Lesson 11 - Abide in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. To be in Christ speaks to a position of the soul. The position of the soul is in the Holy Spirit. When a soul is positioned in the Holy Spirit, this operation creates a new creature.

“New” refers to something that never was before, as it relates to time. It is called a manifestation of a son of God. There is a principle which God taught in the Garden of Eden that I would like to bring our attention to:

Genesis 1:11

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

This scripture gives a description of how one procreates. The seed is found within the seed carrier. We see this also true with animals and human beings. The seed is within the man. It is very curious however, that the seed that dwells within, can produce fruit that is identical to the fruit within which it was found. Meaning, an apple seed can produce apples; a dog seed can produce pups which will one day grow into dogs; and the seed of man, will produce men. With all this said, I want us to think about the fact that God too has a seed.

1 John 3:9

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

The seed of God is found within our flesh. However, this seed procreates through the ministry of reconciliation. His ministry will produce fruit, in whom His seed will also be found within. His ministry will cause an impartation of His Spirit into the flesh of those who believe. It is important however for us to note that the only flesh the seed of God is found within is flesh which belongs to Christ. Yes, His seed is in our flesh; and our bodies are of Christ. Christ is the fruit which the seed of God produces.

John 15:1-5

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

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.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Listen to the Holy Spirit here. He is saying the only thing that can produce Christ, is Christ. It is therefore not our knowledge, our experiences, our intellect, or skill that can produce fruit, but only the life of Christ. Jesus instructs us to stay hidden in Christ, (abide in me) because without Him we can do nothing. There is absolutely no replacement for Christ. This would mean if we endeavor to work ministry while yet walking contrary to the Word of God, we are attempting to use means other than Christ to produce fruit. God will neither take away our knowledge nor wisdom if we decide to walk after the sinful desires of our hearts. It is a dangerous thing however, to use our knowledge as a replacement for the anointing. The anointing stems from God’s approval on our lives. It is only the anointing that will produce good fruit in the Kingdom of God.

Ephesians 3:6-8

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

We have all been called to produce fruit. If we do not, then God says He will cast us out (of the Faith as reprobates, condemned to hell). Our life of ministry is according to the working of Christ within us. However, if we are not single eyed this will be a great hindrance to His working.

Psalm 23:1

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

There is such an immense rest that this scripture produces. David spoke of His Lord as a shepherd, indeed He is such unto us. In fact, He is the Good Shepherd. However, though He is our Shepherd, He is also our life. Our existence here on earth is in the body of Christ, therefore we should never be wanton for anything we would need a body to receive. One day God was sharing His heart with me concerning this. He spoke to the fact that everything as it relates to the body is of Christ, and not of my soul. All talents, skills, gifts, knowledge and wisdom is because of Christ; and but for Christ, I would not be on the earth. When I say I would not be on the earth, I am not speaking in terms of my testimony, but I am speaking in terms of salvation.

My salvation was the fact that Christ has carried me with Him inside of my body, that now belongs to Him. I can now fellowship with Him in the life He will live through it. Therefore, my presence on the earth, is by the body of Christ. Therefore, as it relates to the gifts we possess in this life, they are all by Christ. I shall not want because I am simply a witness of His life. I have been placed inside Christ’s life, and it is very possible that my thoughts, emotions, attitudes and actions can hinder Him from living the life He would if we were not with Him.

One day I was ministering on the body of Christ, and I heard the Lord so profoundly as He said in a terror; “When my Children walk outside of the Spirit, they are likened unto the devil when he forced your souls to do his lusts. When you walk in disobedience you force my Christ to be joined in your own lusts, though He cannot sin, you defile His temple.” I was instantly shaken to the core. I saw His words. This life is Christ and for Christ alone. When we decide to walk after our own desires, lusts and wantonness we force the Christ in us to walk a path that He does not want to. This is exactly what the law of sin and death caused us to do. The devil himself forced us to do his will, sometimes to the contrary of our own desires. He controlled our lives and forced us down a path that if we had full control over our bodies, we would have never gone. Likewise, we hinder the life of Christ through our flesh when we walk in sin. None can follow Christ except they deny themselves.

This means they must first accept the fact that they are dead to the flesh and alive unto God. There is no place for “self” in the life of Christ. Once again, let me say that we should have no plans, desires, agendas, goals, dreams, aspirations for our own lives. We gave up our life in the flesh at salvation. Now, Jesus has plans, desires, agendas, goals, dreams, and aspirations for His own bodies. You are simply called to fellowship with Him as He uses them for Himself. You are called to witness His life. I implore you all, study to show thyself approved of God. Examine your heart in the Faith. Be who you are called to be.