WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MAY 24, 2023
TOPIC: ABIDE IN JESUS AND LET HIS WORDS ABIDE IN YOU
BY T. O. BANSO
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7 New King James Version).
Many times, the major reason for the lack of answers to prayers of some Christians is their failure to adhere to the instructions or commands given in the Bible. Some are ignorant of these instructions while some think that they can ignore them and still obtain answers to their prayers.
One of the instructions or conditions for prayers to be answered, stated in the Bible, is for the followers of Jesus Christ to abide in Him and also let His words abide in them. Jesus put it this way: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7 New King James Version).
The New Living Translation renders it thus: “But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” (John 15:7). Another Bible translation, the World English Bible, says, “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.”
From the two Bible translations, the meaning of believers abiding in Jesus and His words abiding in His followers becomes clearer. To abide in Jesus means to remain in Him. Similarly, for His words to abide in the believers means for His words to remain in them. It means to follow His teachings (New Century Version). The result is that their requests will be granted.
The problem with some Christians is that they violate this instruction and still expect God to answer their prayers. But God cannot violate His Word. He is bound by His Word. Jesus said He and His Father are one (John 10:30; 17:11,22). Therefore, God cannot violate the instructions or conditions Jesus has given for prayers to be answered. His Word stands firm in heaven (Psalm 119:89).
Some Christians are neither abiding in Jesus nor His words abiding in them. They are not resolute in their walk with Jesus. They are not steadfast. They move in and out of Jesus, not remaining in Him! They are not committed to Him.
Such Christians need to hear that rebuke by Elijah: “If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” (1 Kings 18:21b New Living Translation). When a Christian does not abide in Jesus and His words do not abide in them, he does not consider the words of Jesus very important to be studied personally, listened to, meditated upon, confessed, and obeyed.
Such Christians have little or no personal fellowship with Jesus. They only see prayer as firefighting. When they are in need or faced with a problem, they get closer to God in prayer and fasting and begin to cry to Him to attend to their matters. God sees their hearts already that they are not interested in fellowship with Him but just need His intervention. They want to use God!
Such Christians may attend prayer meetings but not Bible study meetings. The words of God are not in their hearts. All they desire is just divine intervention. If by the mercy of God, they get what they want, they may soon say bye-bye to Him.
However, God is interested first in your fellowship with Him before what you’re asking Him to give you. But many people are interested first in what they want God to give them before fellowship with Him (if at all they do).
Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (New King James Version).
Every child of God must let the word of Christ dwell in him richly. He must study, listen to, meditate upon, confess and obey His words. If you have no time for the words of God, how do you want God to respond to your own words? If you despise His words, how do you expect Him to honour yours?
When the words of Christ do not remain in the children of God, they are prone to pray contrary to the words of God. They will ask amiss and receive no answer. James 4:3 says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (New King James Version). In other words, they ask wrongly or with the wrong motives; they want only what will give them pleasure. Some, out of ignorance, even pray some unscriptural and dangerous prayers that open them to the attacks of the devil, who walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
But when Christians abide in Jesus and His words abide in them, they will ask according to His will and He will answer them. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14 New King James Version).
Be a God-seeker. Let God’s words abide in you. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14 New King James Version). If you remain in Christ and His words remain in you, you will ask for the right things, not just anything.
Jesus’ desire is that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using His name (John 15:16b) but you must remain in Him. “If you are in me at all times, and my words are in you, then anything for which you make a request will be done for you” (John 15:7 Bible in Basic English).
Remain in Jesus and let His words remain in you. Don’t be a forgetful hearer; be a doer. “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25 New King James Version).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Holy Spirit, I receive Your help to remain in Christ and for His words to remain in me. I shall not depart from Christ or be a forgetful hearer or disobedient Christian in Jesus’ name. Holy Spirit, help me to ask according to the will of God, not wrongly or want only what will give me pleasure.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
 
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
  
  
  
  
