Over and over in the book of John, it speaks of remaining. The disciples left John and remained with Jesus (John 1:39). We are to remain in His word (John 8:31). And whoever remains in Him, will bear much fruit (John 15:5) as they remain in His love (John 15:9) while those who do not remain are like a branch that withers (John 15:6).
John 15:7 (BSB) says, “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
Remain used throughout these verses is the Greek word menó, it means to abide in waiting and anticipate hopefully while enduring all things faithfully. When we stay in the place of remaining, holding fast to His words of promise, what we ask according to His will, He will accomplish.
Brian Simmons in Prayers on Fire notes that His “voice will shift the destinies of cities, regions, and countries.” I think when we look at circumstances around us that we can be tempted to fear or even despair as the world becomes darker. But as David proclaims in Psalm 125:1, as we remain in Him we are unshakable and unmovable. His words formed the earth and put it in motion. Do we live with this in mind?
Sometimes I pray for my city, region, state or country and feel like my prayers are so small and inconsequential. But our words, joined with His, have immeasurable power. As Simmons notes, the world around us may be shaking, but together with Him we can conquer every difficulty.
Remaining involves remembering. We need to remind ourselves of who God is and what He is capable of. We are not to flounder or be tossed to and fro in difficulties while we wait for His return just barely holding on. Rather, we endure all things with joy as we hold to His promises because of who He is.
Continual Love
Abounding grace
Wrapped in your goodness
As we look to your face
Inexplicably generous
Immeasurable worth
Always abounding
Fruitfulness You birth
Transcendent beauty
Encompassing all
Wisdom’s fullness
It is into Your hands that we fall.
I had a dream that my littlest was doing his schoolwork with a feather pen. It was a pen from an angel. This was an encouragement as I had worried some if he will stay afloat in his new school with the main stream requirements. I do not need to fear evil. The Lord is more than able to help my son to not only survive but to thrive in this new environment at his new school. I don’t need to wait in doubt, but with joyful hope I can anticipate and look forward to how God will make the way for him!
“I remember our history, how You have proven Yourself to me. You are faithful God” sings in the background.
Coming back to Psalm 46:10 (NASB) it says, “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Striving to get more done is not what He is looking for from me. We have no gain from making our own plans or making backup plans incase we are let down. Rather, every moment is a moment we can exalt Him.
Remaining also means enduring during testing. There are times God tests us to bring the sin in our heart to the surface so that it can be dealt with. In Exodus 16:4 (NKJV), it says that God tested His people in the wilderness to see, “whether they will walk in My law or not.”
Hezekiah experienced a time of testing. It says in 2 Chronicles 32 that “God left him alone in order to test Hezekiah, to know what was in his heart.” Here, Hezekiah had envoys come from the officials of Babylon to inquire about the sign that had been given in the land (2 Chronicles 32:31). Rather than testify of the Lord’s goodness and healing him and giving him 15 more years, Hezekiah used it to brag about his storehouse of items.
Testing happens in the wilderness season as it is used to grow us in humility and dependence while preparing us for greater responsibilities. Times of testing in the Bible often came about by temptation to sin, being left alone, difficulty and sometimes even good circumstances. In all cases, the purpose is not to fail us but to launch us.
The goal of remaining is to stay steadfast in the Lord, remaining in His Word and trusting in Him even in times of testing. Isaiah tells Ahaz, “If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.” (Isaiah 7:10) Rather than become proud, arrogant, or offended which will lead us off-track, we stay humble and let God grow our character through it. As we do, we come out the other side of our difficulty “as gold.”
Even when we fail in our times of testing, God meets us in it. As an example, during the time of Joshua, some of the people had sinned greatly by taking objects of value and hiding them. As a result, the people of God were defeated at Ai. They couldn’t stand against darkness because they were living in it. They folded. In failing, it caused them to seek out why and uncover what was buried under the ground. They dug up the sin, exposed it and brought it to light. In doing so, they were healed and restored. They came back around in the Lord’s strength and won the battle. While it may feel difficult and even overwhelming at the time, eventually, the testing results in rising above the situation.
Lord, when our foes multiply and rise up against us, You, O Lord, are a shield for us, our glory and the One who lifts our heads. We are grateful for Your strength for the battles we face. We look to You, the mighty Lord of Angel Armies who is on our side! We rise to meet you with enthusiasm and excitement for the Kingdom era You will unleash and ultimately bring forth.
We will not look back and become a pillar of salt like Lot’s wife. As a clear distinction is being made between the faithful followers and those who are standing on the sidelines, we will enter the battle of today with faith, hope and expectation. Pressing in for the promises and ascending into purity, we embrace the conviction of the Spirit and let our mistakes and failures draw us deeper into Your presence.
We will not stay inside the church walls. With the expectation of a ripe harvest, we will reach out to the hurting and lost that are without hope. We will run into the darkness, compelling them to come into the amazing feast You set before us in Your immeasurable goodness.
Lord, we will no longer stand back in silence. As all the angels in heaven stand on tip toe, straining to see the sons of God come into their own and push out the darkness, we will engage and advance in the land.
We will not choose co-existence over confrontation. That our Biblical values would become forefront again and the danger of the “we do not need God” attitude that comes from trust in human knowledge; independence; and pride would be exposed.
Let your Kingdom come forth on earth and let us be an expectant, holy and mature bride that is prepared for battle. Pierced by revelation, perceptive of heavenly matters, trained by experience, walking in unity and self-sacrifice let us emerge from this season in your power and fully discerning the difference between what is excellent and what is harmful.
