Learning to Abide in Jesus Christ

Prayer helps us become aware of God’s provisions and protections in our life.

Let’s begin each day with prayer and intentionally look for God’s provision (resources) and protection (strength) throughout the day!

Graham Cooke Audio Study: 

Reflection:

What is the one phrase, scripture or statement where God is speaking directly into your life or current circumstances?  How can you use this to grow your faith?

ABIDE

a-bid’: Old English word signifying progressively to “await,” “remain,” “lodge,” “sojourn,” “dwell,” “continue,” “endure”;

The Hebrew and Greek originals in most frequent use are yashabh, “to dwell”; meno, “to remain.”

• “Abide (sit or tarry) ye here” (Genesis 22:5);
• “The earth abide (continueth) forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4);
• “Who can abide (bear or endure) the day?” (Malachi 3:2);
• “Afflictions abide (await) me” (Acts 20:23).
• “His bow abide (remained) in strength” (Genesis 49:24);
• “There he abide” (dwelt) (John 10:40).
• “make our abide with him” (John 14:23);
• “abiding-places” (John 14:2).

What does it mean to ABIDE in Christ?

“In a nutshell, abiding in Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections. In other words, our relationship to Christ is intimately connected to what we do with our Bibles! Then, of course, as Christ’s Word dwells in us and the Spirit fills us, we will begin to pray in a way consistent with the will of God and discover the truth of our Lord’s often misapplied promise: “You will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you””

Sinclair Ferguson

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

MEDITATION #1: Visitation versus Habitation

Perspective.  Our outlook on every situation in our life begins with our perspective.  We gain perspective from experience and expectations.   What is our perspective on our relationship with God.  Do we live with the expectation of “visitation” by God or do we live with the expectation of “habitation” with God? How does this change our relationship with Him?

Scripture: 1 John 2:24-25

Message Version

“Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message. Let it sink into your life. If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father. This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life! “

English Standard Version

^” Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. “

MEDITATION #2: To Abide

Do you have a green thumb?  Are you able to cultivate a garden filled with blooming flowers and beautiful vegetation?  I don’t and I know that when a plant or garden is neglected it dies.  When it’s roots are shallow, it cannot bloom or grow.  It will eventually die too.  In John 15:5 it says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”  We are to abide in Christ.  Read Ephesians 1:3-14 and underline each time the words “In Him” and “In Christ”. What are our benefits and promises for abiding in Christ?

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

^“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵ he^[b]predestined us for adoption to sonship^[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he^[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³ And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

MEDITATION #3: The Law of the Spirit

Are we walking by the flesh or by the Spirit?  I believe most of us will say the flesh.  But scripture says we are new creations in Christ and we are no longer governed by the flesh.  We are heirs to a new life, a life of peace, abundance and grace.  When God sees you and me, He sees Jesus and Jesus is not of the flesh.  What a change in perspective.  What are some of the privileges of abiding in Christ? What are the results of walking in Him and abiding with Him?

Scripture: Romans 8:1-18

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[f] And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

I am so thankful you are here and a part of this study.

Many Blessings,

Misty