Abide In Christ

ABIDE IN CHRIST

PROPHECY:

Thus Says The LORD,

My child, I desire you to be one with Me as I am one with My Father. When you follow My Word, you show your love for God. When you yield to My Holy Spirit, you show reverence for God. Love is revealed by being led by My Holy Spirit, for My Spirit will lead you to love.

If you do not love one another, then you do not know Me, for I am love. I desire you to walk in My love. I want you to express My love. You bear fruit when you yield to My Holy Spirit and walk in My love. By how you live, you are to show that I am a God of love.

The world is full of hate and deceit. The world loves unrighteousness. The world desires godlessness. I have come that everyone can be forgiven and overcome sin. To abide in Me is to align your life to My ways, living to fulfill My Will.

Without Me, you can do nothing. You cannot bear fruit, live righteous, and overcome sin on your own. No one can overcome addiction, express love, or turn from evil, except by My Holy Spirit.

If you abide in Me, you will have a life that blesses many people. Your life will be a light in a dark place. You will prove to be a vessel of honor.

Unless one turns away from sin and yields to My Holy Spirit, they cannot be a vessel I can use. I desire you to be a vessel of honor. A person who can be trusted to bless those around you. Imitating Me as you let My Holy Spirit work through you.

To hear Me say, "Well done, good and faithful servant", your life must bear fruit. You must reveal that I am the LORD of your life by obeying My word. You will only receive a full reward in heaven by yielding to My Holy Spirit. For it is only by My Holy Spirit that you can fulfill My Will.

This world is hurting; only My love can heal and free those in bondage. I have called you to abide in Me.

Says The LORD

MESSAGE:

The passage of scripture for this message is John 15:1-8 (NKJV): [1] "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. [2] "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. [3] "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. [4] "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. [5] "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. [6] "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. [7] "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. [8] "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

The word abide in the Greek is Strong's G3306 μένω menō, men'-o; means to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): -abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand.

We are called to stay in an intimate relationship with God. Only by the Holy Spirit working in our lives can we live a life that shows the love of God. We will not bear fruit if we do not live in close fellowship with Jesus. The Holy Spirit leads us to Jesus. The Holy Spirit gives us direction and helps us obey. Jesus was not able to fulfill His ministry except by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Jesus is our example of how to live and yield to the Holy Spirit.

If we do not yield to the Holy Spirit. We will not bear fruit, and this will endanger our eternity. In verse 6 of John 15, we see, "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned".

This verse is understood as angels gathering the branches. The branches that are not producing fruit are those that are disobedient to God. This is because they do not abide in Christ. To abide means to dwell with, be present with. To not abide implies the person is not present with God. The Holy Spirit does not dwell with the individual. As the verse says, we must abide with Christ to bear fruit.

In Matthew 13:47-50 (NKJV), we see scripture giving us the complete account of what angels will do when Jesus returns. They will literally separate the wicked from the righteous and throw the wicked into the furnace of fire. [47] "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, [48] "which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. [49] "So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, [50] "and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

The branches that do not bear fruit are cast into the fire. Jesus was warning us that we must abide in Him. This is the only way to live like a Christian. We also know this because of 1 John 4:13 (NKJV): [13] By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

Without the Holy Spirit, we are unable to abide in Jesus. The Holy Spirit is our helper. The Holy Spirit seals us to God. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NKJV): [13] In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Only by the Holy Spirit in our lives can we live out the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 (NKJV): [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. [24] And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The fruit we are to bear is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. When we yield to the Holy Spirit, we express God's love. We are giving to others what Christ gave to everyone. We are called to imitate Christ. Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV): [1] Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. [2] And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

This is what it means to bear fruit. This is why we see it as a sacrifice to God as a sweet-smelling aroma. For us to truly imitate Christ. We have to die to ourselves daily, Romans 12:1 (NKJV): [1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

To be a living sacrifice, we must give up our will and follow God's will. God wants us to bear fruit; more specifically, God wants to express Himself through us by His Holy Spirit. This is the only way to bear fruit. This pleases God, for it shows humility and submission to God.

To live a life that bears fruit, we must yield to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us live a life showing the fruit of the Spirit. This yieldedness expresses the love of God as we are imitating Christ. God smiles on someone who yields to His Holy Spirit because they are imitating Him. This is a life of selflessness.

Bearing fruit also means you are choosing to be a vessel of honor. Only when we cleanse ourselves can we bear fruit, as it takes repentance and submission to the Holy Spirit to turn from sin. God only works through a humble person. A humble person can be corrected and disciplined. This type of person can fulfill the will of God. Only because they have been sanctified and disciplined themselves to follow God.

We know this because of 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (NKJV): [20] But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. [21] Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

God desires you to be a vessel of honor. He has given you His Holy Spirit to live a life that pleases Him. You can bear fruit by letting the Holy Spirit lead your life.

When a person decides to be a vessel of honor. Turn from sin and live righteously. This person also says, "God, I want you to prune me". This is being communicated by our willingness to submit to God.

In John 15:2 (NKJV), we read [2] "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

The Greek word for prune is Strong's G2508 καθαίρω kaqairō, kath-ah'ee-ro; to cleanse, that is, (specifically) to prune:--purge.

The Laridian English Dictionary defines prune as cultivating, tending, and cutting back growth. To weed out unwanted or unnecessary things.

Purge is another word used to help define the Greek word καθαίρω kaqairō, kath-ah'ee-ro. Understanding this word in context to John 15:2 means making pure or free from sin or guilt.

God does this by allowing a person to go through trials and temptations. We know this by the following scriptures.

Psalms 66:10 (NKJV): [10] For You, O God, have tested us;
You have refined us as silver is refined.

Malachi 3:3 (NKJV): [3] He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness.

Zechariah 13:9 (NKJV): [9] I will bring the one-third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, 'This is My people';
And each one will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"

God's trials are not meant to hurt us, but to separate the impurities. These trials and tests are designed to remove negative influences from our lives. They help us to respond correctly and express the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, we produce more fruit because we respond like Jesus under hardship.

The refining or pruning process is ongoing. God will constantly challenge and test us, allowing us to grow and mature in our faith.