TEXT: John 10:10
INTRODUCTION: This text is probably one of the most powerful verses in the Bible. Jesus warned His disciples, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy”. Everyone knows who the thief is --- the devil!
The devil has take aim at everyone here this evening! His design is to steal, to kill and to destroy. He will:
-- Lie to us
-- Discourage us
-- Try to steal from us
-- Entrap us
-- Turn us against each other
-- Blind us to the will of God
There is an alarming complacency among many Christians today. They feel as though they no longer need worry about what the devil wants to do to them. But notice this, this evening: No matter who you are, the devil’s design is to kill, to steal and destroy!
He wants to rob young people of their innocence. He is trying to steal our children. He works to destroy our marriages!
The very moment you are lulled into a sense of complacency, thinking you have gone too far for the devil to get to you, then you are in great danger. Whenever you come to the place in life that you think you have arrived, that you no longer have to struggle, battle, and be in conflict with the devil, you are standing on dangerous ground. The devil never gives up! The Scripture exhorts us to: "Take heed when a man thinks he can stand, lest he fall". History is riddled with the "spiritual bones" of Christians who felt they "had arrived", and no longer need to be wary of the devil’s devices. Make no mistake about it, my friend --- he knows exactly where to attack.
Look with me at our text. We find in John 10, Jesus teaching in the temple. In the 10th verse, He compares His mission on earth to that of Satan ("the thief"). “The thief cometh not but to steal, to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. A key word in this verse is the last word -- abundantly. This word comes from the Greek “perrison”, meaning “going beyond what is necessary.” What is the Lord saying? Simply this: “I’ve not come to only ensure you have blood running through your veins and air in your lungs. I’ve not come in order that you might be alive PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY!”
This principle of abundance is clearly outlined throughout Scripture:
They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house; And Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights. [Psalms 36:8]
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. [2 Cor 9:8]
Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. [Eph 3:20]
But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. [Phil 4:19]
...we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [Romans 8:37]
And so, I submit to you that God has given us provision that hedges us against the theft and destruction of our adversary.
You may say, Brother Deem that’s not where I am in my life. I feel like I am simply existing from day to day. I am just waiting to die. I don’t control life, life controls me. Life seems to be rushing on -- pushing me along at a "break-neck" pace. In short, my entire life seems out of synch. I don’t want to do; and don’t seem able to do what I know I need to do.
The Thief is at work in your life, but here’s the good news: There is hope!! You can defeat the Thief! Here’s how:
I. EVALUATE.
The first step in defeating the thief is that we must evaluate where we are. We must make an honest appraisal of our current situation. It’s been said that we can lie to almost anyone except ourselves. You know when things are going well in your life!
The little 5-chapter book of James offers some wonderful advice and counsel regarding the Christian life. In chapter 1, verses 22-25, James stresses the importance of being “doers of the word, and not hearers only”. He compares the “hearers only” to a man who takes a short glimpse of himself in the mirror, and walks away soon forgetting how he looks. However, the “doer” of the Word -- the one who allows the Scripture to shine as a Lame on his path -- is as a man who is constantly looking in the mirror -- evaluating himself -- looking for faults and shortcomings.
When a company is failing, and profits are sliding, often an “efficiency expert” will often be called in to try to see what the problem might be. The first step he takes in solving the problem is finding where the company is right now. It doesn’t make any difference how much profit was realized 5 years ago. That doesn’t matter. What matters is “where is the company today”?
I remember when I was pastoring the Christian Servicemen Center in Brandon, England in 1984. We had in our Center then a number of wonderful people who were always looking back at their stateside churches, comparing the work in England to the work back home. When Marcia and I first went to England we had 19 people in attendance, with half of those being children. God began to bless the work in England, and it grew quite quickly, but still could not be compared to some of the large churches that a number of our people had attended while in the states. And so, the comparisons were inevitable.
Marcia and I were praying about this one day, because we realized that if the people continued to look back at what once was, nothing would ever be accomplished in the here and now. After prayer I was impressed of the Lord to read the book of Haggai. It had been quite some time since I had read this book, and its contents were not readily familiar to me, so I sat down to read these 2 short chapters.
The book of Haggai was written as an encouragement to the children of Israel to return to the work of building the temple of God after their releases from Babylonian captivity. The temple they were currently working on was small and insignificant when compared to the first great Temple -- Solomon’s Temple. There seemed to have been some in their midst that had seen the former Temple, and were discouraging the people’s efforts in this feeble effort. As I read through the book of Haggai, I wondered why God had directed me to read it. Then I came to chapter 2 vv 3,4,9:
“Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it now in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong O Joshua, son Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in THIS PLACE will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.”
What was the Lord saying: Simply this -- IT IS NOT YESTERDAY THAT COUNTS. HOW DO YOU SEE THINGS NOW!! We are not asked to evaluate where we were a month or a year of five years ago, but we must evaluate WHERE WE ARE TODAY! Is the Thief at work in our life TODAY?
II. INVESTIGATE.
The next step in recovering the abundant life is to INVESTIGATE. We must investigate HOW WE ARRIVED AT OUR PRESENT STATE.
You have probably heard me say before that I do not believe that a person becomes cold and indifferent to the things of God overnight. It is a process. Generally speaking, we walk away from the abundant life inch by inch -- step by step. The thief begins with petty larceny! This process starts innocently enough. We might simply become too busy to attend the things of God today. But that’s okay -- I’ll read MORE of the Word tomorrow; or I’ll pray twice as much tomorrow; or, I’ll spend more time tomorrow meditating upon the Lord. But, dearly beloved, this Christian experience is a day by day walk with the Lord!
And then there is the possibility that we are where we are today because of sin in our life. God states clearly in His Word that "if I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear me". This principle of God’s Word is for everyone.
It is a principle that is just as true in the pulpit as it is in the pew. No-one is exempt from it. There are those who may feel that God understands and condones their sin. If there is one teaching that is crystal clear in Scripture it is that God does not condone anyone’s sin!
III. FORMULATE.
The next key word in recapturing the Abundant Life is FORMULATE. You must understand that recapturing the abundant life is a process. Therefore you must formulate a plan. You must determine in your heart that the abundant life will once again be yours. You must see where you are now; where you want to be and build the bridge that will get you there. In other words, YOU MUST TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE! You can go forward with the sweet assurance that it is God’ s will for you to live the abundant life, therefore He will help you in your plans!
IV. SATURATE.
Finally we must SATURATE OUR PLANS in prayer. I have never seen any relationship improved upon without the participants in that relationship spending time with one another.
R. A. Deem, Founder and President of Higher Ground Ministries has traveled extensively preaching in camp meetings, seminars, revivals and other special meetings. Having served as a pastor for over 20 years, he brings a rich perspective to ministry.
R. A. is available to minister in special meetings. Please contact him at:
Higher Ground Ministries
PO Box 11043
Montgomery, Alabama 36111
E-mail: Prazer53@aol.com
Phone: [334] 273-9900
