Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
12 6 2024
“John 15:5 “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”.
Jesus is calling people to dwell in him and for his word to dwell in them. The two are intertwined, and one cannot exist without the other. It is what eternity looks like.
If you remain in me and I in you – I know we’ve read this a hundred times, but can we drill down on how deep this is and what it really means to our daily and, ultimately, our eternal existence?
In this passage, Jesus uses a metaphor to explain that:
- We cannot accomplish anything meaningful in our lives without a connection to Christ. Boy, if that doesn’t put a dagger in self!
- Just as a branch cannot produce fruit on its own, we cannot bear fruit or live a fruitful life without Christ. It will take the Holy Spirit to unravel the depth of this truth in each of us. It will take time and intentionality.
- When we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, we got connected to him in the same way that a branch produces fruit when it receives nutrients.
- When we spend time with God and grow in our faith, our lives naturally produce fruit.
It is said there is great truth and a special blessing in this verse.
Ask what you wish, and you will bear much fruit. Jesus tells us how to do this . “if you remain in me” How simple is that?
And how is it attained? “As you remain in me.” I hope you see this – by remaining in him and harvesting his word in us… He gives us liberty and power…in prayer
It is pure and simple… the power of Holy Spirit.
What is this blessing and how far reaching is it to each of his children? He says, ” If you remain in me. ” You can Ask, and it shall be given to you.
But observe, he warns, without Him… We can do nothing. This goes far beyond “I can do this! Just grunt it out and try harder.”
The Power in prayer is the gauge of our spiritual condition.
It is sad for me to consider the truth of this because I know how I and so many struggle with prayer.
When prayer is evident, we are blessed in every area of our lives.
But there are multitudes who do not seek, knock or ask. So how could they possibly remain in Him?
If we remain in him… then we Ask.
Simply put, as Spurgeon said, and I paraphrase, Prayer is spontaneous to those who remain in Jesus Christ
Prayer is a natural outflow of a soul in communion with Christ
Just as leaves and fruit come out of the branch without any conscious effort. Why? Simply because of the living relationship, the living union between the branch and the stem. Just like prayers… Both the blossom and the fruit come out of the praying soul.
Like stars shining…It is their nature. They don’t say. Now it’s our duty… but rather, it is what we were made for. We rejoice in the gift of our shining.
Prayer is not to be a burden. No… the soul that prays should be rejoicing to go to the mercy seat. Praying at dawn, at dusk, and at midnight
Hearts that remain in Him… and send out supplications…
should be like fires that naturally send out sparks and heat.
Souls in Jesus Christ remain in prayer, because they remain in Him, because He is in them.
What does that mean practically? What is another result we should expect and live for?
Jesus says to ask and then….depend on it!
When we are truly “in him and he in us,”… We will most powerfully feel the necessity of prayer. And if we are slow to feel the urge, look deeper about what it means to be in him and allow him to be in you.
Part of the meaning is to never be satisfied with ourselves as we ask for the miracle of his grace.
He gives… so we might receive… what we are speaking of right now.
Feeling the necessity through prayer. So that as we grow “In Him,” We grow in our enjoyment of it. It should be like breathing to us…completely natural.
Only “abide in Him” and believe. “Ask what you wish”. And when we receive…I promise, we will not stop asking. Jesus wants us to see that there is liberty in prayer. “Ask whatever you wish.”
Do you seek prayer with him as you do the presence of a dear friend?
Not long eloquent prayers. A mere moan may hold more weight to the Father.
He gives the Holy Spirit to live in us… It is He who gives the power…can’t you see the fruit that comes from the vine? We give fruit because of His giving. You will come to see often that even before you pray, He has provided the answer. “The evidence of things not yet seen.” Hebrew 11:1 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He WILL give you the desires of your heart.” PS 37:4
To those who “remain in Him” He gives a blank check.
Does he mean that? Can I believe that?
It is Not for special occasions but for every occasion. Someone told me yesterday that I should not worry about tomorrow, it has enough troubles of its own.” But, read the Bible and memorize scripture, and all wisdom will be made available to you as He abides in you.
Paul tells us repeatedly, in so many ways, that his “Abiding” is the Jewel of Life. It is like the sword of Goliath yielded to remove the serpent’s head that has seemed to forever be our temptress.
So how do we remain in Him? By trusting with a simple child life faith to rest alone in Jesus and none other. And for that, he enriches us with the true wealth of God. Come…Knock…Ask… and at all times, keep seeking!
Finally, Give up being your own master. consecrate yourself to Christ.
He gave us the cup and bread as a reminder to not come and go but to remain in Him. For in Him is the fruit of living a joyous and peaceful life even when the storms are raging around us.
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Waymaker
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