Abiding in Christ is a precious and special experience! When you are saved, you are able to develop an intimate and personal relationship with Him. This is the desire of every Christian. As such, you will do God's will (bear fruit) if you abide in Him and try to keep the ten commandments of the Lord. In John 15: 5 we read: "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, because without me you can do nothing".
This article will help you find ways to abide in Christ and "bear great fruit."
Steps
Step 1. Recognize your need for Christ
He said: "I am the vine, you are the branches […] The branch cannot bear fruit by itself". In order for Jesus to help you, you must be "willing to obey". Be humble to do God's good and perfect will so that Jesus can work on you.
Step 2. Repent and change your way of thinking about Jesus by faith
Believe that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins so that those who trust in Him will live the true life and be free from the wickedness of the present time. Accept His gift of salvation. Confess your sins and mistakes to God, asking Him to transform your inner essence and your life. By moving away from sin and walking towards the great love of God in Jesus, you will gain a daily relationship with the heavenly Father.
Step 3. Pray
It is not just a great opportunity, but a necessity. We need to be constantly connected with the Lord. Jesus prayed while on earth and taught us to pray. If Jesus felt prayer as a need, how much greater is our urge to pray? God takes care of you and everything that happens, from the smallest request to the greatest need. What an opportunity! He always listens and knows your needs, even if at times it seems to you the opposite. In Psalms 55:23 we read: "Entrust your burden to the Lord and he will sustain you." Praying means talking to God about your life goals and asking Him to make you more like Jesus. This is why you would do well to ask for God's blessing before reading the Holy Scriptures.
Step 4. Read the Bible
At Psalm 119: 9 it says, "How can a young man keep his way clean? By keeping your word." It is extremely important to make time to read the Bible every day. Make sure that your thoughts are constantly turned to the Holy Scriptures and allow your heart to graft itself into Christ, causing it to be molded. The Bible is the word of God and within it tells the story of God's work of redemption in the world! As you begin to see your place within that story, you will understand why life matters and where you are heading. By reading the Bible, you will open your ear to hear God. John 17:17 reads: "Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth."
Step 5. Give Thanks and Rejoice
In James 1:17, God tells us that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and descended from the Father." This means we have hundreds of reasons to thank God! Because we breathe, eat, work, have friends, God's family, the forgiveness of sins, the power to overcome evil, and so much more! The biggest reason to constantly rejoice and thank God is that if you rely on Jesus, you will be resurrected on Judgment Day so that you can enjoy eternal life in the New Heavens and New Earth, where God will dwell with us. There is no better hope.
Step 6. God takes pleasure in pleasing his children through Jesus
We can appeal to the Lord by saying: "We desire to know You, to be filled with Your Spirit and free from the pains of our sins! We want Jesus because He satisfies us even more than food!". Fasting is a way to rely on God and avoid physical pleasure. Christians are required to fast, not out of obligation, but because knowing Jesus means needing to find satisfaction in Him as never before.
Step 7. Ask God for the strength to keep his commandments
John 15:10 reads: "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love." No one is able to do something for God by counting on his own strength: God is our strength. Without him we cannot do anything important! It may be difficult not to fall into sin, but with the help of the Lord through His Grace, we can do our best. Trust Him.
Realize that there is freedom in Christ Jesus to live in the Spirit, not to be tempted more than you can bear, to no longer be a slave to yourself and proud of your life. Abandon the usual acts of the flesh, such as lust for the gaze, envy, greed, judgment on others, prejudice and hatred
Step 8. Study the words of Jesus in the four gospels
Read "Matthew", "Mark", "Luke" and "John", but also the "Acts of the Apostles", the "Letter to the Romans" and other scriptures, if time permits. Strengthen and remember the whisper of a gentle breeze from God, as written in 1Ki 19:12. In fact, if the life of God is in you, you will have the love of God, therefore you will "understand". Your thoughts must align with the teachings of Jesus and the commandments of the Lord, including the one that orders "that you love one another". Follow His word and authority:
And if the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you (Letter to Romans 8:11).
Advice
- Join those who are committed to abiding in Christ.
- Look for examples of people who dwell in Christ.
- Be humble. Don't be proud of anything but Christ.
- Rely on God fully. If you think about this, everyday frustrations will seem more insignificant.
Warnings
- Don't trust yourself! The arm of the flesh will make you fall!
- At Jeremiah 17: 9 we read: "Nothing is more treacherous than the heart and hardly heals! Who can know it?". Recognize the evil (lack of true goodness) that dwells in each of us! It is important to be able to be humble before God!
