Powerful Passages for Powerful Living, Pt. 6

Powerful Passages for Powerful Living, Pt. 6

Study Guide, June 7, 2026

Pastor Clay Olsen

We often say around here that “there’s always more to know about what you already know…you know?” Take for example some common things around us, which actually have names that are not commonly known. Like: You know that fresh smell after it rains? That is a particular fragrance that comes from the oils in plants and in the soil. And it’s called ‘Petrichor.’ Although, they haven’t figured out how to put that in a bottle yet. Then, you know that divider in stores you use to separate orders? That little tool is called a ‘Spratchet.’ I often tell check-out workers about it and say “Now you are probably the only one in the store who knows that.” And you might already know this…but even that little dab of toothpaste on your toothbrush has a name for it. It’s called a ‘Nurdle.’ And how about times when you’re feeling a little anxious about something or another and you get those ‘butterflies in your stomach.’ That’s normal, of course…but those feelings are called having the ‘Collywobbles.’ Collywobbles…probably just saying that will make your butterflies feel better. If you’re nervous about something, just say, “Sorry, I’m just having the ‘Collywobbles.’” That will make everybody feel better!

But we’ve begun digging deeper into that commonly known passage in John 15, about ‘Abiding in Christ’ and ‘Friendship with Christ’, and discovering some uncommonly known aspects about each of them, which we all need to know much more about. So let’s continue to dig.

John 15:4,5 – “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Within two sentences Jesus defines and reminds us to ‘abide in Him’ four times! As in, so, what is the key to living the Christian life? It’s pretty clear that the answer is: ‘Abiding in Christ!’ Yes, ‘Abiding in Christ’ is the key to living out the Christian life! And as we stated: ‘Abiding in Christ’ is living in continual, dependent, and active relationship with Christ. It is consciously looking to and relying upon Christ throughout your day. You look to the Scriptures to shape your thinking. You look to God’s promises to steady your mind and heart. And you act upon God’s commands to guide your conduct and to transform your character.’

All right…those are pretty clear Biblical instructions! But what happens is that we often trip and stumble right out of the gate. Why? Because we are so much more accustomed to striving out of our own will, words, and ways than we are abiding in God’s will, God’s Word, and God’s ways. Again, we are not naturally used to, nor naturally inclined toward thinking like a ‘Branch’ and ‘abiding in the Vine.’ In fact, we are naturally ‘bent’ toward thinking as though we are the ‘vine’…albeit a ‘false vine’, like we also pointed out.

You often hear it in songs where they use that false refrain of ‘born to make mistakes.’ It’s used like an excuse for their mistakes…or their sins, really. Of course, there is no excuse…But no…people are not ‘born to make mistakes…or to sin’. However, they are ‘bent in their sin-nature’ that way, even though they are not born for that purpose. They were born for the purpose of godliness and holy living, but their sin nature is bent toward ungodliness and unholy living. Mark it down: The old sin nature is completely bent and broken and separated from its Creator. That’s why everyone needs to be ‘Born-again’ and given a new nature that is reunited with its Creator and is born for and now equipped for godliness and holy living. But notice carefully, this equipping is through the power of the Holy Spirit, who now lives within us…now indwells us…and now does empower us, as we no longer strive from ourselves, but we abide in Christ!

Remember, even the Psalmist reminded us about that: Ps.46:10 – “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”God says, “Cease striving!” That applies to nations and even individuals, and even God’s own people. And the kind of ‘striving’ used here refers to opposition, resistance, and even neglect. So ‘striving against God’ can be either oppositional or even just neglectful!

Think about it: Many Christians lives are damaged more from drifting than from departure. That’s the theme of that well known hymn that warns us… “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love…” Remember…we be Sheep! Wandering is what we do naturally. Stiving is what we do naturally…opposition, resistance, even neglect. It may not even be so much outwardly, but it is often inwardly. How so? Whenever the ‘sheep’ puts itself before the ‘Shepherd’…wandering has started. Let’s take it a step further…and this might sting a little…whenever the ‘self’ puts itself before the ‘Good Shepherd’…wandering has started.

And the thing about wandering is that it always seems so innocuous at first. Innocuous is an adjective that describes something completely harmless, producing no injury, or not likely to bother, irritate, or offend anyone. The thing is…that is how it seems to us sheep, who are so used to going our own way…doing our own thing…choosing what ‘seems right’ to us, and so on. But to God, God says: “Cease that kind of striving…cease opposing, resisting, and neglecting your God!” Plus, the problem with self-driven striving is that it is the opposite of Spirit-led ‘Abiding.’ (Repeat) Remember, going our own ways, doing our own things, and choosing what seems right to us is what started the whole sin fallen destruction in our world in the first place! Self-rule was the problem in the first place, and it’s still the problem in every place. As followers of Christ, we are to be under the Christ’s rule…under the Holy Spirit’s rule and control.

The wisest man in the world warned us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:4.5) That’s how you ‘Abide with your mind.’ And then, one of the most devoted men in the world demonstrated how ‘abiding’ works in saying to God: “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and will glorify Your name forever. For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.”

Ps. 86:11-13 That’s how you ‘Abide in your devotion.’ And one of the most grateful followers of Christ said: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Gal. 2:20 That’s how you ‘Abide in your understanding Christ’s place in your life and your place in your life, as in… ‘not I, but Christ’, which is to be the theme of our life!

Again, the Branch and the Vine teaching of Jesus was not just a suggestion for living…it was God’s instruction to us explaining how the Christian life actually works! It doesn’t work any other way! A Branch doesn’t grow fruit any other way than by abiding in the Vine, even if you are well intentioned about it or are sincerely trying to be all you think you should be and do all you think you should do. Sure you mean well, and you are sincerely trying to do right and do good for God. But still, if you are striving in your own reasoning and doing things your own ways rather than abiding in God’s instructions and doing things His way you’ll find yourself maybe trying harder or even doing more, but still feeling that it’s not enough, or that you’re not enough.

Note again that we are using ‘striving’ not in the sense of diligence and faithful efforts and responsible works, but in the sense of relying on your own self-reasoning and self-opinions and self-orientation, with little dependence or devotion or surrender to the Holy Spirit and His Scriptures. So, some signs of ‘striving’ instead of ‘abiding’ are that you’re often frustrated with yourself, disappointed in yourself. (Speaking of which: To be disappointed in yourself is to have believed in yourself. You still don’t understand the depravity of the natural self.) Also, you often compare your striving with others in their striving, which again, neither of you should be doing anyway. You are often guilt-driven rather than gratitude-driven in your service and works. Plus, you have a lot of activity going on, but little joy…lots of production, but little peace. Any bells going off?

And, if you are striving in your own sufficiency, you’ll soon be feeling the pity of insufficiency or even the pride of self-sufficiency. And here’s what the Apostle Paul said about that: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Cor. 3:5,6

Remember, both self-pity and self-pride are still self-centered, which is the sin of ‘pride’ in yourself. The joy of the new self is that the Born-again self is not caught up with the ‘self’ at all, because the new self is all caught up in the Savior! “Fix your eyes on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:2) The eyes of the new self are on the eyes of its new Shepherd…in Whose eyes are love and compassion and care, all coming from the Shepherd to His new sheep…you and me! Do not forget: Christ alone fills our cup, and only Christ alone can fill our cup! You can’t fill it yourself, nor can anyone else, but Christ alone! Only Christ can fill our cup of sufficiency, reliance, love, esteem, image and so on. That’s why the counterfeits of self-sufficiency, self-reliance, self-love, self-esteem, self-image and so on are all so subtly deceptive and destructive because they are still self-centered! To be sure, taking personal responsibility, having personal diligence, and being personally dependable are all honorable qualities…but be careful here…they are honorable and profitable and rewardable as long as they are all surrendered to and directed by and empowered by Christ’s Spirit. Remember… ‘not I, but Christ.’ Just replace your broken self-sufficiency with Christ’s-sufficiency…self-reliance with reliance upon Christ…remember – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13) Replace self-love with Christ’s love…self-esteem with Christ-esteem…self-image with Christ’s-image and so on.

Again, we are to understand that even our ‘new self’ of the Christian life is no longer an ‘independent self’, but it is now and forever a ‘Shared Self.’ We now and forever live a ‘life shared with the Savior’, Whose Spirit indwells us, the Holy Spirit. And thus, God the Holy Spirit is now our all sufficiency, and upon Whom we are to be fully reliant, and Who loves us and to Whom we owe all of our love, and in Whom we are to fully give our esteem, and in Whose ‘Image’ we are to become more and more conformed! Our eyes and our efforts and our hopes and joys are to be fixed upon our Savior, who is our Shepherd and our Refuge and our Strength. For that is ‘Abiding in Christ!’

Oh yes, the Branch does a lot of work outwards, and bears a lot of fruit outwards, but that is because it is fully focused towards the Vine alone, Who is working inwardly in us and then outwardly through us. The ‘Believer Branch’ thinks in terms of: ‘Through me…not from me.’ The Branch realizes that it is not the source for the good fruit being produced, but the channel through which the Vine produces it…and all the while the Branch shares in the joy of experiencing it.

Abiding is not trying to produce the Christian life yourself…it’s all about participating in the life of Christ, and in sharing in what He is producing. It’s not trying to produce fruit…abiding is seeking to imitate Christ and letting Him bear His fruit through us. Abiding is communing with Jesus in your prayers and in your awareness of His presence. Abiding is dwelling on God’s word, and since God’s Spirit indwells you, the Holy Spirit will then guide you into fuller and deeper understanding of His teachings.

Abiding is more than a regular routine…it is a daily relationship with the Personhood of your Creator and your Redeemer. When you talk to God, God hears you. When God talks to you through His Word, you listen to Him…and then practice what He proclaims. Abiding is a discipline, but it’s a discipline that starts with devotion…the kind of devotion that says to God things like this: “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.” Ps. 63:1-8 NASB