Choosing The Right Plan

Choosing the Right Plan

Foundational Text: John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Does anyone here either know someone who has built their our house, or maybe you have had your own house built? It can be quite taxing. You must first find land to build upon, or find a housing allotment that you want to live in, then you must choose your plans for your house. Some people get real creative and work with an architect to develop their own original plans, while yet others will pick from plans that the builder may already have.

How many of you here, this morning, know and understand that God has a plan for everyone on this earth? God has a plan, He does nothing by chance or just coincidence.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. AMP. Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. I want to explore with, and expose to you this morning our adversaries plan that he has for us. In doing so, we will be able to choose the right plan for our lives. We will for the most part stay with our foundational text, however we may use other supporting scripture to help develop what I believe the Spirit of God would have us to see this morning. However, I would challenge you this morning that you do not just simply read this scripture as you may have done a thousand times before, but allow the Spirit to dig a little deeper within you today to reveal is powerful treasures hidden within the Greek interpretations of many of the words in this verse. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I. The Thief cometh not

We must understand that the devil wants to destroy your job, your joy, your happiness, your health, your finances, your marriage, and your kids. The thief just wants to ruin anything he can get his hands on!

A. Thief comes from the Greek word Klepto meaning to steal. Kleptes

1. The picture is that of a bandit, pickpocket, or thief who is so artful in the way he steals that his exploits of thievery are nearly undetectable.

2. This reminds me of the man that was on a program on TV, he would steal your watch, wallet, belt, and many other items right off of people and they would be looking right at him as he did it. He was completely undetectable.

3. Notice that Jesus uses this word to describe our enemies plan, and way in which he steals from us. Satan knows that if he steals outright, his actions will be recognized, therefore, he steals from people in such a deceptive way that he has often accomplished his evil goal before they even know he has stolen from them.

4. This word Klepto describes a thief’s uncontrollable urge to get his hands into someone’s pockets so he can take that which doesn’t rightfully belong to him. Isn’t it interesting that this is where we get our word “kleptomaniac”, which describes a person with a persistent, neurotic impulse to steal. Just as a kleptomaniac can’t help but steal, the devil can’t stop stealing because it is his impulse and his nature to steal. This is precisely the nature and behavior of the thief Jesus is telling us about here in John 10:10.

B. I firmly believe that this tells us not only what he does, but how he is coming.

1. A pickpocket does not announce his appearance in a crowd. Some one who is coming to your house to steal gas out of the gas tank in your car, doesn’t call you up first to let you know what time he’ll be stopping by.

2. The thief cometh, tells us the way in which the devil is going to get close to us. The Greek brings out in this word “to steal”, that it is “to take by stealth”, meaning = Secret act; clandestine practice; means unperceived employed to gain an object; way or manner not perceived; used in a good or bad sense.

II. Coming to Kill

Not only is our enemy coming to steal, but Jesus very plainly tells us that he is coming also to kill.