The Truth about Abiding

I remember a time in my walk with Christ when I thought “abiding in Him” was something I was either choosing to do or not to do.

And if I wasn’t choosing to abide in Christ, then He wasn’t fully pleased with me.

Maybe you can relate, and maybe you can’t.

Regardless, the truth about abiding is so much more glorious than the lie I was believing!

You see, the enemy of our souls would love us to fixate on our performance for God, rather than on the perfect performance of Christ on our behalf that secured our permanent abiding in Him the moment we first believed into Him.

Why don’t you grab a steaming cup of your favorite beverage, your Bible, and journal (if you have one), and put yourself into “receiving truth” mode and allow the Spirit of your eternal Bridegroom speak words of life into your soul as you read what follows:

“My beloved bride, the word abide is one that is often misunderstood in Christendom.”

“The incorrect context in which believers use this word is that abiding in Me is something they are choosing to do or not do at any given moment.”

“This can shift your attention from the rest and enjoyment that come from trusting that My work on the cross is finished to a hyper-introspection that breeds a debilitating ‘not enough’ mentality.”

“And you know exactly what that kind of thinking leads to!”

“You will experience great rest when you realize the truth about abiding.”

“Abiding in Me is not something that you have to consciously remember to do!”

“Abiding in Me simply means that you are ‘living in Me continually.'”

“It is an eternal state of being that I caused the moment you believed into Me.”

“Before the new covenant became effective through My death and resurrection, My Spirit did not abide in My people.”

“Instead, I would come upon them at specific times to enable them to accomplish My purposes.”

“But now, I live in you and you live in Me forever!”

“If you are still not convinced that abiding is referring to our eternal spiritual union, all you have to do is read My apostle John’s first letter where he writes, ‘By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.'”

“The meaning of abide is crystal clear.”

“All believers in Me possess My Spirit, so they abide in me and I abide in them.”

“Abiding in Me is a never-ending state for the believer in Christ.”

“In the same way that intimate union between a husband and wife can lead to the birth of children, a wonderful  natural result of Me abiding in you and you abiding in Me is that you will bear much spiritual fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, righteousness, truth, thankfulness, and praise.”

Inspired by Song of Songs 6:3; John 19:30; Romans 8:6; John 3:16, 18; 6:40; Romans 4:5; John 15:4–7; Luke 22:20; Judges 3:10; 6:34; 14:6; 1 Samuel 10:9-10; John 14:17, 20; 17:21, 23; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:17, 19; 1 John 4:13; John 15:8, 16; Romans 7:4; Galatians 5:22–23; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11; Hebrews 12:11; 13:15.

Today’s post is an excerpt from my book, Fifty Days in His Pursuing Love Devotional: Getting to Know the One Who Loved You First and Loves You Most.

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If you enjoyed this post, I invite you to check out all of my books and my video series based on my first devotional.