“THE CONNECTION OF ABIDING IN CHRIST” June 23, 2019

From detached and void in the presence of God to connected children of God. He intends us to be
connected continually and abide in that same loving presence of the Father.
However, our connection gets secured as we come to God in daily prayer, a sincere and genuine prayer
that connects to the presence of God.
A sincere and genuine prayer is not just mentioning prayer focus, and then it's done; it is our willingness
to wait, connect, and to spend time in His presence.
When we are unplugged from any interference and tuned in His presence, God answers our requests that
He inspires and established upon waiting patiently on Him.
One of the most incredible promises Jesus ever gave is found in John 15:7:
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
Or, as another version puts it, “But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home
in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon” (MSG).

JESUS IS SURE CONNECTION TO FRUITFULNESS

"I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without
Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and
they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:5-6 NKJV

ABIDING IS CONNECTING AND SPENDING TIME IN HIS PRESENCE

Immediately we tend to think of all the things we can start praying for [Prayer Focus]. But when we do
this, we’re missing the point. Notice that Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you . . .”
Abiding in His presence suggests spending time and waiting on Him. We may be prayer focus oriented,
but our heart and mind are not willing to extend the time to reflect on the word we received from Him, then
our connection in His presence has not been established.
Reading and reflection of the word are part of waiting that will eventually brought us closer in abiding
and get connected in Him.

“Upon waiting on God we start connecting into His presence, upon connecting to His presence we start
abiding in His presence, upon abiding in His presence, we begin upon abiding in His words, and upon
abiding in His words, we start getting answered prayers.”

Reflection
WE NEED A DAILY CONNECTION IN HIS PRESENCE
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new
every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in
Him!"
Lamentation 3:22-24 NKJV
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths
shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew
their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk
and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31 NKJV
When we come into a relationship with God, it means that we like to spend time in His presence. We
want to listen to Him. We like to talk to Him. That’s what it means to abide in Him.
And as we do, our prayer requests will change, and we will have a better understanding of the will of
God for us, Amen.