The Abundant Life

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John 10:10

Jesus said “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”


In our Adult Sunday School, we have been talking a lot lately about "thriving" in the Lord. We shouldn't just be living a mediocre Christian life, but we should thrive and excel at everything we do. I have really been thinking about that and have made that my prayer for this coming year. I want to thrive, I want to abound in the Lord. Jesus said He came to give us life and that more abundantly. Many Christians think this means accumulation of goods, a goodly name, promotions, fame, recognition,-which leads to exalting self instead of the Lord. But in actuality, Jesus is telling us that our abundant life is to be used for the benefit of others.  It isn’t about us—it’s about Jesus and advancing His kingdom in the earth through His Church.

The word "abound" here means to "exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over and above a certain number or measure", "overflow", "to make abundant or excellent" (1)

The Apostle Paul was constantly encouraging believers to live abundantly in every area of their lives- most of which was giving towards others. Paul’s testimony of himself was this:

Phil 4:11-13
“11Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned , in whatsoever state I am , therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased , and I know how to abound : every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry , both to abound and to suffer need . 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

 I want to do and be more than to just get by in my Christian walk. I want to excel, to abound in all that I say and do. So, taking from Paul’s testimony and his many prayers of encouragement for the church we are going to look into some of these areas where can seek and work towards having an abundant life flowing out to others.


(1) Strong's Exhaustive Concordanc

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