine their position in relation to Jesus — whether they are truly following Him, walking alongside Him as an equal, or even expecting Him to follow them. He unpacked the difference between being let out and being led out, using the imagery of a shepherd calling his sheep by name and leading them with purpose and intention. Pastor Willie reminded us that being led by the Holy Spirit is not always comfortable — it may include wilderness seasons — but God's leading always has a divine destination in mind.
2. KEY SCRIPTURE
John 10:3-4 (NIV) "The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."
3. ICE BREAKER
Have you ever gotten completely lost while driving — maybe even when you thought you knew exactly where you were going? What happened, and how did you find your way?
4. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Three Positions Pastor Willie described three ways people relate to Jesus: following behind Him, walking alongside Him as an equal, or leading and expecting Jesus to clean up the mess. Which of these positions do you think is most common among Christians today — and honestly, which one do you find yourself slipping into most often? What makes it hard to stay in the "following" position?
2. Led Out vs. Let Out Pastor Willie made a powerful distinction between being let out (just opening a door and releasing someone to wander) and being led out (personally guiding someone with purpose toward a destination). How does it change the way you see your salvation and your daily life to think of God as someone who leads you out rather than simply lets you out?
3. Wilderness Seasons In Exodus 13:17-18, God intentionally took Israel the long way rather than the shorter, more direct route. Pastor Willie pointed out that Jesus Himself was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. How do you typically respond when life feels like a wilderness — a dry, confusing, or uncomfortable season? What would it look like to trust that the Holy Spirit is still present and leading, even in those moments?
4. Denying Yourself and Picking Up Your Cross In Matthew 16:24, Jesus told His disciples that following Him required denying yourself and picking up your cross. Pastor Willie emphasized that Jesus didn't just fast for us or make a small sacrifice — He emptied Himself completely (Philippians 2:6-8). What is one area of your life where you sense God is asking you to deny yourself right now? What makes that feel costly?
5. Hearing His Voice Pastor Willie reminded the group that the sheep know the shepherd's voice — and that every time we read the Word of God, Jesus is speaking to us by name. What are some practical habits or obstacles in your life that either help you hear God's voice more clearly or tend to drown it out? How can this group help one another tune in better?
6. Running with Your Eyes Fixed on Jesus Drawing from Hebrews 12:1-2, Pastor Willie described Jesus as running ahead of us, setting the pace, and never stopping. He challenged us not to get so tired, distracted, or discouraged that we lose sight of Him. Think about a time when you kept your eyes on Jesus through a really difficult stretch. What kept you going, and what did you learn about God's faithfulness in that season?
5. APPLICATION CHALLENGE
This week, choose one specific moment each day — morning, lunch break, or before bed — to pause for five minutes and simply ask God, "Where are You leading me today?" Write down in a journal, notes app, or even a sticky note whatever you sense Him saying, whether through Scripture, a quiet impression, or a verse that stands out. Bring your notes to share with the group next week. The goal is not perfection — it is practice in learning to recognize the Shepherd's voice.
6. PRAYER POINTS
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Surrender of Position: Pray that each group member would have the humility to move out of the "leading" or "side-by-side" posture and genuinely submit to following Jesus — especially in the decisions and relationships they are navigating right now.
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Wilderness Trust: Pray for anyone in the group who feels like they are in a dry, confusing, or difficult season. Ask God to remind them that His Spirit is present, that He has a purpose, and that He is leading them — even when the path is not yet clear.
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Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit: Pray that as the group enters this new year, each person would grow in their ability to hear and respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit — through the Word, in prayer, and in the everyday moments of life.
7. MEMORY VERSE
Psalm 23:1-2 (NIV) "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul."
May this new year be one where we follow closely, listen carefully, and trust completely — because the Shepherd knows our name and He knows exactly where He is taking us.
Daily Devotional
He Knows Your Name
John 10:3 — "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out."
I love this verse because it makes everything personal. Jesus doesn't just swing open a gate and shout "everybody out!" He calls each sheep by name. He called me by name. There was a season in my life when I felt completely locked up — trapped, unworthy, unseen. And Jesus showed up, opened that door, and called my name. Not my title. Not my role. My name. That means he knows exactly who I am, where I've been, and where he's taking me. He didn't just let me out either — he led me out. There's a difference between being released and being led. Being released means you're on your own. Being led means somebody has a purpose and a destination already planned for you. You are not wandering. You are being led by a Shepherd who knows you intimately and loves you completely.
Jesus, thank you for calling me by name and leading me out of dark places. Help me trust today that you know exactly where you're taking me. I don't want to wander — I want to follow you.
Led, Not Just Let Out
Exodus 13:17 — "When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although it was near, for God said, 'Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.'"
I want you to notice something here that jumped out at me — God didn't take the children of Israel the short way. He took them the long way on purpose. That sounds frustrating, right? But God knew something they didn't. He knew that if they went the short way, they'd see war and run straight back to Egypt. Back to bondage. Back to what was comfortable and familiar, even though it was killing them. I've done that. Gone back to what I knew instead of trusting where God was leading me. But here's what I've learned — if God is taking you the long way, don't assume you're lost. Don't assume he forgot about you. He's protecting you from something you can't even see yet. The wilderness is not punishment. Sometimes it's preparation. Trust the route he has you on even when it doesn't make sense.
God, I'll be honest — sometimes your route confuses me. Help me trust that you see what I can't see and that every step you lead me on has purpose. I choose to follow even when the path looks long.
Fix Your Eyes and Keep Running
Hebrews 12:2 — "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Here's something I picture when I read this verse — Jesus is running ahead of me. I'm in the race too, but he's setting the pace. If I take my eyes off him, even for a second, I start to veer. I've seen it happen in my own life. I get distracted by what somebody else is doing, by what the news is saying, by what my situation looks like, and suddenly I've drifted off course. But the instruction is simple — fix your eyes on Jesus. Not on your problems. Not on other people. Not on what's comfortable. Jesus is still running. He never stopped. Even when I slowed down, even when I got tired, he kept going. And that's what keeps me moving — knowing that he's ahead of me, that he's already been where I'm going, and that he never quits. Keep running. Keep your eyes on him.
Jesus, I want to keep my eyes locked on you today and not get pulled off course by distractions. When I feel like stopping, remind me that you're still running ahead of me. Help me finish what you started in me.
Deny Yourself and Pick It Up
Matthew 16:24 — "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me.'"
Jesus could have made this verse a little gentler, couldn't he? He could have said follow me and I'll make everything comfortable. But he didn't. He said deny yourself first. Then — and this is the part that shook the disciples — pick up your cross. Every one of those men knew exactly what picking up a cross meant. Somebody is about to die. Jesus was telling them straight up that following him was going to cost them something. Not just minor inconveniences like giving up a television show or fasting for a day. He was talking about total surrender. He was talking about humility so deep that your own comfort and reputation don't matter anymore. Philippians 2 tells us Jesus himself emptied himself, took on a servant's form, and humbled himself to death on a cross. He showed us what it looks like. Following Jesus isn't about religion or rules — it's about being all in, even when it's uncomfortable.
Lord, I won't pretend that denying myself is easy — it isn't. But I want to be all in with you today. Help me pick up whatever cross you've called me to carry and follow you without looking for the easy way out.
The Holy Ghost Is With You
John 16:13 — "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth; he will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."
Here's something I love about the Holy Ghost — he didn't stay out ahead of me like a tour guide shouting directions from a distance. He moved inside me. He trusts me so much that he took up residence in my heart. That means when I'm moving through life, navigating decisions, facing temptations, trying to run my race, the Holy Spirit is right there on the inside saying — hey, don't touch that. Hey, watch this. Hey, go this way. We don't have to wonder if God is speaking to us. Every time we open this Word, he's speaking. Every time that quiet nudge rises up in our spirit, that's him. The question isn't whether he's leading — the question is whether we're listening. I've learned to stop shutting him off just because I don't like what he's saying. He's not trying to rob me. He's trying to lead me into truth, into freedom, into everything God has for me in this new year.
Holy Spirit, I want to be sensitive to your voice today and every day. I don't want to shut you out because I'm afraid of what you might say. Lead me into truth and help me trust that where you lead is always better than where I'd go on my own.