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ABIDING

 


"Abide in Me, and I in you says the Lord. For only as you abide in Me, and let Me abide in you can you fulfill that which I require. And what does it mean to abide in Me? It means to remain in that position in which I have placed you; for it is a place and a position of rest from your own striving, and a place of security from all the devices of the enemy. For I would not have you strive in your own strength, neither would I have you fight your own battles; for I have made provision for you, if you wilt trust in Me and abide in Me. For if you will abide or rest in Me, I will protect you and strengthen you, says the Lord.

 

To abide means to trust. Are you not willing to believe that I have made provision for all that you need to live a victorious and overcoming Christian life? Have I not made known My love to you in that I have given My life for you? If then I have provided for your salvation, am I not able to preserve you and keep you and protect you as you do abide and trust in Me? For I am your protection and your cover­ing. You have been provided a home, a resting place in Me, and as one lies down in rest and security in his physical home so do I want My people to abide, to rest, and rely on Me. For I am your dwelling place. I have made provision for all of your needs, if you wilt put your trust in Me, and let Me cover you, and protect you.

 

And if you abide in Me, will I not also abide in you? I will take up My abode in you, and through My Word and My Sprit I will remain in you, and will perfect Myself in you. For I am your life and your strength, but only as I abide in you can I do that which I purpose in you life. Therefore study My Word, and seek My face daily, spending much time in praise and adoration. For only as you seek Me diligently can I fully abide in you to do My perfecting.

 

And now you can see why I say abide in Me, and let Me abide in you; for this is the secret of the effective and victorious Christian life. For I have made a home for you in Me, and this is your protection and security; and I have made My home in you, and this is your strength and vitality. Therefore, see and understand: by faith and trust you abide in Me, and by My Word and Spirit I abide in you; both are necessary. For only as you abide in Me can I have free reign to abide in you. Abiding in Me comes first, and then I can abide in you; for the initiative is with you.

 

I am able to work in you only to the degree that you submit to, and trust, and rest in Me. I have made a home for you in Me, but if you do not abide there how can I bring to pass that which I purpose? For when you worry and strive and try to work out everything yourself, and when you try to fight your own battles, you are in effect separating yourself from Me, and going outside of that protection and security which I have provided for you. You are exposing yourself to the enemy's attacks, and you are unable to overcome because you are not taking advantage of that which I have provided. When you accepted Me, and were born of My Spirit, I placed you in a position of absolute protection from all of the wiles of the enemy; I placed you in Me. And do you think that the enemy can get through Me? I say not! But when you fail to abide and rest in Me in complete confidence and trust, you in effect go outside of Me and expose yourself to all of the attacks of the enemy. I am not able to protect you be­cause I must have your cooperation. If you refuse to stay where I have placed you, how can I defend you? If you take things into your own hands, and try to fight the enemy your­self, then I am powerless to come to your aid. It is only as you look to Me with complete confidence and faith that I am able to act on your behalf. Therefore, trust Me, My people, and abide in that perfect resting place which I have provided. For in Me there is complete deliverance and protection from all that the enemy would send against you.

 

And now consider further, to abide in Me is necessary for your protection, but to finish and complete that work which I have begun in you it is necessary for Me to abide in you. Now I am perfectly willing to do this, but again I am lim­ited by your willingness to let Me abide in you. I can abide only insofar as there is a complete yielding to Me, and a continual seeking of My will for you. Only as you study My Word and meditate upon its precepts; only as you spend much time thinking of My ways and praising Me with your whole heart, desiring to commune with Me at all times, can I truly abide in you as I desire, and perfect My work in you. For if you will truly seek Me and commit your ways to Me, I will be faithful to abide in you, and perfect My work in you. You will find that as I am able to abide in you, I am also able to perfect in you all that I am. For I abide in you to impart to you that which is of My own nature; for I would bring into your inner-most-being My love. My joy, and My peace. I would impart to you that meekness and gentleness which is a part of My being. I would infuse into you My holiness, and My righteousness, that you might be fully clothed and ready for the wedding which will take place when I gather My own to Myself.

 

So My people will you not learn that which I am seek­ing to teach you? Abide, do not strive. Trust, do not doubt. Surrender, do not be unyielding. Put your full confidence in Me, and find that perfect resting place, and that place of complete protection which I have provided for you. And then let Me fully abide in you, and possess your every thought and desire. For surely you will find that I am the fullness of your joy, and the fullness of your peace, imparting to you the fullness of all that I am, and making you into the per­fection of My being."

 

(End of prophecy)

 

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