EJOM DAILY DEVOTIONAL
June 3, 2026

Topic: DON’T FOLLOW THE CROWD

Opening Scriptures

Exodus 23:2

“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment.”

Romans 12:2

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Memory Verse

Proverbs 1:10

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

Praise and Worship

Sing songs that focus on obedience, holiness, and surrender to God’s will.

EJOM DAILY DEVOTIONAL: June 3, 2026 – Don’t Follow the Crowd

One of the greatest tests of a believer is the ability to stand alone when the crowd is going in the wrong direction. Many people have entered trouble, missed thier destiny, lost their favour, and damaged their future because they followed the crowd. The crowd may be many, but the crowd is not always right.

The crowd may be popular, loud, attractive, or convincing, but the crowd is not always right. As a child of God, you are not called to copy everybody; you are called to obey God. The fact that many people are doing something does not mean it is right. The fact that a behavior is popular does not mean it is approved by God.

The crowd often chooses the easy road, but God’s people are called to walk the narrow path. Beloved, don’t follow people because they are many. Don’t copy a lifestyle because everybody is doing it. Don’t join evil because your friends are doing it. Don’t speak wrongly because others are speaking wrongly. Don’t dress, behave, cheat, lie, gossip, or compromise because the crowd has accepted it.

The road to destruction is usually crowded, but the road to life requires discipline and wisdom. A person who wants to fulfil destiny must learn to say, “Even if everybody is doing it, I will not do it if God is not pleased.” ”Even if everyone is saying yes, I would say no.” The crowd can pressure you to forget your values. The crowd can make sin look normal.

The crowd can make prayer look old-fashioned. The crowd can make holiness look strange to you. But remember this: your destiny is personal. On the day of judgment, you will not stand before God with the crowd. You will stand alone. Many people are suffering today because they followed wrong friends. Some followed people into bad relationships.

Some followed people into fraud. Some followed people into immoral living. Some followed people into rebellion against their parents, leaders, pastors, or helpers. They thought it was fun, or normal but later they discovered it was a trap and now they are regretting it.

A wise person does not ask, “What is everybody saying?” A wise person asks, “What is God saying?” Don’t let social media become your Bible. Don’t let worldly trends become your teacher. Don’t let friends become the voice of God over your life. Any crowd that pulls you away from prayer, church or turn against your pastor, is evil.

When others are compromising, stand for the truth. When others are mocking righteousness, remain faithful. When others are chasing worldly pleasure, follow the path of holiness. When others are accusing pastors, let God be the judge. The road that leads to destruction is wide, but the way of life is narrow.

When you follow the crowd, you may lose your voice, your conviction, your peace, and your spiritual identity. Daniel refused to defile himself in Babylon. Joseph refused the temptation of Potiphar’s wife. Joshua and Caleb refused to agree with the fearful report of the ten spies. Yet, they stood alone, but God stood with them. Never be afraid to stand alone when God is on your side.

As believers, we must learn to stand for truth even when we stand alone. Sometimes obedience to God will make you different from others. Sometimes doing the right thing will make you unpopular. But it is better to stand with God than to stand with a multitude that is heading in the wrong direction.

God created you with a unique purpose. If you spend your life copying others, you may miss the assignment God has prepared for you. Today, please ask God for the courage to stand for what is right and the wisdom to follow His voice rather than the voice of the crowd.

Many destinies have been delayed because people followed the wrong voices. There are people who never wanted to drink alcohol, but because their friends were drinking, they joined them. There are people who never planned to commit fraud, but because everyone around them was doing it, they followed.

There are people who never intended to abandon God, but because they wanted acceptance, they gradually drifted away from their faith. The crowd rarely shows you the consequences of their actions. But they show you the excitement behind it, but they hide the pain. They show you the beginning, but they hide the ending. The devil always advertises pleasure but hides destruction.

Remember the story of Lot. The people of Sodom were many, but they were living in wickedness. Lot lived among them and gradually became comfortable with their lifestyle. When judgment came, the crowd could not save him. The same people he lived among could not protect him from God’s judgment. This teaches us that there are places and associations where the crowd is moving in a dangerous direction.

Sometimes God will intentionally separate you from certain groups so that He can preserve your destiny. Do not be sad when some people leave your life. Not everyone is meant to follow you into your future. Some relationships are seasonal. Some friendships become dangerous when they begin to pull you away from God’s purpose.

Imagine Noah building an ark for many years while people laughed at him. The crowd mocked him because they had never seen rain. They thought Noah was foolish. But when the flood came, the same crowd that laughed at Noah perished. Noah survived because he obeyed God instead of following public opinion.

There are times when obedience to God will make you look different or ridiculous. People may laugh at your prayer life. People may laugh at your condition. They may mock your standards. They may question your commitment to God. Do not be discouraged. Noah was mocked before, and he was vindicated.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowd shouted at Him, “Hosanna!” A few days later, many of the same people surrounded Him, shouted, “Crucify Him!” What does this tells you? It shows that the crowd is unstable or manipulative. If you build your life on people’s opinions, you will always be confused.

People can praise you today and criticize you tomorrow. Therefore, do not allow the crowd to define your identity. Let God’s Word define who you are.

One dangerous thing about following the crowd is that it gradually weakens your spiritual conviction. A person may know that something is wrong, but because many people are doing it, he begins to justify it. Before long, what once troubled his conscience becomes normal. This is how many people drift away from God.

They do not suddenly abandon their faith. Instead, they slowly adjust their standards to match the crowd. As believers, we must develop the habit of asking, “What does God say?” rather than “What are people saying?” People’s opinions change every day, but God’s Word remains forever. The crowd may encourage you to take shortcuts, compromise your values, engage in dishonest practices, or abandon your faith.

However, every decision should be measured against the Word of God. Following the crowd can also affect your dreams and destiny. There are people who abandoned their calling because others laughed at them. There are people who buried their talents because society did not appreciate them. There are people who left the path God prepared for them because they wanted to fit in.

Never sacrifice your destiny on the altar of acceptance. God created you to be a leader, not a blind follower. An eagle does not move with every flock of birds. It rises above the storm and flies according to its purpose. In the same way, God expects His children to be guided by the Holy Spirit and not by popular opinion.

There are people whose prayers have been answered, but they never entered their testimonies because they listened to the wrong people. God may tell you to start a business, but the crowd says it will fail. God may tell you to move forward, but the crowd says it is impossible. God may tell you to forgive, but the crowd says take revenge.

When you stand for God, there may be criticism. There may be misunderstanding. There may even be loneliness at times. However, God honors those who remain faithful to Him. Joseph stood alone and became a ruler. Daniel stood alone and became a governor. Esther stood alone and saved a nation. David stood alone before Goliath and won a great victory. Don’t be discouraged when you stand alone. Know that God is with you.

Many destinies have been buried in the cemetery of public opinion. One of the greatest battles every believer will face is the pressure to do what everybody else is doing. The crowd often promises acceptance, popularity, and temporary comfort, but it rarely considers your divine purpose.

The crowd shouted for the release of Barabbas and demanded the crucifixion of Jesus. The majority was wrong. The fact that many people support something does not automatically make it right. Truth is not determined by numbers; truth is determined by God.

When God gives a person an assignment, He does not call a committee meeting or friends to seek public approval. There are times when God will instruct you to do things that others do not understand. If you depend on people’s approval before obeying God, you may never fulfill your destiny.

Spiritual maturity is not measured by how loudly a person prays. It is also measured by their ability to stand for what is right when everyone around them is choosing what is wrong. Joseph refused shortcuts. He endured betrayal, slavery, and prison. In the end, God’s process brought him to the palace. Most people prefer shortcuts to success or breakthrough rather than God’s process.

The crowd wants quick money without hard work. The crowd wants promotion without preparation. The crowd wants results without sacrifice. The crowd wants glory without responsibility. God’s ways often require patience, discipline, obedience, and faith.  That is why many people leave God’s path and join the crowd.

One of the greatest enemies of destiny is listening to too many voices. When there are too many voices around you, it becomes difficult to hear the voice of God clearly. Many people are carrying the burden of public opinion. They are more concerned about what people will say than what God is saying. They refuse to obey God because they fear criticism.

Unfortunately, people who criticize you today may not be there tomorrow, but the consequences of your disobedience can remain for years. God did not create you to be controlled by the crowd. He created you to be led by His Spirit. Not every gathering is progressing. Some crowds are simply moving in circles.

The children of Israel spent forty years wandering in the wilderness. They were moving, but they were not advancing. There is a difference between movement and progress. Not every movement is a sign of progress. Many people are busy following trends, chasing popularity, and competing with others, yet their spiritual life is dying. They are moving with the crowd, but they are not moving with God.

Never assume that because everyone is running, they know where they are going. Some people are simply running because others are running. The crowd usually chooses the easiest path. The crowd may laugh at someone who is studying, praying, building, learning, or waiting on God. They may say, “Why are you wasting your time?”

What they do not know is that greatness is usually built in secret before it is revealed in public. A tree does not produce fruit the day it is planted. There is a hidden season of growth and fruitfulness. Many people abandon God’s process because they are watching what others are doing.

Popularity and success are not the same thing. Some people are known everywhere but have no peace. Some people have many followers but no direction. Some people are celebrated publicly but are suffering privately.

As believers, we should not measure success by applause. We should measure success by obedience to God’s will. A person can be unpopular and still be highly favored by God. A person can be ignored by society and still be important in heaven. Your goal should not be to impress people. Your goal should be to please God

A wise believer does not jump to conclusions simply because everyone else has done so. The Holy Spirit gives believers discernment. Before accepting any information, before supporting any cause, before joining any movement, seek God’s wisdom.

An eagle does not fly with chickens. It was created for higher altitudes. Likewise, God did not create you to live according to the opinions, fears, and limitations of the crowd. He created you to fulfill a divine purpose. The crowd may laugh at your prayers, but keep praying. The crowd may mock your holiness, but keep standing.

The crowd may reject your convictions, but keep obeying God. One day, the same people who questioned your obedience will see the results of your faithfulness. When God lifts a person, no crowd can stop it. When God opens a door, no crowd can close it. When God decides to bless you, public opinion becomes powerless. Do not follow the crowd. Follow Christ. The crowd changes; God never changes.

Conclusion

The crowd changes every day, but God’s Word never changes. The crowd may laugh at your convictions, but one day they may wish they had followed your example. Never exchange your divine direction for public acceptance.

When God says “No,” let it remain no, even if the crowd says yes. When God says “Wait,” keep waiting, even if the crowd is running ahead. When God says “Go,” move forward, even if nobody follows you. Your destiny is too precious to be controlled by the crowd. Follow God, and He will lead you safely into His purpose for your life.

Prophetic Declaration

I declare that I shall not follow the crowd into destruction. The Lord will give me boldness to stand for truth. Every wrong association assigned to mislead my destiny shall scatter, in Jesus’ name.

Key Lessons for Today

• The majority is not always right.
• Never compromise your faith to please people.
• Wrong association can destroy a great destiny.
• God honours those who stand for righteousness.
• Your destiny is too precious to be controlled by public opinion.

Wisdom for Today

It is better to walk alone with God than to walk with a crowd going to destruction.

Evangelism Challenge

Today, encourage someone not to compromise their faith because of peer pressure. Share Exodus 23:2 with them and pray for boldness.

Bible in One Year:
Job 1–3; Acts 7

Prayer Assignment – Morning

1. Father, give me the courage to stand for truth, in Jesus’ name.

2. Father, give me the grace to follow You and not the crowd, in Jesus’ name

3. Every wrong friend assigned to mislead me, separate from me by fire, in Jesus’ name.

4. O Lord, renew my mind and guide my decisions, in Jesus’ name.

5. Every evil influence pushing me away from God, lose your power, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, help me to obey You even when others disagree, in Jesus’ name.

7. Every crowd pushing me away from God, lose your influence over my life, in Jesus’ name.

8. Father, give me courage to stand for righteousness, in Jesus’ name.

9. Any evil trend designed to capture my soul, fail, in Jesus’ name.

10. O Lord, connect me with godly people, in Jesus’ name.

11. My destiny shall not be destroyed by peer pressure, in Jesus’ name.

12. I shall not follow the path of destruction, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Assignment – Night

1. Father, forgive me for every wrong decision I have made because of people, in Jesus’ name.

2. Every evil influence around my life, break by fire, in Jesus’ name.

3. I separate myself from ungodly counsel, in Jesus’ name.

4. Powers using friends to pull me down, fail, in Jesus’ name.

5. O Lord, open my eyes to recognize dangerous associations, in Jesus’ name.

6. I receive spiritual boldness to say no to sin, in Jesus’ name.

7. Any decision waiting to destroy my future, I reject it, in Jesus’ name.

8. Father, lead me in the path of wisdom and righteousness, in Jesus’ name.

9. I shall not be ashamed of my faith, in Jesus’ name.

10. Every voice of temptation speaking to me, be silenced, in Jesus’ name.

11. My life shall always please God, not the world, in Jesus’ name.

12. Thank You, Lord, for giving me victory over wrong influence, in Jesus’ name.

African Proverb

“When everyone is running in one direction, the wise man asks why.”

Closing Reflection

Don’t follow the crowd just because you don’t want to stand alone. Sometimes standing alone is the price of fulfilling destiny. God is not looking for people who are popular; He is looking for people who are faithful.

This devotional is brought to you by Evangelist Joshua Orekhie Ministries (EJOM)

— Dream it. Pray it. Win it.