Keys To Abundant Living Series

Keys to abundant living

2 Timothy 1:7

1John 4:4

Introduction-

Last week we looked at the Lord’s Prayer

We looked at the importance of prayer.

We also saw the benefit of prayer and having a relationship with the Lord so intimate that you would be comfortable talking to Him about anything.

I asked you some questions to reflect on and I hope that you did that this week.

I said there is promises in the Word of God that can affect your life as a believer.

I will never leave you- (His presence)

I am your shield- (His protection.)I will strengthen you- (His power)

I will help you- (His provision.)

God’s Promises -If you are in a relationship with the lord, meaning:

That you have accepted Him as Lord and Savior of your life.

What He has done for you(The Cross) and by choice have chosen to follow Jesus Christ and not just a prophet you read about in the Bible.

God promises that you can life an abundant life! Amen.

You can live an abundant life, no matter what you are going through now!

Provided you are living and obeying God’s word. He is in charge and not you.

There is no dynamics to prayer if you are not praying to the Lord, or your doing your own thing, or not listening when the Lord gives you direction.

There is no abundant live if the life that you are living is outside of the Lord.

At best, it is temporary and the void that you feel, only God can fill.

1 John 4:4-

“Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world.”

That is the key to abundant living-

Holy Spirit in you, Christ controlling your life- it will be abundant living!

2 Timothy 1:7-

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and self discipline.”

Abundant living is because God is working in your life.

He is not off to the side. Only being allowed as you get yourself in and out of trouble.

Carmen sang a song in the 1980’s- I am not ashamed of the gospel!

“I am not ashamed of the gospel because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him that day.”

Paul tells us-

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

Abundant life is not something you buy or achieve.

Abundant life doesn’t happen without God.

It is a lifestyle centered around God, and because of God being in the center, your life is abundant and blessed.

I have a question again I need you to ask yourself.

What do I really want?

God at a distance, or God running and being a part of my life.

Happiness comes at a cost. It does not just happen.

If you are going to live what God calls abundant, you cannot do it without Him. (repeat)

You made a plan with God

Work the plan with God

When things are tough, you lean heavily on the Lord.

You own it- there is no plan B

God does not fit into your plan- you fit into God’s plan.

I hear people say that they need a fresh start-

You do not need a fresh start if you are now walking with the Lord in a meaningful relationship.

If Christ is not Lord of your life, today you need a fresh start.

You need a fresh start if you are not listening to God, if you are doing things your own way, you need to get back to what you know works.

Make a plan.

Work the plan.

Own it, give God back the control of your life before it keeps spinning out of control.

I think I will have to do this message in two parts.

I believe we all want what we would call abundant life.

The problem is we want it on our own terms.

The day that we accepted Jesus Christ, we gave Christ the authority to do what was best for us and that God’s will be done in our lives.

I think there are several reasons that we can miss what God desires for us, and live lives that are far from God’s best.

We will look at two today and a few next week.

Reasons that you do not have the abundant life God desires.

Why some may never accomplish anything of significance in their life.

1. Procrastination-

Defined- “To put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done.

Tomorrow………. but tomorrow never comes!

I’ll tell you how bad procrastination is, it is listed on the same page as proctology and the return of the prodical son.