If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,

Ask what you will and it shall be done unto you.

These words sound so simple, yet I knew there was a depth to them that God was trying to show me. Therefore I have pondered on these words for a couple of months.

We all know that the Bible says when we are born again, we dwell in Christ and He dwells in us. It goes on to say that when we abide in Him and His word abides in us, we will ask whatever we desire and receive it. I know the word of God is truth and I know that God never lies, He can not lie. Yet why does it seem that sometimes we ask things that we don't see happen. It wasn't that way for Jesus; whatever He asks of the Father it was done. Everything. Everytime. And if we are abiding in Him, it should be the same way with us. We should see the same results as consistently as Jesus did. That is what the word of God says and that is what I believe.

As I was pondering the song my friend sent me, I came across a book by Mrs. C. Nuzum, The Life of Faith. In this book, Mrs. Nuzum was talking about full redemption. Now, keep in mind, our full redemption is already paid for at the cross, whether we choose to walk in it or not is up to us but it is already ours for the taking.

This I found from her book, if we are to walk in the full redemption of Christ, we must walk as He walked, and we must overcome as He overcame. We have to follow His example in all things. Many people think that this standard is much too high to attain, but it's not. It is attainable through Jesus.

She stated that it is seldom we find a child of God to whom some part of the curse is not clinging. As much as that is a painful statement, it is also a truth. I know very few people who are not experiencing some effect of the curses listed in Deuteronomy 28.

Paul said in Heb. 6:1, Let us go on to perfection. That is where I would love to see us all go, where there is no evidence of any curse in any way in our lives. Where only the blessing of God can be seen. The way to have this is to walk in Him, to abide in Him. It is not just about what Jesus did for us but what He did in us. He paid for full redemption to be in us, for us to be free from every curse. He literally became a curse for us and bought us back from the enemy. But this too is a choice; we must choose to abide in Him, if we choose to walk in full redemption.

If I am in sin, I am not abiding in Him, for in Him is no sin. If I displease God, then I am not dwelling in Him for Jesus said for I always do those things that please Him. If I do not obey then I am not abiding in Him for He was obedient even unto death. If I fail to love, I don't abide in Him, for He is love. If I judge people, I do not abide in Him, for He said I judge no man, neither do I condemn thee. It is only in Him and Him in us, that we will experience our full, complete redemption.

Now if this sounds unattainable to you remember the Bible says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. We have the strength from God to attain the place of experiencing full redemption and abiding in Jesus continually. We have the ability through God; we simply have to set our will to attain it. Psalm 110: 3 says Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power. This scripture means that when you set your will to fully and wholly do His will, His mighty power will back you up and bring it to pass.

In my own life, I find myself wanting to go to a higher level in God. I feel Him drawing me to come up higher. For me, to come up higher I must be willing to allow Him to conform me to His will and transform me to walk exactly like Jesus did. That means laying aside my own agenda. That means asking and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach me and guide me and chastise me. I have come to a place where I believe that it is more than possible to walk just like Jesus did. To walk fully pleasing God, fully obeying the word of God and in doing so we shall also walk in the fullness of His power.

In John 14:30, Jesus said that the prince of this world was coming but he had nothing in Him. The Message bible says it like this he has nothing on me. Jesus knew if the enemy had nothing in or on Him, that God heard Him, always, and if God heard Him, He knew God answered Him - and He always did. We see that in John 11:41, when Jesus prayed for Lazarus.

This leads me to some of my favorite scriptures found in 1 John 3. In verse 21, we find that if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God and we know that whatever we ask, we will have our answer. This is such a truth to me. If I have offended someone or said something hurtful or not been completely obedient in some way - I re-live that over and over while I am trying to pray. It is not God condemning me; it is my own heart condemning me. It is at those times that I am not fully confident toward God, not because of God, but because of my own heart.

On the other hand, if I am doing the very best I can to walk in His word and obey His commandments, when I pray, I have perfect confidence toward God and nothing condemns me. In those times, I am confident that God will answer. Why? Because the enemy has nothing on me. This all comes back to abiding in Christ. I John 3:24 tells us that if our heart does not condemn us and we are keeping His commandments, we dwell in Him and Him in us and the Holy Spirit confirms that truth.

Please understand I am not saying that it has everything to do with me and works and what I do - but I am saying there are conditions to the word of God. The Bible says if we tithe that God will rebuke the devourer for our sake. It says, if we believe in Jesus and confess with our mouth we shall be saved. Just as it says if we abide in him and him in us, we will have what we ask. The condition is abiding and abiding is made possible through the blood of Jesus but we have to choose to walk in that redemption.

Do you want to walk in the fullness of His power? Then you must dwell fully in Him. Abide in Him. Obey Him. Do those things that please Him. Walk like Jesus walked. Every day. Every situation. And His power will show up every time.

It is attainable. And it is not as hard as you would think. You abide in Him one choice at a time. One day at a time. I once read a book called Practicing His Presence. This man literally practiced staying in the presence of God daily, until it became easy and constant with him.

Abiding in Him comes the same way, it takes practice. Choose to obey every time. Choose to please God in every situation. Make one choice at a time. And if you mess up, repent and cover it in the blood of Jesus and press on. Jesus doesn't condemn you - don't condemn yourself - just keep pressing toward the high call of walking like Jesus walked. As you do you will find...if you abide in Him and His word abides in you - you will ask what you desire and it shall be done unto you.