Life Church Vineyard

Pastor Lara Price 

Learning to Abide

Apart from being connected to God we will not grow in the fruit of the Spirit. Those fruit are meant to share with others.

God is calling us to abide in His Spirit. After we have been walking in obedience He calls us to enter in to a deeper relationship of living our life in His love. Jesus came that we could have an abundant life in Him.

John 15:5

5 “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.  The New King James Version

Abide: Means allowing His words to live in us. In good times and in bad He is our strength. Trusting, obeying and finding all we need in the vine…

How did Jesus abide in the Father? In immersing ourselves in the Bible answers will be found. 

If I want to experience the life of Jesus I must be willing to adopt the lifestyle of Jesus.

He withdrew often from the world and leaned into the Father.

He did what he saw the father doing.

Luke 5:16

16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Luke 22:42-44

42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Jesus understands the stresses in our life. 

Jesus withdrew before making important decisions.

Luke 6:12-13

12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:

Luke 4:1-15

4 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil.

14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

Mark 6:30-32

30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

Matthew 14:13-23

13 When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14 And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

We can withdraw from the world and tell God our needs and wait for Him. When we abide in Him we find peace.

John 5:19

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Jesus knew that without abiding in the Father He could do nothing as a man. The Father invites us to participate in what He is doing. 

Who has the Lord placed in your path?

God will give us opportunities to tune in to His plans for others. The the Holy Spirit nudges us. Are we listening?

John 15:6

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.

I want to notice God  more in my life. To be aware of His presence. I want to say yes to the invitation He gives to share in His plans for His life in others.