Abiding in the Prince of Peace | How to Win Your Mental War Sample

Abide in Christ

I’ve met many Christians who hold God at arm’s length, afraid to let Him get too close. They attend church, read their Bibles, and pray when something important comes up. Either they have a skewed vision of who God is, which makes them afraid of Him, or they are sure that God will make uncomfortable demands on their lives. Either way, they are distant and not abiding in Him. 

To abide means to continue to remain connected. In Luke 10, Jesus was abiding at the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. While Martha clattered around in the kitchen, Mary sat down at Jesus’ feet and soaked up all that He was saying. Mary wanted to be completely connected with Christ while she was in His presence. What better place to remain connected to Christ than sitting at His feet and learning from Him as He articulates the foundations of His kingdom and the specific purpose He has for you? John 15 paints a beautiful picture of a life that is connected to the vine of Christ. As you read, think of how this passage connects to our relationship and growth in Christ: 

The following are some key thoughts about John 15:1–17 you may have noticed: 

• This passage emphasizes the intimacy between Christ and the Father, as well as the intimacy Christ wants with us, just like He has with the Father. 

• Christ spoke about the importance of bearing fruit and the consequences for those who do not bear fruit. Did you see how the Father was glorified when we bear kingdom fruit?

• We must depend totally on Christ. Our prayer life changes when we abide in Him and have His heart. 

• Notice the importance of love in this passage and how walking in His love is connected to obeying His commands and loving others. 

Jesus does not want you to put Him at the top of your list of things to do for the day. He does not want you to check off your time with Him like you would check off items on a grocery list or a list of household chores. Jesus wants to be the center of your life. He wants everything else in your life to flow through your relationship with Him. This is totally different from just being part of a to-do list. If you were to view your spouse or friend as only a checkmark on your list, the relationship would not last for long. Your relationship with Jesus is no different.

What does it look like when you are abiding with Christ? 

• You develop a hunger for God’s Word and spend time really digging into the Bible, reflecting on what is being said, and applying it to your life. 

• Throughout your day, you assume a posture that allows you to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying. 

• You don’t look at what people will do for you; rather, you seek out ways to show God’s love to others. 

• Throughout the day, you find your heart seeking to draw closer to Jesus no matter what is going on around you. 

• You see godly fruit all around you, not because of your efforts, but because you are in tune with what the Holy Spirit is doing in and through you. 

In moving forward, the most important thing is that you’re abiding in Him. This abiding should never be overlooked in your pursuit of knowledge about God. There is a significant difference between the two, and it is easy to fall into this trap. 

Ask God to teach you how to abide in Him. Ask Him to reveal to you the fellowship and love that is spoken of in John 15. Ask Him to show you areas in your life that need to be cut off and removed, as well as other areas that need to be pruned, so the fruit can grow. Give God permission to discipline and prune you in ways that will make you grow more. As you abide and grow in Christ, you will become a better disciple for Christ and will encourage others along the way. 

Use the STAR Journal exercise to write down some thoughts around John 15 that we read at the beginning. 

#1 Scripture Read/Promise Given/Question Asked

Read the verse and/or question. Pause and prayerfully meditate on what is being said, read, or asked.

#2 Thought Conveyed

Write down what this means to you to clearly understand the question, Scripture thought, or promise. Make it personal to get the most out of it.

#3 Application Made

How does this teaching apply to me right now? How does this apply to my leadership context?

#4 Response Given

What can I do to immediately apply this to my life? How should I respond/react to this promise or instruction now and long term?