Unbroken Fellowship Essential
To experience unlimited power in prayer, we must abide in Christ, remaining in living, loving, conscious, willing union with Him.
The preacher delves into the meaning of 'Despotes' in the Bible, emphasizing its representation of ownership and authority, both in the secular and spiritual realms. While the term may evoke negative connotations in English, its Biblical usage portrays God's absolute control and rulership over all things. Believers are called to submit to God as their Master, reflecting a heart of reverence and obedience in all aspects of life, even in challenging circumstances. The sermon highlights the importance of believers living out the Gospel through respectful submission to earthly authorities, ultimately honoring God as the true Master of their lives.
Text
lf ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)
Of necessity we must be in Christ to live unto Him, and we must abide in Him to be able to claim the largesse of this promise from Him. To abide in Jesus is never to quit Him for another love or another object, but to remain in living, loving, conscious, willing union with Him. The branch is not only ever near the stem but ever receiving life and fruitfulness horn it.
All true believers abide in Christ in a sense; but there is a higher meaning, and this we must know before we can gain unlimited power at the throne. "Ask what ye will" is for Enochs who walk with God, for Johns who lie in the Lord's bosom, for those whose union with Christ leads to constant communion.
The heart must remain in love, the mind must be rooted in faith, the hope must be cemented to the Word, the whole man must be joined unto the Lord, or else it would be dangerous to trust us with power in prayer. The carte blanche can only be given to one whose very life is, "Not I, but Christ liveth in me." O you who break your fellowship, what power you lose! If you would be mighty in your pleadings, the Lord Himself must abide in you, and you in Him.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Necessity of Abiding in Christ
- A. To live unto Him
- B. To claim the promise of John 15:7
- II. The Meaning of Abiding in Christ
- A. To remain in living, loving, conscious, willing union with Him
- B. To receive life and fruitfulness from Him
- III. The Higher Meaning of Abiding in Christ
- A. For Enochs who walk with God
- B. For Johns who lie in the Lord's bosom
- IV. The Conditions for Unlimited Power in Prayer
- A. The heart must remain in love
- B. The mind must be rooted in faith
- C. The hope must be cemented to the Word
Key Quotes
“The branch is not only ever near the stem but ever receiving life and fruitfulness from it.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Not I, but Christ liveth in me.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“If you would be mighty in your pleadings, the Lord Himself must abide in you, and you in Him.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We must prioritize our fellowship with Christ to experience the fullness of His power in our lives.
- To be mighty in our pleadings, we must have the Lord Himself abide in us, and us in Him.
- Our hearts must remain in love, our minds rooted in faith, and our hope cemented to the Word to receive life and fruitfulness from Christ.