Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15:4 (NKJV)
If I had to express in one word, what deliverance means to me, it would be the word constant.
It is defined in the Merriam Webster Dictionary as “marked by firm steadfast resolution or faithfulness: exhibiting constancy of mind or attachment; happening all the time or very often over a period of time; staying the same : not changing : always loyal”.
One of the most difficult obstacles I tend to find myself faced with is ‘getting in the way of myself’. Yet one of the most important lessons I’ve learned, is to remain constant in my relationship with the Lord by being honest and pure before Him about everything. Throughout each day, I realize I’m not able to balance myself out but as I continue to yield and stay dependent upon the Lord for everything (my thoughts, attitudes, emotions, responses, etc.) it causes me to remember my commitment to honor God at all times. So it is with deliverance. My deliverance is solely a work of the Holy Spirit which requires me to remain constantly open to receive from Him. By opening myself up to the Lord, I give Him permission to have His way with me. He is in charge of me. Whatever the process is or however long the process takes to be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ, I’m all in, as I abide in Him.
This commitment requires for us to be constant in doing our part by being consistent in praise and worship, reading and studying His word, and prayer. Abiding in your secret place, deep from within, constantly. In doing so, we allow the Holy Spirit to filter and sort out what is of Him and what in us we must let go of.
As the season of spring is upon us, if you don’t know where to start or find yourself stuck, start again by making your relationship with the Lord your top priority each day. We are given an opportunity to choose to abide in Him by remaining teachable, available and willing to commune with the Lord. Our process includes trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal unto us areas about ourselves that He wants to encourage, correct, and change. Our deliverance is constant throughout our lives, day after day. After all, our Father created us and knows us better than we know ourselves. Will you trust Him today?
Prayer/Reflection: Father thank you for providing us with a choice to remain constant in you, for being faithful towards us at all times and providing new mercies, morning by morning. Thank you for your promises that remind us that You will be faithful to complete the work you started in us. May we remain mindful of our need for you at all times, in all situations and circumstances. May we abide and be constant in You, all for your glory alone, Lord. In Jesus name – Amen!