One thing He continues to remind me of lately are verses I have known since a child but don’t always live by and hold fast in my heart. Here is a few I hear in my heart almost every day.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NKJV
“I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with Me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you--but when you live separated from me you are powerless.” John 15:5 Passion Bible
That verse above says the same thing as an Old Testament verse in Psalms - another favorite.
“Blessed, happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly - following their advice, their plans and purposes, nor stands submissive and inactive in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down to relax and rest where the scornful and the mockers gather. But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law, the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God he habitually meditates, ponders and studies by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity.” Psalm 1:1-3
Let’s look at these verses closely:
How can we assure we will be prosperous and mature and not separated from Him and powerless?
When we don’t walk with the ungodly and listen to their wisdom.
When we don’t listen to the advice, plans, purposes and wisdom of the ungodly-the world.
When we don’t stand in submission or inactive where the ungodly – worldly stand
When we don’t sit, relax, rest where the ungodly do.
When we let Him guide and lead us we are:
In union with the Lord as our source and fruitful
Blessed, happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable
Our delight and desire are in His Word, precepts, instruction, and the teachings of Christ.
We continuously mediate, ponder and study His word day and night.
We are planted firmly and watered by streams of Living Water
Our lives are a fruitful
No matter the circumstances we will not wilt, quit, give in
Everything we do shall prosper and come to maturity.
Here are a couple more powerful verses. “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me, I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.”
Philippians 4:13 Amplified Bible
“Most blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord, and whose hope and confidence the Lord is. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 Amplified Bible
With Him, in His strength, in union with Him I can do ALL things that He asks me to do and I desire to do in Him. There is no list of exceptions! Many times I let my mind think otherwise and I am immediately defeated. These are the times I am thinking thoughts that are limiting Him, I am over committed, overwhelmed, not meditating on His Word day and night, distracted, not taking time for a close, intimate relationship with Him, not believing how much I am loved and valued by my Father and have a heart full of fear and doubt. That’s actually the same list that hinders all our earthly relationships too. But when my heart, thoughts and words of my mouth are lifting up words of hope, love, healing and wisdom, when my words agree with His Word, when I learn to listen with a heart of compassion, when I am worshipping and honoring Him and know how much He loves me and acknowledge the extravagant price He paid to give me a life filled with everything from Him – then every situation will bear fruit in my life. When I am in union and close relationship with my Jesus every journey will always lead me beyond myself. As I delight myself in Him I become of a fountain of living water. I will be able to love and minister to others in ways beyond me and let His love, strength, grace and power flow through me to this hurting world who have no hope without Him. I never have to feel like I am dry and weary when He promises that I will be planted by Living Water, never fading or wilting when I seek Him above all things and let Him guide my life.
I am learning to expect to hear His voice and to feel His touch every day of my life. I want to make every moment count as I delight in Him and honor Him above all things. I expect His love to stir my heart and that I will live a Ephesians 3:20 life. “Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.”
Ephesians 3:20 Passion Bible I have Him inside me, He’s a never-ending source of love and grace. I have absolutely no reason whatsoever to live a defeated, unfruitful, boring life. I refuse to believe my circumstances and live defeated, as a prisoner, discouraged and dry when I have my Savior Who is the refreshing water that never runs dry – so I won’t run dry either. I am learning to fasten my thoughts to and speak words of love and truth of His faithfulness, power and limitless ways.
I believe I was created for a purpose and so were you. I believe He will guide me in all my ways to fulfill the call He has created me for and He will do that for you too. I want to make every moment count in my life and seize every day. I don’t like wasting His time dwelling in self-pity or defeat when He promised me exceedingly, abundantly. I expect to experience His amazing love in my life as I believe in who He’s created me to be. When I have the times of feeling dry, irritable, moody, fearful and unloved – it is time to change my focus!!It is up to me to make this choice of changing my mind. He loves spending time with me but I have to make the choice to be with Him. I cannot lean on my own or the world’s understanding EVER and expect to hear from Him. I will close all these thoughts with another favorite verse. Ponder these verses this week and let Him rise within you. You will be amazed and unstoppable! “Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on Him to guide you, and He will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with Him in whatever you do, and He will lead you wherever you go. Don’t think for a moment that you know it all.” Proverbs 3:5-6 Passion Bible