Step 10 – Abiding
Abiding – We allowed God to teach us how to abide, knowing that the swirl of Holy Spirit is the wellspring of life.
Abiding is the promised rest of Hebrews 4. It is your secret garden, your safe place, your heart hidden in God. Abiding is a place of immense protection where the enemy can’t touch you, where offenses and accusations can’t move you, and where your life stays in perfect peace and joy. Abiding is one of the greatest commandments of Jesus, for He say, “abide in my love.” Abiding is where you sit down inside Jesus’s love, become deeply aware of it, and never leave again. Abiding allows you to become filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19.
Abiding is the source of Jesus‘s power, resting in His Father’s love, he continually allowed Holy Spirit to rest upon His shoulders. All the steps up to this point were to get you into the arms of your Father. Abiding is psalms 91 becoming a reality. Abiding is union with God. Abiding is how we become one with Him.
Abiding is the true goal of these 12 steps. From it flows all the remaining steps.
Abiding is the emotional and mental state or resting in God’s trust and love.
“spirit” – ruach (in the Old Testament and pneuma in the New Testament) is the spirit, the breath, and occasionally the soul, but ultimately it is life force.
Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit. -Proverbs 25:28 NASBS
I want to propose to you that your soul and spirit are like a great city inside your being. At salvation, we as lords over our city are declaring that we are bringing our city under Jesus’s government. We are still the mayor, but Jesus is the governor. When we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is as if we surrendered our city to the atmosphere of the Spirit and He attempts to sweep over the entire city, blowing through like a great wind.
There are elements of our city that are ruled by outside actors, demons, who have authorized influence. They are like special interest groups that we the mayor have yielded to. How have we yielded? By agreeing with the emotions of darkness: bitterness, anger, frustration, resentment, unforgiveness, etc.
In the previous steps we have dealt with much of this problem. Now we realize that we have access to the constant presence of God. You see, in the previous steps we have dealt with the causes that kept us incapable of remaining in the present God. We have dealt with the hidden shame, fears, and insecurities. We have dealt with the things that we never repented of before. Now that they are gone, we can learn to enjoy the presence of God continuously.
You have probably noticed by now that peace seems to be something that never leaves you. You have also probably noticed that you are no longer triggered like you once were. But there still remains a choice in front of you. Now you must choose to let the love of God you have been experiencing remain upon your shoulders.
This is in fact something you have to practice, because we are not used to living this way. Some find it easy; others will find it more difficult, since they have had more experience with frustration. This is how we learn to rest. You see, on the other side of this choice is the life of joy. “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” -Psalm 16:11 NASBS
In this step we are yielding to Holy Spirit. We are allowing Him to breathe across our entire city. We are giving Him full access to every nook and cranny so that joy will flood our streets. This is the life flow of God. This is how we become ambassadors of life. The one who lives saturated in the Spirit is always capable of giving Him away. Thus, you are allowing yourself to become the fountainhead of God.
The word of God has delivered life to you. Now it becomes a wellspring. “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them And health to all their body. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” -Proverbs 4:20-23 NASBS
Abiding is the source of our power. By it we remain under the shelter of His wings. By it we discovered deep intimacy with Jesus and the Father. By it we go from glory to glory as we gaze deeper into the face of Jesus. Learn to hear Father daily. Learn to allow the Spirit of joy to kiss your emotions moment by moment. Learn to allow Papa’s love to saturate your being. Now you become a tree of life, so give yourself away. Give your life away for it is now full of His love.
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. -Proverbs 16:32 NASBS