ABUNDANT LIVING

The awesome beauty of scripture is it’s inspiring truth. I love reading the bible daily because it continues to be life-changing and life-transforming information. I know that despite the highs and lows of life, God’s word is always life sustaining. In other words, His word is all we need to get by. And not just to get by, but to get by more abundantly. Hey, don’t take my word for it, just read John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus’ will for your life is to have an abundant life! 

Jesus also tells us in order to have the abundant life, according to His will, is in

1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Now that’s a God I like to serve! Christ gives you three great pointers for His will for you. Number one, be joyful! This is not a suggestion, it is a commandment. Choose to “be joyful.” A choice is not based on a feeling, it is based on executing what we know to be true. If Jesus is the word, then His word is truth and it is the truth that shall set you free!

What Jesus is telling you, is that despite what you may be going through in life you still have the ability and the power through the anointing of the Holy Sprit to be joyful, because you know whatever you may be going through, that God is absolutely in control. Point two, pray continually. For the believer, a successful Christian life cannot be achieved without a prayer life. That’s like wanting to work as life-guard and not knowing how to swim. Your prayer life is your direct twenty-four access line of communication with God. You should talk with Him daily and about any and everything. Your heavenly Father should always be your guide and counselor in ALL of your decision making. When you yield to His will and not your feelings, He will give you what He promised you – the abundant life!

And last but not least, point number three, give thanks in all circumstances. Giving thanks to God in advance for all that He is going to do for you and for the difficult circumstances that you may be in that He will bring you out of, pleases God. Giving God thanks in all circumstances increases your faith in showing God that you believe He is totally in control despite what things may look like. We tend to react to what we can see, feel, hear, taste, or smell. But, a mature believer knows that we cannot rely on our sense because our senses can be deceived. That’s why magicians make a living deceiving people’s sense. They are masters of illusion. Since our struggle is not against flesh and blood or people, that means our life battles are spiritual battles that have to be fought in the spiritual realm. Your challenges as a Christian is not in the world you can see, it is in the world you cannot see. You impact that unseen world through prayers and thanksgiving. So the next time you are feeling down and giving into your feelings, remember this, be joyful, pray continuously, and give thanks in all circumstances. That is God’s will for you.

DeWayne Owens is a Motivational Speaker, Best-Selli