TIT 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

PHI 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

JOH 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
JOH 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
JOH 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
JOH 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
JOH 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Abiding in Christ is not just an easy-believism or a nice feeling or something you work up. It is hard to describe, but when you have it, you know what it is.  It comes when you seek the face of God instead of his hands.  Ask God for it and mean it.  Thirst for it more than you care for food.  And when you have it, you have to want to keep it.  You have to press in to maintain it (I am finding this out the hard way).

Abiding means making it a top priority to put Jesus at the top of your list, even on the job.  Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord in gratefulness. (I am slowly learning this too).

You must decrease.  Jesus must increase.  All the worldly training seminars and advice on self-esteem, Dale Carnegie, etc. all teach you that you must think highly of yourself, and that you are #1, and that you have your rights, so 'be assertive'.  But the Bible doesn't bear this out.  It says we have sinned against God, so we have no rights (except to be punished).  Because of the effects sin has on a life, all of men's thinking and understanding is warped, and it needs to be crucufied.  Hence Proverbs 3:5-7... "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.  My understanding must decrease.  I want to understand things the way God understands things.  I want to see people the way God sees them.  I want to feel the way God feels about things.  I want to have his hands, his feet, his eyes, his nose, his ears, and his mouth, for such a needy generation.  I want to have a heart for that one lost soul who doesn't know Jesus.  I want to be caught up in whatever God is doing.  My will has to get out of the way too.  these are good steps to abiding in Christ.  When he is everything to you, you will have found that sweet place where no fleshly substitute is desirable anymore. 

You get to die every morning.  (or else suffer the consequences - been there).  You have to want to be dead to yourself and live unto God instead.  When you are so sick of your own ways that they become detestable, pound the gates of heaven to show people Jesus instead of you.  There's nothing like it.  And the enemy will probably try to have you crucified for it, and he will try to trip you up so you say or do the wrong thing.  Been there.  But it's worth it.  All my sorrows turn to joy.  All of Satan's threats of destruction become life to a new soul.

JOH 13:16  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
JOH 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
JOH 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
JOH 15:20  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
JOH 15:21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
JOH 15:22  If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
JOH 15:23  He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
JOH 16:2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
JOH 16:3  And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

The enemy may try to turn brothers in the Lord against each other, working up both sides into a froth - sometimes because one person is in the flesh, and the other is in the Spirit, and these two at their peak are not like oil and water, they are like mixing fire and a keg of flashpowder.  Recognizing that it's the enemy's tactic and refusing with all your might to participate is key.  And if you are persecuted, don't forget you have something to rejoice about (I did for a while).  If you allow yourself to be broken by God (not by the opressor) because you are hurt, God may bless your hurt and brokenness and turn it into someone else's healing and salvation.  If it is the hand of God smiting you, you will recognize his hand if you are looking for Him.  If it's not his hand, you could be very blessed soon.

Pray for people to have God's blessing.  Many kinds of blessings available.  Best if God chooses.  Salvation.  Deliverance.  Ask God to shine his light in your life so you can see better, and in the life of the unsaved, so they can see the savior better.  Be salty and full of light.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God (Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost), and all these things shall be added unto you.