Last week we looked at abiding in Christ as the source of our spiritual vitality. It’s the foundation of all true disciplemaking. You can’t give what you haven’t got!

Walking like this with Jesus is unmistakable. When I began I started noticing Jesus in places I'd never seen Him before. A conversation with a colleague became a moment to hear a divine whisper. A frustrating traffic jam became a moment to worship and pray. A beautiful sunset became a reminder of His creativity and love.

More importantly, I began to sense His voice more clearly. Not audibly - but in the quiet impressions that came during prayer, the verses that seemed to jump off the page during Bible reading, the clarity I felt when making decisions. The out of the blue nudges that moved myself in a whole new direction (“Train 1000 church planters!”)

This is what abiding looks like in practice: a growing sensitivity to Christ's presence and voice that transforms ordinary moments into opportunities for connection and growth.

The Fruit of Abiding

Jesus promises that if we remain in Him, we will bear much fruit. But what kind of fruit? In the context of making multiplying disciples, this fruit shows up in several ways:

Character fruit

You become more like Jesus in your attitudes, reactions, and relationships. People begin to notice something different about you—not because you're trying to be impressive, but because Christ's character is naturally flowing through you.

I lead the team that leads a very large church and another team that leads a family of over 800 churches. I’ve spoken at events in front of thousands. I’ve written a book. While it's an honor to lead in these ways, I don’t need any of it - I’d be just as happy leading a small group or chatting to one person about Jesus! Why is this when so many leaders seem to be scrabbling for position and attention? It’s because years ago God did a work on my character to drive the pride and ambition out of me! It was a painful process- and I’m sure there’s some still in there - but it’s a very minor motivation. One of the things, I think, that qualifies me to lead is that I don’t need to lead! In fact one of my repeated prayers is 'Lord, if there's anyone else who's better suited to this please bring them so that I can let them take over!' (This isn’t to say that I don’t have character issues he’s still working on - ouch!)

Spiritual fruit

You develop a deeper hunger for God's Word, a more consistent prayer life, and a growing desire to see others know Jesus. These aren't disciplines you force yourself to maintain; they become natural expressions of your relationship with Him.

One of the people that inspires me most about prayer often declares ‘I love to pray.’ What for many is a duty, for her is a delight.

Ministry fruit

You begin to see opportunities to serve, share, and disciple others that you never noticed before. Your conversations become more meaningful, your relationships more intentional, and your impact more significant.

Our church is run on hundreds of thousands of hours and pounds joyfully volunteered by people who are part of our community. Volunteers underpin and play a key leading role in everything that we do. We recently had two people healed at the back of a prayer meeting. No fanfare, no awards - just followers of Jesus overflowing into the lives of others.

Multiplication fruit

This is the ultimate goal—other people begin to grow spiritually because of your influence, and some of them begin to influence others. The fruit of your abiding starts reproducing itself in the lives of those around you.

A lady who is part of a discipleship group I run heard a teaching I gave on a particular topic. That Sunday I saw her again and she had printed out copies of the notes and was on her way to give them to others. I was so excited to see such immediate multiplication!

Practical Steps for Abiding

So how do you cultivate this kind of relationship with Jesus? Here are the practices that have transformed my own journey and the lives of many others I've had the privilege to disciple:

• Start with honesty, not perfection. Stop trying to pray "right" and start praying real. Tell Jesus what you're actually thinking and feeling, not what you think you should be thinking and feeling. He already knows anyway, and He's waiting for you to be honest with Him.
• Learn to listen, not just talk. Prayer isn't a monologue; it's a conversation. After you've shared your heart with God, learn to listen. Pay attention to the thoughts that come, the verses that surface in your mind, the gentle impressions you sense. God speaks to those who learn to listen. By the way I’m weak at this and God often has to use other people (especially my wife Caroline) to wake me up and get my attention!
• Invite Jesus into your ordinary moments. You don't need to be in a church or have your Bible open to connect with Christ. Talk to Him while you're driving, walking, working, or doing household chores. Ask for His perspective on your challenges, His wisdom for your decisions, His strength for your tasks, His priorities and His plans.
• Feed on God's Word regularly. This isn't about checking a box or maintaining a reading schedule. It's about nourishing your soul with the truth that transforms you from the inside out. Read with expectation, asking God to speak to you through His Word. I follow a plan each year as I’ve found this the most effective way to keep motivated and moving forward. But I often miss days and I don’t feel too bad about it!
• Learn to obey Him. Develop your courage muscles by consistent obedience to the voice of the Spirit. When he urges you to do something, do it! There’s no better way to learn to follow Jesus than to follow Him!
• Practice gratitude throughout your day. One of the fastest ways to cultivate awareness of God's presence is to regularly acknowledge His goodness. Thank Him for small blessings, unexpected provisions, and ordinary mercies. Gratitude opens your eyes to see Him everywhere.

The Overflow Effect

Here's what I've discovered: when you're truly abiding in Christ, you can't help but overflow. The life, love, and truth you're receiving from Him naturally spills over into your relationships with others. You don't have to manufacture opportunities to share your faith or force conversations about spiritual things. They happen organically because Christ is alive in you.

This is why abiding comes first in our journey toward becoming multiplying disciples. You can learn all the techniques, memorize all the verses, and follow all the strategies, but if you're not drawing life from the Vine, your efforts will be empty and unsustainable.

When you're connected to Jesus—really connected—people notice. They're drawn to the peace you carry in stressful situations, the hope you maintain in difficult circumstances, the love you show in challenging relationships. They start asking questions and being ready to listen.

A friend going through a hard time was really surprised when her non-Christian friend asked her ‘How do you stay so calm when things have gone so wrong.’ I wasn’t.

What happens is that these questions are the beginning of disciple-making opportunities. But they only come when your relationship with Jesus is real, vibrant, and visible in your daily life.

Your Next Step

How would you honestly describe your relationship with Jesus right now? Not how you think it should be, not how it used to be, but how it actually is today.

If you're feeling distant from God, don't despair. That awareness is actually the first step toward change. If you're sensing that your spiritual life has become routine, that restlessness might be God's invitation to go deeper.

Here's your assignment for this week: Choose one of the practical steps I mentioned and commit to it for the next seven days. Maybe it's starting each morning with five minutes of honest conversation with Jesus. Maybe it's ending each day by thanking God for three specific things. Maybe it's reading one chapter of Scripture daily, asking God to speak to you through it.

Don't try to overhaul your entire spiritual life at once. Just take one step toward deeper abiding. As you do, pay attention to how it affects your awareness of God's presence, your sensitivity to His voice, and your natural overflow into the lives of others.

Remember: you cannot give what you do not have. But when you truly have Jesus—when you're abiding in Him and He in you—you'll be amazed at what begins to flow through you into the lives of those around you.

The journey toward becoming a multiplying disciple begins here, with the Vine. Everything else we'll explore on this journey flows from this foundation.

Are you ready to go deeper?