Contributor: Alex Kokobili

INTRODUCTION
Today’s study focuses on our dependability on God for the manifestation of our wholeness in life. Abiding could be a pain-sticking process that a person requires in other to attain perfection. A person who is independent of God’s authority love, stewardship ship, etc. will be considered an independent spirit in Spanish “espíritu independiente”. Such a person would be in danger of spiritual barrenness despite the evidence of any material success (Jeremiah 17:5-7 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is". The more we abide in Him, the more we attain stature and capacity for our completeness in God. It is through His light that destinies become enlightened to fulfil His will in our lives (John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men). The more we stay in Him through fellowship – prayer, word, sanctification, etc., the more our imperfection is transformed into His perfection and then we can bear fruits of righteousness and manifest good works (Phil 1:11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God., Ephesians 2: 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do).

CONNECTING THE VINE AND BRANCHES AND ATTAINING COMPLETENESS

1. The branch depends on the vine for its survival or else it would become desolate if it breaks away without the capacity to bear fruit.
It is the Holy Spirit that enables us as the branch to bear fruit because we are expected to be connected to Jesus the vine and nourished by His word. (John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:5. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing".

The vine and branches (s) are both from the same parent plant and coexist for the overall fruitfulness of the tree. As long as the branch is aligned and properly nourished by the vine, it is expected to bear fruits by the Holy Spirit. Just as the Vine depends on the vine dresser so also do we as the branch depend on the vine (John 10:30 I and My Father are one, - John 17:21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me).

The branch is attached to the vine so also are we engrafted to Christ through faith in His Word. The branch connects to the vine for life and drives its ability to function and the capacity to do the things it cannot do by itself. The vine carries the weight of the vine, while the branch is expected to bear fruits. When the branch breaks away from the source, it breaks away from life (John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them). It is the vine that connects the entire system to the roots which absorbs the nutrients, water, and carbon dioxide required for the survival of the plant. This means that we are deficient in ourselves but need to depend on the virtues of Christ in other to attain perfection in God.
Romans 11: 17 -23 "But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again."

2. To abide in God is to stay in His love with Him. You are incomplete without the love of God.
God requires us as the branch to stay connected to the vine (faith in Jesus Christ) and this requires that we keep His commandments “John 15: 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love; even as I kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love”. (God expresses His love for humanity through His Son – His love and redemption plan for humanity so that by adoption through faith in Christ we also can become sons of God – John 1:12). The love of God is required to help us love our neighbours and it is this love that brings us into perfection because God Himself is love (1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this, we may know that we are in him).

3. The Holy Spirit enables us with divine power to abide in Him.
1 John 4: 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

4. Faith in God gives us victory through the storms of life just like the branch holds on to the vine at all times despite the storms.
We need to continuously activate the word with faith to align with God’s purpose. The word of God gives us faith to stay in His presence and follow His will (Romans 10: 17 So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God). Faith is spiritual and it is the vehicle we need to access God’s promises through the help of the Holy Spirit.

5. As the branch, our lives must portray God’s life (Glory) through good works so that we can bear fruits that are pleasing unto God!
Hebrews 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them". We must never forget that our existence as the branch is to bear fruits and as long as we are connected to Christ as the source, we manifest His glory in the marketplace, governance, family, etc.

6. The branch is imperfect without the vine. Perfection starts through our dependency on the Holy Spirit admitting the frailty in our humanity.
Though some people might claim to read the Bible, without the revelation of the Holy Spirit their understanding will be shallow or best as if they are reading Shakespeare; (2 Corinthians 3: 5- 6 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. 6 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). Christians who only go to church without doing what the Bible says would be best described as churchgoers and cannot gain mastery of spiritual insight through the help of the Holy Spirit.

7. God expects us to be in harmony with Him (Full obedience) if we desire perfection.
1 Corinthians 12: 21-27 "And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually".

8. Abiding in God sets the pace for us to ask His will without asking amiss.
When you come to God’s presence don’t be too in a hurry to ask God to meet your needs but first take time to enjoy His presence and until He is glorified then you can ask God anything without asking amiss; (John 15: 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you). This starts with thanksgiving, meditating on His word for direction, fasting, prayers, learning to work in humility, discipleship, etc, then you get to a certain level where you can ASK anything according to His will for you.

9. The grace of God helps us to abide in Him unto perfection without getting weary.
2 Corinthians 12: 8-10 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

CONCLUSION
Our desire to live in perfection should not just be a one-off experience but as God’s nature and desire for all believers (Matthew 5: 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect). Philippians 3:12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

HYMN: Complete In Him
Verse 1
It’s Not By Works Of Righteousness; But By His Grace Alone. (Repeat x2)
And We Are Complete In Him.

Chorus
Complete, Complete, Complete In Him. We Are Complete In Him. (Repeat)

Verse 2
There’s Nothing More That I Can Do For Jesus Paid It All (Repeat x2)
We Are Complete In Him.