Strength In God - Abiding In HimSample

We all want to hear God’s voice, but how do you know if it’s God’s voice or your voice? When you hear Him, how do you respond? What does it look like to follow God on a daily basis? 

The word abide means to stay, to dwell, to remain, to continue, to live. We can interchange these words: to live by the spirit, to abide by the spirit, remain by the spirit, and continue by the spirit. These are all synonymous with abide. Before we can live by the spirit and truly lead spirit-led, spirit-filled, victorious lives, defeating sin, we have to lay the foundation today which is not super fun or easy to live out—we have to die. We have to have continual dying of ourselves before we can abide by the spirit and live by the spirit.

Jesus clearly explains in Luke 9:23 and 24 how a wholly surrendered follower of Christ should live. He declares, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

We are called to die to our old nature daily! Actually, moment-by-moment would be even more accurate. This can only be done by fully relying on Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in us. The cross we are to carry is the cross of dying to ourselves. 

Remember, we are not created new in Christ to be independent and self-sufficient. God wants us depending on Him. Living from His strength is true freedom! Regardless of your circumstances, He is sufficient to supply your every need.