Heart Tracks - The Secret

"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5...."God's love meant more to Him (Jesus) than the bitterness of enemies, the failure of friends, the strength of popular opinion, or the matter of His own rights. When He came to rest in the glory of His Father's Presence, love had conquered every temptation." T. Austin-Sparks

Millions of struggling believers likely ask, "What is the key, the secret to Victory in Christ?" The answer is before them, before us, but we miss it. We're blind to it. It is simply, "being in Christ." Not just as to "position" as the result of His salvation, but in day to day experience. It is the secret to be found in abiding in Him. Living in Him. Swept up in His life. It is being "obsessed" if you will, in the Life and Kingdom of Christ instead of obsessed in the lives and kingdoms of ourselves. Too many live in the latter, and the result of that will always be defeat, not victory.

To abide in Him is a matter of our will and His grace. We choose to consciously live in Him at all times and in all situations. In response, He gives the grace, the power to do so. There is also a discipline involved. We learn to take our thoughts, including any and all temptations, into His Presence. All that is not of Him cannot live in His Presence. Destructive and impure thoughts cannot be in the same place that He is. Temptations that can grip the very heart of our soul, lose all power when they are confronted with His Presence. Most of all, our kingdoms and obsession with ourselves cannot live on when we live fully in Him. Scripture says that death could not hold Him in its grip. Neither can it hold us when we are abiding in Him. If we choose to abide anyplace else, then we're fair game for whatever the enemy would direct at our lives. So many do live their lives out abiding in their own strength and abilities that they are overcome...again and again. Jesus said this would be so. He said we could do nothing apart from Him. So, the great question is; why do we continue to try to?

It's been said that Christ does not "give" us the fruits of the Spirit, but that He cultivates them in us. This happens as we abide in, live in Him. As we do so, He brings to the surface those things that seek to extinguish His life in us. When His Spirit makes ours aware of all within us that is not Him, we can surrender these up to Him, and He replaces them with the fruit of His life and Kingdom. Joy, peace, love. Victory.

Where are you meeting with defeat today? Can it be that this is exactly the place where you are not abiding in Him? Bring that defeat into His Presence. Into His Life. He will, by the guarantee of the cross and His blood, transform it into your victory.....as you abide....in Him. In all our ways, may we abide in Him.

Blessings,
Pastor O