Abundance Now

One reason people have difficulty accepting this view of the abundant life is that it seems unrealistic. God probably has the power to change things, but the age of miracles has passed. Sure, God could intervene and change things, but that is just not the way things happen. Our world is more civilized. What we need to realize is that miracles were not common in Jesus’ age either. The other people who came on the scene as messiah pretenders were rejected because they could not preform miracles. Had Jesus not done the great works that he did, he would not have been accepted even by the few.

The Gospel of Jesus was a gospel of miracles. Jesus controlled circumstances. And he used his awesome power to make the lives of the people he met more abundant. Note the words of John the Baptist when he introduced Jesus to the crowd of people gathered on the banks of the Jordan River. “There cometh one after me who is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have indeed baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:7-8). In other words, there is one coming who processes a level of power, which is beyond my comprehension, and he is coming to share that awesome power with each of you through the Holy Spirit.

John the Baptist was a very strong man with great influence. People came from miles around to hear him preach. He baptized thousands, and his deeds were recorded by Josephus, the Jewish historian. But the power that John demonstrated was common to all of us, in varying degrees of course, but we all have it. Natural power is the ability to do natural things. It involves energy, intelligence, resourcefulness, etc. But the power that Jesus brought to the table was supernatural, over and above the things that normally give strength and from a source outside the realm of the natural. And Jesus came to extend that power to you.
Jesus didn’t take over the world or become a ruler of people as he very well could have, because that just wasn’t what he was about. In spite of the thinking of our Muslin friends, God has no interest in this world or any part of it becoming a theocracy. Jesus used his marvelous, supernatural power then as he does now through the Holy Spirit to affect people and enable them to move beyond negative circumstances. Jesus healed sick people, usually with just a word. He made some who were lame to walk again and caused blind people to see. On one occasion, he fed a large crowd with five loves and two fishes (Matthew 14:15-21). After the feast, and the five thousand plus people were well fed, the disciples actually picked up twelve baskets filled with leftovers, and all from that one small box lunch, a simply amazing demonstration of supernatural creative energy, and how Jesus used his Supernatural energy to make the lives of the people he met better.

Jesus lived and demonstrated the abundant life everyday. He used his miraculous supernatural power to affect the circumstances of those around him and make their lives more abundant. He relieved the fear of his disciples when he stilled a storm at sea. He simply spoke three words, “peace be still.”(Mark 4:35-41). On one occasion Jesus went to the aid of a friend named Lazarus only to find out that he had been deceased for four days, so long he actually “stinketh.” Jesus removed the anguish of Lazarus’ family and again used only three words, “Lazarus come forth,” and Lazarus did so, no longer dead but alive (John 11:1-44) and “bound hand and foot with grave clothes.” Jesus said “loose him and let him go.”

This marvelous ability to preform spontaneous miracles was a very important part of Jesus ministry. In spite of what some would have us believe, Jesus was more than a good teacher, even more than the blood sacrifice offered in atonement for our sins. Jesus was very much a man of power. He dominated the world around him as no other human being ever has. Note Jesus response to a question from John concerning his authenticity. “Go and show John again the things which you see and hear. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear” (Matthew 11:4).

Even the night that Jesus was betrayed and taken prisoner by a group of soldiers he was in complete control. The entire army “drew back and fell to the ground,” (John 18:6). No army in history, regardless of its size could have taken Jesus that night or any other night, had he chosen to resist. Note that none of his people were arrested. I wonder why? The spiritual power of God will always trump the natural material power of human beings, even political power. Those soldiers did not realize just how lucky they were.

God wants you to experience abundance, and Jesus came to empower you and give you the ability to make it happen.

Note again the words of Jesus. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father (John 14:12). Jesus did not use the word greater to mean bigger. He wasn’t saying that you will be called on to still a more violent storm or feed a larger crowd of people or heal a more deadly disease. Jesus was speaking of the effect that the supernatural power of God can have on nitty, gritty things that happen every day, things greater to you even though they may seem unimportant to the world.

The “abundant life” is the transfer of the power of Jesus into your daily experience. It will give you the ability to control your own destiny and to dominate events and circumstances as Jesus dominated the circumstances of his day. As Jesus did not go out of his way to solve the problems of others, probably neither should you. Life today is different, In all likelihood you will never be called upon to heal sick people or call back to life those who have passed away. However, the abundance you will experience will prove to be exciting, satisfying, productive; secure and laced with opportunity.

Keep the Faith,

Earl