This message isn’t just about theology or doctrine-it’s about your life. Your walk. Your connection to Christ.
I want you to understand that when I talk about answered prayer, I’m not talking about a vending machine God—where you press a few buttons and expect your wishes to drop down. No, answered prayer depends on some deep things. Scripture is clear about that. In 1 John 3:22, the Word tells me that if I keep His commandments and do what pleases Him, that’s one of the keys to seeing prayers answered. It’s not just about what I want—it’s about how I live.
James 4:3 reminds me that if I ask with selfish motives, I shouldn’t expect God to respond the way I hope. But when I abide in Christ—when I truly live in Him—I should be able to look back over my life and see the fingerprints of God all over my prayers, even if the answers came in ways I didn’t expect.
Now, let’s go back to John 15:9—Jesus said, “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love.” And then in verse 12, He commands me to love others the way He has loved me. That’s not optional. That’s the mark of a heart that abides in Him. And listen, 1 John 4:8 lays it down plainly: “God is love.” If I claim to know Him and yet don’t love His people, I don’t truly know Him at all.
There’s something else I cannot miss—joy. In John 15:11, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” You see, real joy isn’t the absence of trials. It’s the assurance that Jesus has overcome the world. And I’ll tell you this—one of the first signs that I’m drifting, that I’m no longer abiding in Him, is when that inner joy begins to fade—especially in the spiritual things. That’s when I have to check my heart.
So let me give you a few signs—evidences—that show whether or not I’m truly abiding in Christ:
- I’m bearing fruit. My life is producing something eternal.
- I’m being pruned by the Father. He’s shaping me, even through hardship.
- I feel a growing dependence on Jesus. I know I can’t do it on my own.
- My prayers are being answered. Not always how I want, but clearly and personally.
- I love Christ and His people. Even when it’s hard, that love remains.
- I have an inner joy. A joy that doesn’t vanish when the storms hit.
Now, not every believer shows all these signs to the same degree. I know that. But if I’m abiding in Christ, these things will be present in some measure—and they ought to be increasing, not fading away. And if they’re not… it’s time for some serious self-examination.
Because here’s the truth: I can’t live the abundant life Jesus promises if I’m not abiding in Him. Fruit doesn’t grow on its own—it grows from staying connected to the Vine. And if I’m not abiding in Christ, I’m missing out on what life was truly meant to be.
So I need to ask you this morning: Are you a child of God? Have you truly been united with Christ?
If not, let me tell you what the Word teaches. You must hear the gospel of Jesus. Then you must believe it—not just in your head, but in your heart. After belief comes repentance—not just saying, “I’m sorry,” but changing your life, changing your direction. Then comes the confession—openly declaring that Jesus is the Son of God. And finally, you must be baptized into Christ—a total immersion, just as Christ was buried and rose again. That’s how your sins are washed away. That’s how you become new. Spotless. Whole.
But even if you’ve already done all that—maybe you’ve fallen away. Maybe the joy is gone. Maybe the love has grown cold. This morning, you can come back. You can go to God in prayer and ask Him to forgive you.
Don’t wait. Don’t drift any further. Come abide in Christ.
