Jesus introduces His gift of abundant life in the parable of the Good Shepherd: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) While the thief’s primary interest is self, Jesus is the exact opposite. He came with no concern for His own life, but to bring us salvation from the consequences of our sin. “And this is eternal life: that people know you, the only true God, and that they know Jesus Christ, the One you sent.” John 17:3. Let’s discover what it means to live a life of abundance.
Our abundant life in Christ begins the moment we accept His sacrifice on our behalf and continues on into eternity. He invites us into a lifestyle of abundance through a forever relationship with Him.
Jesus has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to be our guide, teacher, and comforter. He helps us live out His attributes through the Fruit of the Spirit; experiencing His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control.
What is an Abundant Life?
The abundant life Jesus offers go far beyond worldly physical blessings such as wealth, status, or achievement. Jesus is speaking of these characteristics of spiritual abundance:
Peace in Christ:
Our peace with God is two-fold; it comes through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ to resolve our sin. And in Philippians 4:7, the apostle Paul describes the “peace of God, which transcends all understanding.”
God’s peace is different than the world’s peace. It is secure, even during troubling times. It anchors God’s people to Himself, reminding us He is in control.
Joy in the Lord:
King David describes it this way: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11. This is a joy not based on circumstances, but on the unchanging nature of God and His presence.
The joy of the Lord can be a daily reality for our Christian life. We know in our hearts that He delights in us, loves us tremendously, showers us with His grace and mercy, and is always by our side.
Fulfillment of Purpose:
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10. He has grand plans and a purpose for you!
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38.
An abundant life overflows by showing generosity, God’s love, and compassion to others.
How Do We Live an Abundant Life?
We live in a broken, sinful world and experience sickness, trials and challenges. Jesus never said that living in Him would take away our grief, sorrow, or concerns. How, then, can we experience abundant living?
Seek Him First:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) We are to turn to Him before anyone or anything else for help, guidance, wisdom, and setting priorities.
When we seek the kingdom of God first, we regard Him not only as Sovereign, but as a priceless treasure and the very center of our lives. When we can honestly do that, we don’t have to worry about tomorrow or the future.
Study the Word of God:
An abundant life needs the building blocks of God’s Word at its center. It is the good foundation of His wisdom that brings us the peace that surpasses all understanding.
We will always have challenges, but when we spend time with Christ and come closer to Him, we live in His abundance of love and care.
Regarding God’s Word, Proverbs 7:3 says “Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” His Words are that precious; we should write them on our hearts.
When we know His promises, we can claim them for ourselves. God promises us courage and strength when we need it most- the hard times of our lives. God’s grace (His love and mercy in action) is sufficient.
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9.
He promises to supply us with more than we could possibly need to live- “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
When we remember to bring His promises into each day, we live in His abundance.
Abide in Christ:
In the Gospel of John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”
Jesus uses this metaphor to emphasize a close, personal, and ever-growing relationship. It is a continual and eternal connection with God’s presence.
Branches cannot bear fruit on their own, they need to be attached to the vine. Jesus is the true vine that brings out the fruit from our lives as we remain abiding in Him.
This is a lifelong and continual process of learning and growing.
Practice Gratitude:
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2.
Gratitude shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have in Christ. Living abundantly comes from setting our minds on “things above”, not earthly things.
“Setting our minds” is just another way of saying to seek God’s perspective. Make it your daily focus and see your world with His eyes.
Gratitude in all things is God’s will for us, and it’s based on trusting his unfailing love. A grateful heart fosters a life of joy and contentment.
The Bible is full of assurances of God’s inexhaustible supply of protection and provision. It shows us what a life lived within His abundance looks like.
Overcoming Obstacles to an Abundant Life
Materialism:
We naturally desire an abundance of material things, it is part of our sin nature. But Jesus teaches:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21.
More material things are not the secret to happiness, it is being content with what you have. That is why we have to change our perspective on “living our best life.”
Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
Fear and Worry:
Fear can be a good thing; it can help keep us safe when we are in danger. It can also take control and impact our health in negative ways. Worry keeps us stuck in a spirit of fear.
While none of us is immune to some amount of worry and fear, God does not want these things to take over our lives.
Jesus was clear when He said, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 6:25. ESV.
Paul reminds us, “Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:5. Turn your worries into prayers!
Neglecting Spiritual Disciplines
Failure to study God’s Word, pray regularly, worship (alone or with other believers), and serve others in His name are barriers to spiritual growth. Over the course of our life, we are to work to become more like Him.
“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which come from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18.
The more closely we are in a relationship with Christ, the more we will become like Him! Keep this promise in mind as you put in the work to live His abundant life: This “Christ-likeness” will come to a glorious completion when we see Him face-to-face.
“But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2. What a promise to live for!
Living an Abundant Life
We shouldn’t keep our abundant life to ourselves. As we live a life for Christ, He calls us to:
Serve Others:
Jesus modeled servanthood His entire life. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” (Matthew 20:28)
Shouldn’t we also imitate His goodness and grace to others? He has given us His Spirit to strengthen and guide us in sharing our abundance with those we meet.
His supply of abundance is rich and never-ending. When we share out of our abundance, He refills us- abundantly!
Share the Gospel:
Part of sharing our abundant life with others is obeying Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19. His authority sends, guides, and empowers us to do so.
He needs us to continue His work and spread His message to all people everywhere.
If He can use a rag-tag group of doubting, impulsive men with limited faith and spiritual comprehension, He can empower us, too. We all have gifts we can use to help fulfill this command to spread the Good News of Christ.
In Matthew 5:16, Jesus says, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Our transformed lives can bear witness to what a life lived in God’s love looks like. It inspires others to seek God for themselves.
Living Life Abundantly
Living abundantly is not about what we have or what social media would have us believe we need. It’s about what God has blessed us with.
Jesus came so we could live in a new way- in a personal relationship with Him that brings daily renewal to our spirit. He wants to lead and guide us, keep us safe and secure, and bring us His peace and strength every day. Living with Christ at the center creates an abundant life.
“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11.
Reflection Questions:
How do you experience Christ’s joy, peace, and purpose in your life?
Which step to obtaining an abundant life is the most challenging? Inspirational?
Reflect on the obstacles that are hindering you from experiencing His abundance. How can you overcome them?
In what ways have you felt the abundance of Jesus in your life?
Abundant Blessings!
AnnMarie
All Scripture is taken from the New International Version unless specified otherwise.
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