By Anne Wilson
I’ve always had a little bit of a rebellious streak in me.
Not in the “cause trouble just because you can” kind of way. But ever since I was young, I’ve never really liked following the crowd if I knew the crowd was headed the wrong direction. I’ve always wanted my life to mean something bigger than just fitting in.
And honestly? I think a lot of girls feel that way deep down.
We live in a world constantly telling us who we should be, what we should look like, what we should chase, and how we should act if we want people to approve of us. The pressure is exhausting. Everywhere you turn, there’s another voice competing for your attention.
Another trend. Another expectation. Another version of truth.
But what if following Jesus means walking a completely different direction? What if the real rebellion today is staying faithful to God? That’s what I’ve been learning. And it’s why I wrote Rebel. Because being a Christian often means we look like rebels in the eyes of the world. But then, that’s how Jesus lived too.
Jesus Was the Ultimate Rebel
When people hear the word "rebel," they usually picture someone breaking rules or rejecting authority. But Jesus rebelled in a completely different way.
He rebelled against darkness.
He rebelled against hypocrisy.
He rebelled against fear, pride, and the lies of the Enemy.
Jesus stayed true to His mission while He was on the earth, relentlessly true to it. He did not compromise with the world or conform to its systems. And the world hated Him for it. They did not understand Him. He looked like a rebel because, in many ways, He was one. He walked in direct opposition to the dark culture of this fallen world. He carried light and truth. In fact, it is truer to say He is Light and Truth.
I think sometimes we forget how radical Jesus really was.
He touched people others avoided. He defended the broken. He spoke truth even when it made people angry. He refused to water down truth just to make people comfortable.
And if we truly follow Him, our lives will look different too.
Following Jesus Means Going Against the Flow
The truth is, following Jesus has never been the easy path.
Culture says, “Do whatever makes you happy.”
Jesus says, “Follow Me.”
Culture says, “Blend in.”
Jesus says, “Be a light.”
And sometimes that can feel lonely. Maybe you’re the only girl in your friend group trying to honor God with your relationships. Maybe you’re tired of the pressure to look perfect online. Maybe you’ve felt afraid to speak up about your faith because you don’t want people to think you’re weird.
I get it. There’s real pressure to compromise. But anything less than fully following Jesus will leave us empty.
My friend, when you walk with Jesus, the Light of the World, you too will be seen as rebels to the darkness in the world. You will be a rebel to that darkness and to the lies of the Evil One. Anything less is compromise.
That can sound intimidating. Honestly, sometimes it is. There are days following Jesus takes courage.
But I’ve also discovered something beautiful: This life with Jesus is so much bigger and better than anything the world offers.
The World Cannot Tell You Who You Are
One of the biggest battles girls are facing right now is identity.
So many of us are walking around wondering:
- Am I enough?
- Am I pretty enough?
- Popular enough?
- Talented enough?
And social media only makes that struggle louder. We compare our lives, our bodies, our friendships, and our worth against carefully edited versions of everyone else.
But comparison never leads to freedom.
Whether the world tries to tell you that you aren’t enough or you’re too much, those statements are all lies. Comparing yourself to others will never lead to truth, joy, or freedom. Instead, it will enslave you to trying to live up to a false reality the world is showing you, and it will steal your joy.
Here’s what God keeps reminding me:
- He didn’t accidentally create you.
- He didn’t make a mistake when He made your personality, your voice, or your story.
- You do not have to become someone else to be valuable.
- God already decided you were worth dying for.
- You are a blood-bought, battle-fought, made-new child of the King.
- That identity changes everything.
A Rebel for Jesus Doesn’t Follow Halfway
One thing I’ve realized is that Jesus never asked us for partial surrender. He never said, “Follow Me whenever it’s convenient.” He said, “Follow Me completely.”
When it comes to following Jesus, there can be no gray area about our devotion to Him. We are either with Him or against Him—nothing in between.
That doesn’t mean we’ll be perfect. There are still moments I struggle with fear, insecurity, anxiety, and people pleasing. But being a rebel for Jesus means choosing Him over and over again.
It means saying: “Jesus, I want Your way more than my own.” Even when it’s difficult. Even when everyone else seems to be walking the opposite direction.
God Will Give You Strength
I think sometimes we assume bold faith means never feeling afraid. But courage isn’t the absence of fear. Courage is following Jesus in the middle of fear.
There have been seasons in my life where I felt emotionally and spiritually exhausted. Maybe you’ve felt that way too. The good news is that God never asks us to do this alone. Through the strength and grace of Christ and the knowledge of who He really is, we can do all things.
Your strength does not come from trying harder. It comes from staying close to Jesus. Sometimes that looks like worshiping when you feel overwhelmed. Sometimes it looks like opening your Bible instead of reaching for your phone first thing in the morning. Sometimes it simply means whispering, “Jesus, help me trust You today.”
This Life Is Worth It
I won’t pretend following Jesus is always easy. There will be moments when standing for truth feels uncomfortable. There will be moments when culture pressures you to compromise.
But I can tell you this with complete confidence:
Jesus is worth it.
This Christian life is not an easy one. But it is an incredible one. It’s an epic journey of faith and adventure.
The world offers temporary approval.
Jesus offers abundant life.
The world offers counterfeit identity.
Jesus offers freedom.
And there is nothing better than living fully surrendered to Him.
So maybe the real question is this:
When the world walks one way, will you have the courage to follow Jesus the other way?
Because if being a rebel is what it takes to shine His light into the darkness, then I want to be a rebel for Him.
And I hope you will too.
Steal This Idea for Youth Ministry
Gather your girls for an honest conversation about what it means to follow Jesus when culture is pulling them in the opposite direction. Talk openly about comparison, social media pressure, fear of rejection, and the temptation to compromise just to fit in. Invite students to identify lies they’ve believed about themselves and replace them with truth from God’s Word about their identity in Christ.
Helpful discussion questions:
- What pressures do girls your age face every day?
- Why is it hard to stand out for Jesus?
- Have you ever stayed quiet about your faith because you were afraid of what people might think?
- What lies does social media tempt girls to believe about themselves?
- What changes when we find our identity in Jesus instead of approval from others?
Rebel works especially well as a girls’ small group study, retreat resource, or discussion-based discipleship tool for middle school and high school students. Pair the book with the FREE Rebel Discussion Guide PDF to help students apply each chapter personally.
Suggested 12-week book club schedule:
WEEK 1
Introduce the topic of identity in Christ, and pass out copies of the book. Ask each girl to think of one other person they will invite to explore this topic with you. Give each girl an extra book to pass along to the person they are inviting. Ask everyone to read chapter one this week.
WEEKS 2-10
Discuss one chapter per week, using the chapter summary and five questions for each chapter found in the discussion guide.
WEEK 11
Discuss the final chapter of the book. End your discussion time by identifying something you can each do during the next week or even something your group can do together out in your community during your next group time to tangibly live out what it looks like to follow Jesus when the world walks the other way.
WEEK 12
Do a service project together as a group, or have each girl share how they were able to stand for Jesus the previous week.
Free Download:
Rebel Discussion Guide PDF, with five questions for each of the 10 chapters
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
About the Author
Anne Wilson is a Nashville-based artist and bestselling author whose transcendent vocals and down-to-earth storytelling blend Contemporary Christian music with Country. Her breakout single “My Jesus” became a GOLD-certified Billboard Christian Airplay No. 1 hit, helping launch a career that has surpassed 435 million global streams. A GRAMMY-nominated artist and Grand Ole Opry performer, Anne is also the bestselling author of My Jesus, Hey Girl, and Rebel: Following Jesus When the World Walks the Other Way.
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Adapted from Chapter 1 of Rebel: Following Jesus When the World Walks the Other Way by Anne Wilson. Copyright © 2026. Used by permission of HarperCollins Christian Publishing.