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Abiding in Christ: 50 Days of Prayer and Fasting, from Easter to Pentecost

By Anonymous
Excerpt from Pastor John Piper’s sermon Let What You Heard from the Beginning Abide in You, from 1 John 2:18–27 

3. Therefore we should let the Word abide in us and we should abide in the Spirit. 
     In this long text there are only two imperatives. One is in verse 24: "Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you." And the other is in verse 27 at the end: "As his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him." 
  • Let the Word abide in you! 
  • Abide in the Spirit! 
     I can't help but recall a similar pair of admonitions in Paul's letters: 
  • Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you…sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God." 
  • Ephesians 5:18–19, "Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks." 
"Let the word dwell in you!" is like John's "Let the word abide in you!" "Be filled with the Spirit!" is like John's "Abide in the Spirit!" 
     Guard yourselves from the deceiver and the antichrist. Love the Word, live in the Word, pray the Word, memorize the Word. And before every sentence lay yourself wide open to whatever the Spirit wants to do with you by the Word. Retrieved from: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/let-what-you-heard-from-the-beginning-abide-in-you#3-therefore-we-should-let-the-word-abide-in-us-and-we-should-abide-in-the-spirit 

     Father in heaven, may we at Glory of Christ Fellowship abide in the Spirit and may your Word abide in us. That we would love the Word, and continue to come each Sunday to worship in the Truth. That we would be filled with the anointing of God and continue to worship in the Spirit. For the Lord seeks those who will worship him in Spirit and in truth. Amen. 

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