In this post, let’s answer the practical question of how to dwell in Christ, and to have him dwell in us?
Well, to get really practical, you can’t make it happen. But do not be discouraged, that indeed is the point Jesus was trying to make in his discussion of abiding to begin with.
Without him, we can do nothing.
So, how do people who like control, five step programs, and handling things on our own come to allow Jesus to dwell in us and us in him?
The Good News, Always…
The letter of Ephesians written by the apostle Paul is a powerhouse of great news about the love, power, and grace of God towards us.
But we must not miss that point–it is God’s power, grace, and love directed to us, through us, and in us!
Consider the following excerpts from Ephesians, with comments in parenthesis:
- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. (He blesses us with every spiritual blessing, we do not achieve it in our own strength)
- In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us… . (Redemption comes through him, and his grace is lavished upon us, it is not something we accomplish in our power)
- I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened… . (Notice how virtually everything of grace, power, enlightenment–is given to you!)
- …That you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working off his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead… . ( This is a really big one! Notice that he works power toward us in the same power that he used to raise Christ from the dead!)
Is this helping you to scripturally formulate the pathway to dwelling in Christ and have him dwell in you?
You see that all the huge blessings promised in Ephesians are accomplished, given, and empowered by God in you! You do nothing in your strength, it is done for you.
So what is your role in this process?
Volition, the Choosing to Trust…
On occasion I have been at church and seen a toddler I knew walking through the after-church service crowd with red puffy eyes and a distressed look. She, being down low and having been running for a while, has lost sight of mom and dad. She is scared and has expended her resources, strength, and ideas on how to find her mommy and daddy amongst the sea of legs and big people.
But then she sees me, and because we have a relationship, she runs to me and puts her little arms up, her sweet little tear-stained face looking up at mine…she is saying with her whole being, “pick me up and find my mommy.”
And of course, that is exactly what happens. Being over six feet tall, knowing her parents and their friend group, I can get this little lost girly the thing she needs the most very quickly. She knows me and trusts me, she knows I can fix her problem.
How do you abide in Christ and have him abide in you? Same way.
Make a volitional choice to recognize that our Father God loves to bestow gifts of love, grace, and mercy on his children. He enjoys “lavishing” “grace upon grace” and doing immeasurably more than we can ask or think for us.
We just have to make the choice daily, perhaps hourly, to draw near with our arms raised and ask God to abide in us, and teach us to abide in him.
Now there is a spiritual discipline that can definitely help us in this process, and it can be hard to get going with it in our busy and distracted life.
But, ask God to give you the strength to learn to abide in him.
More on that upcoming in Part III!
Till then, ask, seek, knock. Choose to draw near and stay near the God who gives the greatest gifts to the children he loves! If you need a resource to help you better see Jesus through the eyes of those who met him, order First-Person Messiah; Transforming Your Life Through Amazing Encounters With Jesus at this link!
Peace and love y’all. Stevo
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