We love and serve of God of no limitation. Jesus made this declaration about Himself in the book of John 10:10 (ESV)
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Perhaps there is no other chapter in the Bible that created more turmoil and division among the Jewish leaders than Jesus’ claims about Himself in John 10. He uses the term “I Am” as follows; John 10:7-11 (ESV)
“So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Jesus’ use of the term is a direct referral to the “I Am” who spoke with Moses as recorded in the Book of Exodus. To dismiss any confusion as to His claim, Jesus finishes John 10 by making the boldest statement about Himself as yet recorded in scripture; John 10:30 (ESV)
“I and the Father are one.”
There was no longer any confusion regarding Jesus’ identity. For the first time in 4000 years in waiting, someone was backing up the claims of being the Messiah by the proof of the works that He was doing. The Apostle John said this about Jesus in John 21:25 (ESV)
“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
The God of abundance indeed!
The line was clearly drawn in the sign. It was at that point that many of the Pharisees picked up stones to kill Him for blasphemy. But He escaped them. It wasn’t His time.
When Jesus said that He came to bring us “abundant life”, we must understand that there is nothing that Jesus did to dismiss the idea of providing abundantly. He is the source of everything. He can bring the fullness of everything. Abundance is just who He is and what He does. The actual word abundant is from the Greek word περισσός; perissos. (An adjective, derived from perí, ("all-around, excess") – properly all-around, "more than" ("abundantly"); beyond what is anticipated, exceeding expectation; "more abundant," going past the expected limit.
You cannot receive abundance by eating from the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”. You can only receive it by abiding in the vine or eating from the “tree of life” who is Jesus Himself. Jesus is in fact the abundance. Jesus makes this statement in His sermon on the mount as read in the book of Matthew 6:25-33 (ESV)
“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
This was always the dilemma with Ancient Israel. When they became prosperous with finance and possessions, they always seem to lose their love for God. God had to constantly warm them of the dangers of falling away. Deuteronomy 8:18 (ESV)
“You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
Yet history shows that Israel always were more in love with possessions the the Lord. In fact, Isaiah gives this exhortation to Israel in Isaiah 55:2-3 (ESV)
“Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.”
Having abundance is part of His covenant that He has made with us. But having much should never replace Jesus as our first love. I believe we are moving into a season of great abundance as we prepare for the final harvest. There are forces at work even now to destroy the “cabbalic” monetary system that has literally robbed wealth from His followers. Get ready to receive great wealth from the Lord for the purpose of bringing in the harvest. There will indeed be a transfer of the wealth from the wicked to the righteous (Proverbs 13:22). But I believe it will only come to those whose hearts are totally given over to the Lord. I believe that is supported by Haggai 2:6-9 (ESV)
“For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts.9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’”
In conclusion, abundance has nothing to do with the amount of “stuff” we might possess. If that was the case, the rich young ruler who followed the Law to a “T” would have gone away the happiest man alive. Abundance has to do with the amount of Jesus we possess and if He possesses us. We serve a God of abundance. Will we see His abundance in the days ahead? Yes, I believe we will. Let’s join together and call it in and prepare our hearts to worship and seek Him most of all! Then everything we need will be provided for us. Why would we think that Jesus would get stingy on us now when the greatest harvest the world will witness is about to take place. Abundant latter rain before abundant harvest.