Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray

Author:Andrew Murray
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: book
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2003-04-01T05:00:00+00:00

— Day 17 —

Through the Holy Spirit

The anointing which you have received from Him abides in

you ... and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

1 John 2:27

How beautiful is the thought of a life always abiding in Christ! The longer we think of it, the more attractive it becomes. And yet how often the precious words ‘‘Abide in Me’’ are heard by a young disciple with a sigh! It is as if he does not understand what they mean or how such full enjoyment can be reached. He longs for someone who can make it perfectly clear, and continually reassure him that such abiding is indeed within his reach. If only this one would listen carefully to the word we have from John this day; what hope and joy it would bring! It gives us divine assurance that we have the anointing of the Holy Spirit to teach us all things, including how to abide in Christ.

Someone may say, ‘‘This word does not give me comfort; it only depresses me more. For it tells of another privilege I do not know how to enjoy. I do not understand how the teaching of the Spirit is given, where or how I can discern His voice. If the Teacher is so unknown, it is no wonder that the promise of His teaching about abiding does not help me much.’’

Thoughts like these come from an error that is very common among believers. They imagine that the Spirit, in teaching them, must reveal the mysteries of the spiritual life first to their intellect, and afterward in their experience. And God’s way is just the opposite of this. What holds true of all spiritual truth is especially true of abiding in Christ: We must live and experience truth in order to know it. Life-fellowship with Jesus is the only school for the science of heavenly things. ‘‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand’’ (John 13:7 NIV) is a law of the kingdom. It is especially true of the daily cleansing of which it was first spoken, and of the daily keeping.

Receive what you do not comprehend. Submit to what you cannot understand, and accept and expect what appears to reason as a mystery. Believe what looks impossible, and walk in a way you do not know—such are the first lessons in the school of God. ‘‘If you abide in My word, you will understand the truth’’: in these and other words of God we are taught that there is a habit of mind and life that precedes the understanding of the truth. True discipleship consists in first following, and then knowing the Lord. The believing surrender to Christ, and submission to His Word to expect what appears most improbable, is the only way to the full blessing of knowing Him.

These principles are especially helpful in regard to the Holy Spirit’s teaching. That teaching consists in His guiding the spiritual life within us to that which God has prepared for us, without our always knowing how.

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