Start by praying a dangerous prayer of commitment; “Father, make me like Jesus by whatever means.”
Read John chapters 13-17… It’s the map on abiding in Christ and meant to be an all day every day carry.
John 13 is where Jesus washes the disciples feet and shares communion with them. This is where it starts for us as well. He does this to show us what it took to buy us out of slavery and also uses this as an operative tool in communing with God and serving Him by serving others. There’s no arrogance or self-interest in it. He will free you from self interest and make you about the business of his kingdom which is the complete rule and reign of God in the heart. If you want to be a land owner in the Kingdom, get into the Kingdom of God. Start acting like an owner now with what He’s given you. Clean your room as an act of worship. Go to work as an act of worship Take care of your car as an act of worship and thank Him for everything. It seems tedious, but it is the way. Ask Him to open your eyes to the reality of the Kingdom. Once He does, you’ll realize the truth of the kingdom of darkness not standing a chance against it. There’s so much work to go around with no line. He pays for everything, supplies and all, but you have to abandon yourself to the work. Do the little things He’s given you and be faithful. He will bless you with more as you prove to yourself you can do it with the strength He supplies.
John 14 are the promises. A prepared place for prepared people (“I go to prepare a place for you… In my Father’s house are many rooms”). You believe Jesus is coming back, right? It’s sooner than you think and investing in the kingdom now is wise. Ask Him to reveal the kingdom to you and He will. He also mentions the promise of the comforter in John 14, the Holy Spirit, which is the source for constant abiding.
John 15 is the vine, vineyard, vinedresser chapter and it has a few cheat codes on abiding. Try to find them. There are 2… Read it and tell me what you think they are. They are 2 commands.
John 16 is dark. A warning that the enemy is against anyone who is in Christ because of simple hatred. He’s a fool and a liar and will try and woo you back and he plans on full blown slavery if you give in. He’s arrogant and thinks he can bring you back or kill you off but he can’t do anything to you God doesn’t allow. Rest in that. He can’t touch you unless God says so. If he gets to you, don’t freak out. God only uses this as a tool to sanctify you and give you the fear of God as opposed to the fear of man. He did this for me and it took ALL of my fear of anything other than God away. Don’t let fearing God scare you. He’ll set up boundaries and train you to stay inside them. Let Him do it.
John 17 is Jesus praying for the church that they may be one with the Father as He is, and was, and will always be. This is the greatest gift you could ever receive. Jesus opens the eyes of your heart to the specific and unique love the Father has for you. Once you experience it, you’ll never recover from it. One way to get it is to ask God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I sought God hardcore for this and it happened in stages starting in 2018. It’s real and it’s happened to me a couple times along the way, but only when I was really broken. It’s a gift He wants to give you for assurance of His claims and power to perform it in your life. Believe with all your heart He is calling you and go to Him in loving simple humility.
He loves you, son.
I’ve watched it with my own eyes over the years.
Tim Holman, Writer 