◄ What Does John 15:7 Mean? ►

In a few short verses, the believer is called and challenged to abide in Christ; to abide in the Vine; to abide in His love; to abide in Him. The vine was an important symbol which ran through Old Testament Scripture, and Israel was the one whom Isaiah described as 'the choicest vine.' Israel was chosen by God to be a fruitful vine, and they were expected to bring forth good fruit for His glory, but Israel brought forth wild grapes and had to be trampled down and laid waste.

Centuries later, we are introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the exact radiance of God's glory and identified as God's true Vine. Christ's life becomes the perfect fulfilment of these Old Testament shadows where God the Father continues to be the heavenly Vinedresser; tending to the true Vine in order to bring forth the fruit of righteousness through Him. Indeed, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; fruit which is only produced in us as we abide in Christ and He in us.

As members of Christ's Body, we are one with Him and our mission is to do His work on earth and bring forth the fruit of righteousness. As branches on the true Vine, we are likewise one with Christ and are reminded many times that we produce the fruit of righteousness not through our own efforts, but only as we remain in Him and as His Word abides in us. Christ spoke only those things that He heard from the Father. Christ only did those things that he heard from the Father, and in everything Christ's prayer was translated into the desire of the Father; for He prayed: "Thy will not Mine be done."

We are also told that when we abide in Christ, and His words abide in us: "Ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." Abiding is closely linked with the prayer of the righteous man and maintaining close fellowship with the Lord. But the words of our lips, the thoughts of our mind, the meditation of our heart, and the prayers that we offer up to the Lord, are to focus on Him and be a reflection of His will and His greater purposes.

It is not by personal performance, might, or merit that we are 'fruitful.' It is not by our own effort or strength that we produce the good works that glorify God. The Lord Himself enables us to be fruitful as we carry out the good works that He Himself has prepared for us to do. It is God Who works in us, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and He enables us to produce good fruit to the glory of God. And in time, this will be translated into rewards for those that are faithful, at the judgement seat of Christ.

We are to abide in Christ; to abide in the Vine; to abide in His love: "Abide in Me and I in you." To abide in Christ and to have Him abide in us are two sides of the same coin. Christ's abiding in us is dependent on our abiding in Him. This mutual fellowship and intimate communion is conditional upon each one of us dying to self and living for Him alone. And when we are enabled to abide in Him and He in us, we will ask whatever we wish and it will be done because our heart will reflect the heart of Christ, our choices will reflect the will of God, and our prayers will pray into the very issues that are closest to the heart of the Lord Himself. And in His power and might we abide in Him and He in us, to His praise and glory.

Heavenly Father, I realise that my thoughts need to be aligned to Your thoughts, my heart needs to be reflecting Your heart, and my mind needs to become the very mind of Christ. When I am living this way, my prayers can say with honesty and faith, “Thy will not mine be done.” May I always pray into Your will so that whatsoever I ask, may be done to honour You. Thank You, in Jesus' name, AMEN.