© 21 Colin Melbourne
How to Live in Christ Jesus
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Jn. 15:1-10 KJV
Pennies From Heaven?
The key to having these words from God’s lips confirmed in your life, is the clause many overlook.
Such people assume that if they believe on Christ, and walk in love, then divine blessings will drop into their laps like pennies from heaven.
But they won’t, will they?
It is indeed essential to believe on Christ as your Lord, recognizing that He is God in The Flesh, died for your sins, arose from the dead, and to walk in His love towards everyone; plenty of Christians do that, but discover their prayers are not working.
They pray methodically for something, never receive it, and so conclude that God doesn’t want them to have it.
Better Than Fasting
More determined souls commit to prayer and fasting in order to get God to move.
I know an English pastor who fasted for forty days pleading for one of his flock to be healed of cancer.
Be sensible and fast only as the Spirit of God leads you to fast: Never to impress or “twist God’s arm”. It’s possible to have a mental breakdown by taking fasting to extremes.
Praise God He came and taught us a far better way.
The Royal Way
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
This is the promise of God to each disciple, so can never fail to be fulfilled when His terms are met.
Do you believe what Jesus said?
What ye will means whatever you desire, whatever you wish.
A disciple of Christ is not going to desire, or wish for, anything outside of Father’s will, so there’s no danger he or she will require anything selfish, covetous, or sinful.
It is basic Christianity that believers keep their flesh under the Lordship of God’s Spirit, if they are not doing that they are only fooling themselves, and will be found out at their judgment, Mtt. 16:24-27 KJV;
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Whose responsibility is it to deny self?… let him… that’s the believer’s job, your spirit has power over your flesh, to keep it under control. That is the second thing you notice after you are born of God.
When we walk in the light, right becomes clearly distinguished from wrong, so we recognize Father’s will in all the situations He leads us.
Heart Conviction
If a disciple contemplates asking for anything outside of Father’s will, he knows it immediately in his own heart, which convicts him, as the Apostle John learned from experience, and emphasized this basic lesson of discipleship in his first letter to us; 1 Jn. 5:14-15, 1 Jn. 3:19-22 KJV;
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Precious wisdom from Father’s lips to us today.
God’s Words Abiding In Us
The point of this message: Father’s words need to be abiding in us in order for us to complete His will for our lives. Notice it is plural.
Hear it again;
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Abiding in manifestation, not in theory, mental assent, or merely treasured in our hearts.
God’s word being on display through us, in what we believe, say, and do.
Word Made Flesh Again
His words become flesh as we cooperate: Christ in us doing Father’s will.
There has to be integrity and holiness of heart in order to have Christ’s word fulfilled in our lives.
Neither hypocrites, doubters, nor the halfhearted receive what they ask.
But Father is delighted to fulfil the desires of His obedient children seeking glory for Him.
Remember: You only believe the words as far as you obey and do them. That is when Christ’s words are abiding in you.
Hear God’s Promise once more;
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
© 21 Colin Melbourne
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