In today’s society of constant movement, business and always being on the go, the term “remain” isn’t something we like to do or even want to think about.

At first, the word “remain” seems like a simple one. We may immediately think of staying put or not going anywhere.
But let me introduce you to a definition of remain that is new to me: to be something yet to be shown, done or treated; example- it remains to be seen.

This definition hit home for me as I was reading John 15.

Jesus told His disciples, ““I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.”

The first thing from this verse is to identify what, or in this case who, we need to remain with or in.

Here Jesus is telling us we must remain in Him. We must stay connected so we can be shown who we are made to be and what He truly thinks of us.

Remaining with Jesus is the key here. Be with Him, stay with Him, talk and walk with Him, and when you do, there will be much fruit.

The second thing this tells us is when we remain in Jesus, then He remains in us too.

This means we aren’t alone and don’t have to try to figure things out on our own.

“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood…,” John 1:14 says. Quite simply, we cannot do anything on our own. We need Jesus.

Finally, looking at the definition I shared above, there will be much fruit we haven’t even seen yet that will come to pass because we remained with Jesus. It’s not a nasty, rotten smelly fruit, but a good healthy reproducing fruit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law,” Galatians 5:22-23 says.

Jesus wants us to succeed, He wants us to have an abundant life, and remaining in His Word and in fellowship with Him is the way that happens.

If you have walked away from Him, come back.

If you never met Him before, get in touch with a believer you trust to introduce you.

As you remain in Him, He will be with you because He says He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

God has something in you and for you that is yet to be seen.

Let Him in and then remain with him because, as Max Lucado said, “Jesus loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus,.”

Renny Ross is the founding pastor at Oasis Foursquare Church established in May 2013. He can be reached by e-mail at rennyross@oasis4square.com.