ABUNDANCE IN CHRIST
Sweat-Free life of Abundance!
1. Obedience
2. Faith and trust in Him
3. Be a Covenant son/daughter of God
Introduction:
Abundant life in Christ is not necessarily about what we have. Material and financial blessing is part of it and a very important part of abundance, however, abundance is more than possessions. This is why Jesus warned men to be careful because the value of a man does not consist of his earthly possessions. It’s not about what we get. It’s not about what we claim, abundant life is about what we receive from the Lord and the joy and contentment with which we live our lives as believers.
It’s not a sin to be rich, but riches and wealth is not the essence of life. Riches and wealth make life pleasant, but the joy of the Lord, the joy of eternity with Christ is better than temporal joy.
God is a master planner and a provider. He has made adequate provision for our needs, just as He provided for the needs of Adam and Eve before He created them, so has He made provisions for everything we need. Jesus said your heavenly Father knows what you need, even before you begin to pray.
Therefore what is remaining is for you to have faith in God, and work out your blessing with fear and trembling. The attitude of faith and integrity in our work, the way we do business and relate with people. If we are mindful of who we are - the light of this world, that cannot be hidden and that will walk in integrity, no matter the test before us.
God want to see that obedience to His word and the right living of a believer in Christ, which in itself qualifies us for His blessing and further blessings. Obedience is important because some of the promises have commands attacked to them, which makes it difficult for you to draw down such blessings without fulfilling the instructions.
It’s not a sin to be rich, but riches and wealth is not the essence of life. Riches and wealth make life pleasant, but the joy of the Lord, the joy of eternity with Christ is better than temporal joy.
God is a master planner and a provider. He has made adequate provision for our needs, just as He provided for the needs of Adam and Eve before He created them, so has He made provisions for everything we need. Jesus said your heavenly Father knows what you need, even before you begin to pray.
Therefore what is remaining is for you to have faith in God, and work out your blessing with fear and trembling. The attitude of faith and integrity in our work, the way we do business and relate with people. If we are mindful of who we are - the light of this world, that cannot be hidden and that will walk in integrity, no matter the test before us.
God want to see that obedience to His word and the right living of a believer in Christ, which in itself qualifies us for His blessing and further blessings. Obedience is important because some of the promises have commands attacked to them, which makes it difficult for you to draw down such blessings without fulfilling the instructions.
Do you need a miracle from God?
If you need a blessing or even a miracle, something only God can do for you, then one way to get what you want from God is to be His lover. If you need healing and you have the healer Jesus Christ, healing becomes easy for you to obtain.
God love people that love Him and obey His word and instructions. But, if you do not love God, but you love His blessings, you may experience frustration trying to draw down the promised blessings.
God love people that love Him and obey His word and instructions. But, if you do not love God, but you love His blessings, you may experience frustration trying to draw down the promised blessings.
While it's not wrong to want to be blessed, the moment we chase after the blessing more than we do for God, there is going to be a problem. Paul warned those that will be rich in this world to be careful. He says:
"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evil. While coveting after money, some have strayed from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
Do you want to be blessed? I'm sure you do. Everybody wants to be blessed in almost every area of life: finances, health, relationships, name it. It's a good thing to be blessed. I encourage you to go for the blessing without sorrow, that is the blessing from the Almighty God.
In Deuteronomy 28: 1-2, the bible says there are conditions for receiving God’s provision and favour. It says: “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God”
In Deuteronomy 28: 1-2, the bible says there are conditions for receiving God’s provision and favour. It says: “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God”
The promises of God you desire are available if you can obey the word of God. Even when the promise you want does not have any command attached to it, it is still very important for us to obey God's word as covenant children of God. Also, identify what God is asking you to do and begin to do them.
What does abundance in the Lord mean?
Jesus said, “A thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). People often talk about God doing “exceeding abundantly, beyond all we can ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
Throughout Scripture, we see God blessing people and promising blessings to people. The books of Joshua and Psalms speak to the fact that we can be prosperous. Several of the Proverbs reveal ways we can become prosperous.
Is God trying to tell us that abundant life is the result of having been made new? Is prosperity the sign of abundant life? Because many in the Bible and throughout history have had lives of struggle, suffering and pain, yet seemed to experience abundant life.
Abundance is not automatic prosperity
The powerful passage of Hebrews 11 highlights people of great faith and blessing but also tells us that many believers were tortured, mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, mistreated and homeless. The writer says the world was not worthy of these saints. They were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised. Does that sound like abundant life? Is that prosperity? And yet, we find that these struggling people spoke of a deep-seated joy.
Paul himself, who penned the oft-quoted “exceedingly abundant” phrase, did a fair amount of writing of joy and peace in the middle of his own difficult circumstances. He says, “My God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory.” Paul found his life sufficiency in Christ. But what are these “riches in glory” to which he refers?
We know there are some things that can only come from God. God gives peace that passes all understanding. Jesus and Paul promise there will be trouble in the life of a believer. Some of this trouble comes to everyone.
The rain falls on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).
The new life in Christ may sometimes cost us inconveniences, them physical and material abundance losses, yet, Jesus says we have abundant life! Always, we are promised a deep abiding peace. This peace is beyond what we can work on on our own by breathing deeply and counting to ten. And have you noticed that peace during these times is the most outrageous blessing ever?
New lifestyle brings Blessing
One way of viewing abundant life is to see when people have been changed by the power of Christ; they live different lives, which affects all aspects of their experience.
So, spiritual change, accompanied by better decisions, does often lead to better circumstances financially. (Sometimes it gets you arrested and martyred, so don't miss the point here.) However, this is what the book of Proverbs touches on many times. Good decisions, often undertaken because of spiritual decisions, lead to greater prosperity. The new life in Christ means that we will operate with divine wisdom and fear of God, meaning we do things better, improve and increase our productivity and relate better with people.
Here are a few examples:
1. "Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10). You understand what it means to honour the Lord with your substance, and you are not waiting for someone to preach before you pay your tithe.
2. Honour your father and mother becomes a command to you because it is the right thing to do in the first instance and it is a commandment with a promise. You are walking in obedience to the word and the Lord is watching your heart to show himself strong in your life.
3. Pray without season will begin to make sense to you and as you become involved in intercession, interceding for yourself, your family and the nation, maybe the world, the reward of prayer begins to enter into your hands.
4. Hard work and diligence will begin to rule your world and actions and as it is written, "The diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labour." (Proverbs 12:24). Believers in Christ work harder than others because they will still pray, fast in addition to any other duties they have to perform. "The slacker craves, yet has nothing, but the diligent is fully satisfied." (Proverbs 13:4)
What about Financial Miracles?
When we live this way, we will become conduits of the blessing of God. People experience financial miracles when they are changed by the gospel because they become better at their jobs, in relating to people. They become humble and honest and obviously better employees and friends, which is a form of Christian prosperity.
One key we must not ignore, is that nobody automatically receives materials blessings without working for it. Prosperity is worked out, it is not a promise. However, we can be remarkably blessed, and live an abundant life, in the midst of difficult circumstances. Poverty and persecution cannot overcome the prosperity that God provides for us in Christ.
Jesus said, “A thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). People often talk about God doing “exceeding abundantly, beyond all we can ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
Throughout Scripture, we see God blessing people and promising blessings to people. The books of Joshua and Psalms speak to the fact that we can be prosperous. Several of the Proverbs reveal ways we can become prosperous.
Is God trying to tell us that abundant life is the result of having been made new? Is prosperity the sign of abundant life? Because many in the Bible and throughout history have had lives of struggle, suffering and pain, yet seemed to experience abundant life.
Abundance is not automatic prosperity
The powerful passage of Hebrews 11 highlights people of great faith and blessing but also tells us that many believers were tortured, mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, mistreated and homeless. The writer says the world was not worthy of these saints. They were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised. Does that sound like abundant life? Is that prosperity? And yet, we find that these struggling people spoke of a deep-seated joy.
Paul himself, who penned the oft-quoted “exceedingly abundant” phrase, did a fair amount of writing of joy and peace in the middle of his own difficult circumstances. He says, “My God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory.” Paul found his life sufficiency in Christ. But what are these “riches in glory” to which he refers?
We know there are some things that can only come from God. God gives peace that passes all understanding. Jesus and Paul promise there will be trouble in the life of a believer. Some of this trouble comes to everyone.
The rain falls on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).
The new life in Christ may sometimes cost us inconveniences, them physical and material abundance losses, yet, Jesus says we have abundant life! Always, we are promised a deep abiding peace. This peace is beyond what we can work on on our own by breathing deeply and counting to ten. And have you noticed that peace during these times is the most outrageous blessing ever?
New lifestyle brings Blessing
One way of viewing abundant life is to see when people have been changed by the power of Christ; they live different lives, which affects all aspects of their experience.
So, spiritual change, accompanied by better decisions, does often lead to better circumstances financially. (Sometimes it gets you arrested and martyred, so don't miss the point here.) However, this is what the book of Proverbs touches on many times. Good decisions, often undertaken because of spiritual decisions, lead to greater prosperity. The new life in Christ means that we will operate with divine wisdom and fear of God, meaning we do things better, improve and increase our productivity and relate better with people.
Here are a few examples:
1. "Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10). You understand what it means to honour the Lord with your substance, and you are not waiting for someone to preach before you pay your tithe.
2. Honour your father and mother becomes a command to you because it is the right thing to do in the first instance and it is a commandment with a promise. You are walking in obedience to the word and the Lord is watching your heart to show himself strong in your life.
3. Pray without season will begin to make sense to you and as you become involved in intercession, interceding for yourself, your family and the nation, maybe the world, the reward of prayer begins to enter into your hands.
4. Hard work and diligence will begin to rule your world and actions and as it is written, "The diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labour." (Proverbs 12:24). Believers in Christ work harder than others because they will still pray, fast in addition to any other duties they have to perform. "The slacker craves, yet has nothing, but the diligent is fully satisfied." (Proverbs 13:4)
What about Financial Miracles?
When we live this way, we will become conduits of the blessing of God. People experience financial miracles when they are changed by the gospel because they become better at their jobs, in relating to people. They become humble and honest and obviously better employees and friends, which is a form of Christian prosperity.
One key we must not ignore, is that nobody automatically receives materials blessings without working for it. Prosperity is worked out, it is not a promise. However, we can be remarkably blessed, and live an abundant life, in the midst of difficult circumstances. Poverty and persecution cannot overcome the prosperity that God provides for us in Christ.
Requirements for getting blessed according to the Bible.
1) Keep God's commandments
Love the Lord with your spirit, soul, body and with all your strength. Love your neighbour as yourself. The love command is the most important of all commands in the bible for receiving blessings. God loves to bless those who obey Him. If you love the Lord, then you will have no problem loving your neighbours. But if you cannot love your neighbours, then the love of the Father is not in you. In Mathew 25, Jesus said it clearly that if you love and take care of your needy neighbours, visit them in prison, cover their nakedness etc, you are taking care of Him. Loving your neighbour is loving God.
2) Honour your parents
God wants us to honour our father and mother no matter how imperfect they may be. This is the first commandment with a promise attached to it, to show how important it is to God that we honour our parents. And when we do that, God promises to prolong our days on earth Exodus 20:12
3) Asking for the benefit of self and society:
Why be jealous of other Christians when we can ask our Father God to bless us too? James tells us not to covet what others have. Instead, we are to ask God for blessings.
"You lust and do not have, so you kill. You desire to have and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask." (James 4:2). James says maybe we're asking God for the wrong reasons – maybe it's because we are jealous of others, or perhaps want to be blessed for selfish reasons. That is so wrong.
James tells us, "You ask, and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your passions." (James 4:3)
4) Be a blessing to others
The Bible teaches us the principle of sowing and reaping. Simply put, if we want to reap blessings, we sow it. Choose to be a blessing to others, and see how God blesses you so that you can continue to be a blessing. Proverbs 11:25 tells us, "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself."
5) Simply be in Christ
The best way to be blessed is for you to abide in the Lord. In John 15:7 Jesus said If you abide in me, and my word abides in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done for you.
6) Paying your Tithe:
In Malachai 3:8-12 God challenged His sons/daughters to bring the tithe into His house and storehouses so that there will be meat in His house and see the numerous blessings He would release upon them. He promised to open the windows of heaven and rain blessings upon them. He would also rebuke the devourer for their sake so that they will not suffer loss in any area of life,
7) Trusting Him
Promotion and all good blessings come from God and He gives them to us at His time. Avoid trying to promote yourself or cheating your customers and business partners to profit, thinking you are smart. Trust God for your provision, while you continue to work hard. God’s way is better than yours. Resist the desire to take matters into your own hands and instead trust Him for questions or problems you have.
8) Have faith in God
In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus Christ asked us to have faith in God and also in Him (Jesus). He says anytime we ask God for anything, it should be in faith, doubting nothing at all. When we ask in faith, believing we have received what we are asking for, it shall be done for us.
9) Fear Not
Fear will keep you paralyzed, unable to make Spirit-led decisions or respond in God-ordained ways. Second Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Fear is never of God.
10. Praise and Worship Him daily - Today is a good day to start experiencing the Blessings of God. Make time to praise and worship the Lord daily. Even if it is for 10 minutes, the moment it can be consistent and regular, your blessings cannot elude you. Put these principles into practice and you can be sure of a more fulfilling Christian life ahead of you.
So, in reality, kingdom prosperity comes, not because of the prosperity gospel, but greater prosperity can come from a gospel-centred life and worldview. It's not because of our "seed faith," but because we see our faith lived out in a new kind of life. While everything in my financial life may not be increasing in measurable proportions, the gospel is truly prosperous. A gospel-centred lifestyle means that when you see the word 'prosperity', you're not stuck with money. There is marital prosperity, family prosperity, material and financial prosperity and so on.
FIRE...
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