Today I want to share with you the next secret for an abundant life.
*READ John 10:7-15 - (Abundantly) Perissos in the Greek means both superabundant in quantity but also superior in quality.
Secret #8 - Redefine Abundance
What does it mean to live a life of abundance?
hat did Jesus mean when He said that He came so that we might have life and have that life abundantly ?
The worlds definition for abundance includes fortune and fame.
The sad reality is that the church has gotten into the act. Listen to the words off one popular website.
• “You were made wealthy and rich before you came into existence. You’ve been predestined to prosper financially.”
• “You have every right to live wealthy and possess material riches-clothes, jewelry, houses, cars and money-in abundance.”
• “Owning corporations is a part of your destiny as a believer.”
• “The Bible says that wealth is stored up for the righteous. However, it will remain stored up until you claim it. Therefore, claim it NOW! You possess the blessing to seize and command wealth and riches to come to you. Like God, you can speak spiritual blessings into existence.”
Have we turned the Lord God Almighty into nothing more than a slot machine!
Everything in the world is crying out to us that abundance is found in financial and physical prosperity. Commercials, movies, news, newspapers, magazines, and now even the church is telling us that our abundance our “right” in Christ is clothes, jewelry, houses, cars and money - in abundance.
But hear the words that Jesus spoke in Luke 12:13-34 read 13-15 & skip down to- 22, 33, 34
So what is real abundance?
a. Abundance is a Soul at Peace -
Mth. 16: 26 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”
The devil can offer you the world - money, sex, influence, position, prosperity - but he cannot offer you true peace.
The devil took Jesus up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and said, “I will give You all this domain and its glory,… if You worship before me..” Jesus reply, “You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.”
Today’s temptation is the same. Look at all I can give you - look at all you can obtain - all you have to do is - lie a little, cheat a little, break the rules a little, look man if it feels good it can’t be bad so just trust me. Keep a little more for yourself - after all you only live once.
*Paul looked back over a lifetime of what he had gained for himself and said in
Ph.3: 8 “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him…”
His soul had finally found peace - peace with the God who made Him.
b. Abundance is contentment -
counterfeits look so much like the real thing they can fool even the most wary. The problem is, they leave us wanting more. More money, more power, more control, more intensity of feeling, more excitement…
God’s abundance is the real thing and it comes with contentment. Here is what Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13 “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.
12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Contentment is not found in how much we have but in who has us. God offers us true contentment can’t be found in worldly treasures that last for a short time but in an eternity with Him.
C. Abundance is being free to be me - I’m say free to be the “me” that God created me to be. You see abundance is found when I find and become what I was made to be.
Phil 1:6 Paul says “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
God wants to help you/me become what He made us to be.
Dan Cale who serves in a church in Pennsylvania said,
“Just recently I sat with a District Manager for CVS pharmacy - and he offered me a six figure salary plus benefits to work for CVS full time. The truth - I wasn’t even tempted. You see God didn’t make me to be a pharmacist. I jokingly told one of my Techs one day at a store that I had decided to leave the ministry and return to pharmacy - she laughed at me. You see she worked with me long enough to know that I would never even consider it. You see God made me to serve Him in the ministry - anything less is just a waste. I can make more but I would be in bondage to something less than I was made to be. Jesus saw Andrew and Peter tending their nets, “And He said* to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” You see God didn’t make them to be fishermen but to be fishers of men.”
This whole series started with the questions “Who am I? What am I? Where am I? and What do I really want?” Abundance in life is being free to be who God made me to be.
If you want to live an abundant life you have to begin to redefine what abundance really is. Jesus said in John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Adapted from a sermon by Dan Cale
