The Culture of Abiding: Living as King-Priests
What kind of life does true abiding produce?
In John 15, Jesus paints a picture of abiding that is deeper than a moment of prayer or a passing encounter with His presence. He’s not calling us to visit Him from time to time — He’s calling us to live in Him, to dwell, to remain, and to be formed by continual communion.
When we live this kind of abiding life, it begins to shape the very culture we carry — a culture marked by intimacy, authority, clarity of purpose, and fruitful impact. This is what it means to live as King-Priests. In God’s Kingdom, you are both a worshiping priest and a reigning king — postured in humility, yet walking in power.
The priestly posture is where abiding begins — in worship, surrender, and the secret place. But abiding doesn’t end there. From that place of intimacy, we receive God’s desires, His instruction, and His authority. And as kings, we are sent out to enact His will in the earth — not our own ideas, but Heaven’s strategies. This is how we bring the culture of the Kingdom into every corner of our lives.
Let’s take a deeper look at what abiding really means, and what kind of people it produces.
The Foundation of Abiding
John 15:5–8
“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit… If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
Jesus doesn’t say fruit comes from effort, ambition, or performance. Fruit — true, lasting, Kingdom fruit — is the natural result of abiding.
Abiding is not a feeling. It’s a posture. A lifestyle. A connection to the Vine that never gets unplugged. From that posture comes revelation. From revelation comes alignment. And from alignment comes authority in prayer and power in purpose.
Abide in Him → His Word Abides in You → You Ask What You Desire → It Shall Be Done.
It’s not a blank check for self-centered prayers. It’s a divine invitation to partner with God — to carry His desires, speak His will, and walk in His authority.
You can’t pray with authority until you’ve abided with intimacy.
Abiding: More Than Relationship — It’s Position
The biblical words for “abide” reveal its depth:
Yāshab (Hebrew): to dwell, sit, remain, to be enthroned
Menō (Greek): to continue, stay, remain, abide
Kathēmai (Greek): to sit, be seated, occupy a throne
These words tell us that abiding is both relational and positional.
It is relational: we remain close to the heart of God.
It is positional: we are seated with Christ in authority (Eph. 2:6).
Abiding is not passive. It positions you to rule. When we remain in Him, we are not just visitors to His presence — we become enthroned with Him to carry out His will.
Abiding makes you a vessel. A worshiper. And a warrior.
The Revelation of Kings and Priests
Revelation 1:5–6
“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father…”
Jesus did more than forgive your sins. He positioned you as a royal priesthood. This identity isn’t future-tense — it’s now. In prayer, you function as both:
A Priest — You come before God in worship, surrender, and service.
A King — You receive God’s will and execute it with divine authority.
But here’s the key: your priestly posture must come first. You receive before you release. You listen before you declare. You worship before you war.
The place of worship is where we download Heaven’s will.
The place of dominion is where we execute it.
Many people stumble in prayer because they want to decree like kings without worshiping like priests. But authority without alignment is just noise. Power flows from presence — and presence begins in the secret place.
The Role of Worship and Prayer in the Abiding Life
David’s cry in Psalm 27:4 reveals the heart of an abiding worshiper:
“One thing I have desired… that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and inquire in His temple.”
He didn’t want a platform. He wanted proximity.
Jesus said the Father isn’t seeking more songs — He’s seeking worshipers. People who live in spirit (intimacy) and truth (alignment with His Word). People whose lives are not compartmentalized. Worship isn’t what happens before the sermon — it’s what happens when your whole life becomes a temple for His presence.
When we worship, we don’t just enter His presence — we establish His rule.
This is what it means to live under the scepter of Judah — praise and authority intertwined. Through abiding worship, we don’t just experience the throne — we partner with it. Do you remember the blessing that Jacob/Israel gave to his son Judah, whose name means praise? It was that the authority and favor that comes from the King’s scepter would not depart from him.
David: A Life Anchored in Abiding
David’s life gives us a prophetic model of the abiding culture. He ruled not by political savvy but by spiritual surrender.
During his reign, there were two tabernacles:
Moses’ Tabernacle — full of structure and rituals, but lacking the Ark
David’s Tabernacle — a simple tent hosting the Ark with 24/7 worship
David chose presence over protocol.
He dared to break from religious tradition to create a space where God could dwell freely. His throne was established on intimacy. He surrounded the Ark with psalmists, musicians, and continual praise. It became the center of Israel’s life, not through law, but through love.
David ruled from Zion — not just geographically, but spiritually.
Why Was David So Powerful?
He fought from the secret place, not the spotlight.
He repented quickly when he failed.
He prioritized presence over performance.
His intimacy birthed strategy.
His worship gave him access to divine authority.
This is what separated David from Saul.
Saul was man’s choice — David was God’s choice.
Saul built statues — David built a sanctuary.
Saul performed — David abided.
The Key of David and the Mission of the Church
Revelation 3:7 speaks of the “Key of David,” which unlocks doors no one can shut. This key is more than influence — it’s a lifestyle.
It’s the life of someone who:
Worships before they speak
Listens before they lead
Hosts God’s presence before building platforms
Seeks God’s face before seeking success
David’s model points forward to Jesus — the ultimate King-Priest — and now to us, His body. We are His royal ambassadors, bringing heaven to earth through daily lives of abiding.
As priests, we worship.
As kings, we rule.
As ambassadors, we represent Heaven’s values in every earthly system.
A Final Reflection
Abiding is not just about fruit for your own life — it’s about establishing the Kingdom of Heaven in the earth. It shapes your inner life and fuels your outer impact. It’s the posture that empowers your prayers, purifies your motives, and positions you to carry the glory of God wherever you go.
Abiding produces a culture — one of worship, wisdom, and authority.
It forms a people who abide, a house that hosts, and a movement that reigns.
So ask yourself:
Are you striving to reign without surrendering to the secret place?
Are you trying to pray without abiding?
Or will you become like David — not perfect, but postured?
Because when you live the culture of abiding, you don’t just bear fruit.
You become a throne for God’s presence.
And through your life, heaven rules on earth.
-Ryan Cole
