Abundant Life. Practical Living Ministry

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Marlene Wiggins
6 years ago
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1 Abundant Life Practical Living Ministry

Scripture John 10:10: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

2 Scripture John 10:10: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. Life the absolute fulness of life which belongs to God; a life that is active and vigorous, devoted to God. Abundantly over and above; more than is necessary; beyond measure; God s plan from creation was for His creation to be enriched and live life in abundance

3 Review There are times in the Bible that as we look at a saying of Christ, he wants us to focus on the latter that what is initially said. In John 10:10, he begins talking about the thief, satan who comes to steal, kill, and destroy However, the focus is not on the acts of the enemy, but on the power and purpose of God I ve come that you may have life and have it more abundantly John 16:33: I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!"

4 We Tend to Focus More on the Acts of Satan Rather than the Feats of God It allows us to not take accountability if we have someone to blame To receive all that God has requires us to exercise faith Focus more on the Stealer than the Sufficiency of God 2 nd Corinthians 3:5: Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God More Focus on the Taker than the Giver Philippians 4:19: And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus

5 The Message Here in John 10 Jesus is setting a distinction between the Good Shepherd and the Pharisees, Hirelings Jesus declared that he came to restore unto man what His Father intended him/her to have and to break and block the Devil s intent to hinder our receiving it I have come Defines Christ s purpose He made a contrast of him being the Good Shepherd, while warning us against thieves and robbers who enter our lives by deceitful means The way to receive abundant life is through the shepherd. He is the door of the sheep to blessings, privileges, and provisions John 14:6: Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

6 Why Did Jesus Use the Analogy of the Shepherd First to recognize Him as the True Shepherd But in comparison to What or Who? Second, he teaches the principle of access to the blessings of God Properly seek the shepherd and not the Hirelings who process access and blessings by a way not prescribed by God or taught by His servants Today the world system and even Hirelings deceive many into believing that great riches and possessions can be obtained through their message that doesn t glorify the Father It was important for the sheep to follow, know their shepherd s voice, obey, and submit to the true Shepherd to obtain a blessed life

7 Abundant Life Is not measured in goods and quantity The Bible tells us that wealth, prestige, position, and power in this world are not God's priorities for us (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). In Is not necessary a long life Abundant life is not always a comfortable life Abundant life is a life of satisfaction and contentment in Jesus God blesses us abundantly so that we have more to give to others Your Best Life Now mentality is not abundant life it is more self centered than God centered

8 Abundantly The apostle Paul tells us that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, and He does it by His power, a power that is at work within us if we belong to Him (Ephesians 3:20). Abundant life is eternal life, a life that begins the moment we come to Christ and receive Him as Savior, and goes on throughout all eternity. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3). This definition makes no mention of length of days, health, prosperity, family, or occupation as many hirelings teach today

9 Understanding Abundant Life Let s Go Back to the Beginning to What God Provided Humankind and How Man Lost What Was Precious to Him T Truth God s Upholds the World by the power of His Word Psalms 119:90: Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands. Psalms 33:4: For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield to them that put their trust in him. We can live and experience abundant life as we put our trust in God s Word Man s greatest failure was when he allowed the serpent to cause us to doubt the validity of God s Word The way the thief steals, kills, destroys is when we loosen our faith and confidence in the truth and power of God s Word Psalms 12:6: The LORD's words are absolutely reliable. They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground, where it is thoroughly refined (NET) Adam and Eve were blessed as they embraced God s Truth They lost it all when they gave ear to a lie

10 Understanding Abundant Life O Obedience The Only Thing God asked of man was to obey His commandments There are over 496 shall and shall not in the Bible and it doesn t always means Prohibitions, but also a way to receive the Promises and Provisions of God Psalm 34:10 -- "they that seek the LORD SHALL NOT want any good thing." John 5:24, Jesus says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and SHALL NOT come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Adam and Eve enjoyed all the blessings and provisions of God and all that they had to do was to obey just one command (Genesis 2:16,17) God did not want Adam and Eve to sin, He wanted them to choose Obedience is a choice between what God has provided and what your flesh desires Deut 30:19: I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Sometimes the way we live is reflected in the choices that we make The Way the Enemy steals, kills, and destroys is to bring us to a place or mindset of disobedience where we choose to bow to this world or our flesh rather than choose to obey God

11 Understanding Abundant Life R Relationship Fellowship and Connection with the Father Genesis 3:8: And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. They heard God s voice. Walking Implies leading, conversing, and living They hid from the opportunity to experience the living God, conversing with Him, and the leading of His Spirit So many people want the abundant life and it is being offered to them by false Shepherd without the leading or having relationship with God on His terms The Theology of Command requires that God has to lay down His commands in order to have relationship with us. We do this in our relationship with others (Ground Rules). Genesis 2: 16,17: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. In order for God to be in relationship with us also requires a certain amount of agreement regarding His commands 1 John 5:3: For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,

12 Understanding Abundant Life Relationship Cont d. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy by destroying or hindering our relationship with the Father Because of Sin, Selfishness, Pride, and Unbelief, we have to have a Face Man to represent us to God Exodus 20:19-21: And they said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen. But don't let God speak directly to us, or we will die! After hearing the 10 Commandments, the people were afraid to stand before God Biblically speaking, an up-close encounter with God could just as often be troubling as it might be comforting. That is why so many Christians are reducing their exposure to God to avoid having to account for their lack of obedience to Him. So we always need a mediator or someone to soften our consciences, but it hinders us from receiving and living the abundant life

13 Understanding Abundant Life E Eternity To Forever Be with the Lord John 17:3: And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Here, Jesus equates eternal life with a knowledge of God and of the Son Eternal life begins the moment a person exercises faith in Christ. Eternal Life is not something we experience after we die, but what we experience each and every day while in relationship with the Father Eternal life means that we are alive and active to God s environment. Life is active involvement with environment; death is the cessation of involvement with the environment, whether it be physical or personal. (Tenney) Unbelievers live for today because they are concerned about tomorrow. Christians live for Christ for they see an unending relationship with the One who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Thief seeks to steal, kill, and destroy by deceiving us and robbing us of our eternal perspective

14 If Abundant Life is Ours.. What s the Deal? 2 Corinthians 9:15: Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

15 God Gave We Swap In the Garden, The Serpent convinced Adam and Eve to have it all apart from God Genesis 3:5 - For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. If you can be your own god, why should you rely on the Father The Prodigal Son had it all in the beginning and a loving relationship with the Father, but he wanted it apart from the Father (Luke 15:11) James 5:5 - [Here] on earth you have abandoned yourselves to soft (prodigal) living and to [the pleasures of] selfindulgence and self-gratification. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. Such a mode of living is regarded as inconsistent with the purpose for which God made man, and placed him on the earth God has given us the Holy Spirit, yet some resort to mind altering and mysticism avoiding the power that comes through transformation or the Holy Spirit 2 Timothy 3:5 - Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

16 Abundant Life God created us man to be a Living Soul not be Souled Out to this world Matthew 16:26 - For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? That they who are striving to gain the world, and are unwilling to give it up for the sake of a relationship with God, will lose their souls

17 What Hinders Us From Experiencing Abundant Life? An unrenewed, reprobate, carnal mindset To live abundantly requires the right spiritual mindset Paul admonishes us, Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:2-3). An abundant life must be experienced by a transformed mindset (Romans 12:2) Abundant living does not exist until we have completely committed ourselves to Jesus Christ. Abundant living also means separating ourselves from the world. Abundant living means living your life according to God s Word.

18 Incomplete Revelation False Information leads to a Faulty Mindset Because of the Hirelings of Today, most of us have a faulty revelation and expectation of what Abundant Life is 1 Corinthians 2:12 - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. It is through revelation of who God is and who we are because of him that brings us to a deeper understanding of the life that He has provided for us

19 In the Creation, Man Enjoyed an Abundant Life Personhood Image and Likeness of God Reflect God s Character and Authority in the Earth Total Being Genesis 2:7: And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Wholeness A Perfect Being Positioned God placed Adam and Eve in a place (garden) Genesis 2:15: And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. Adam was properly placed by God in a place of prosperity and growth to accomplish a purpose or task Power Authority -We were created to take dominion Genesis 1:24: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth Peace There was no conflict or stress among man with God, and even peace.

20 In the Creation, Man Enjoyed an Abundant Life Provisions (Not Prosperity) Create Dependency Abundant Life is recognizing that we have a God that meets all our needs Perfectness Maturity and Growth Man was supposed to continue to grow and develop spiritually He was sidetracked with the idea to be a god rather than his divine purpose to be Like God Hebrews 12:1,2: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus is the model of perfection for us

21 In the Creation Purpose Without purpose you are not human (i.e. Candle) You were made ON Purpose and FOR Purpose You may lose or trade away your purpose, but God hasn t changed his plan nor purpose for you We need to be Purpose Submission rather Purpose Driven God s plan is not secret but revealed to us Jer 29:11

22 Abundant Life in the Following Life Health Relationships Sufficiency

I AM the Life. Sermon delivered on August 21st, By: Pastor Greg Hocson

I AM the Life. Sermon delivered on August 21st, By: Pastor Greg Hocson Scripture Text: John 14:1-12 I AM the Life Sermon delivered on August 21st, 2016 By: Pastor Greg Hocson Introduction John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh