I have many resources that I have accumulated over the years, some that I study everyday and others that I look to for additional inspiration for teaching, exhortation and writing. One of those is Andrew Womack's daily devotional. Today's is EXCELLENT! It may not be something that you have never heard before, but it IS something that is extremely important for every born again believer to remember!
OUR LIFE IS IN HIM
John 15:4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."
This is a profound truth, that is the key to bearing fruit, but it is so easy to forget. Because the fruit is borne on the branch, it is easy to credit the branch with the fruit, when it is the vine that drew the life from the earth and channeled it through the branch.
Likewise, since we are the branch through which the life of God flows, we sometimes think that it is our own holiness that produces the fruit. The moment we think that way, we are no longer abiding (trusting in; clinging to) in the vine and we will become fruitless if we persist in this mind set.
This is actually a great relief if the believer understands this and applies it properly. It puts all the responsibility on Jesus. Our only responsibility is to respond to His ability. In the same way that you have never seen a branch travailing to bring forth fruit, so all we have to do is labor to enter into His rest (trust and depend) and completely trust Jesus as our source (Heb. 4:11). If we abide in Him, fruit will come naturally.
It's our faith in what Jesus did for us that saved us, and our faith has to continue to be in Christ, not in ourselves, to maintain salvation. Our holiness, righteousness, and justification are gifts that we receive in our spirits through Jesus.
Just like the life of a root is found in the soil, or a branch in the vine, or a fish in the sea, so the believer's true life is found in the union with Christ.
If you really understand this, you will also understand why there can be wonderfully supernatural ministry that sets people free and delivers from the works of the enemy, produced through a minister who may NOT be living as he or she should! The POWER is of GOD, and NOT of us! 2 Corinthians 4:7:7 However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves.
This does NOT give a license to continue in sin, for that will eventually catch up to any person who continues to dabble in darkness! But it IS the plan and purpose of God that His Body should be about the Father's business of seeking and saving the lost and of setting the captives FREE! Stay balanced in your thought life by always being aware of HIS presence IN you, and giving HIM the credit and praise for any and every GOOD thing! Refuse the enemy's push to get high-minded and haughty over what the LORD is doing through you! We are simply vessels who will be rewarded for our obedience, and ONLY for our obedience! Direct the Glory to the LORD of all lords and stay in that wonderful place of HIS perfect will for you! Blessings abound in THAT place! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "One Thing", so that WE can make sure that JESUS is always OUR "One Thing"!
Shalom in Him!
