THE ABUNDANT LIFE, August 17th

THE ABUNDANT LIFE

“…I am come that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance – to the full, till it overflows.” (John 10:10) The only way into eternal life is through faith in Christ as personal Savior. (John 3:15) All believers have life, but not all have abundant life. You are living beneath your privilege if you are a believer and not enjoying the abundant life.

There is the only unlimited source of life - the person Jesus Christ the Son of God John 14:6 To possess this fuller life, the believer must abide in Him. John 15:1-5 "apart from Me—cut off from vital union with Me—you can do nothing!"
Dynamic, abundant living is not for just a few—it is God’s norm for all believers.

If you do not have abundant life within you, you will soon yield to the carnal (fleshly) life around you. I Cor. 3:1-4 The carnal life is circumstance-controlled; perhaps emotional-controlled. The abundant life is Holy Spirit-controlled. From this moment on, determine not to be satisfied with anything less than God’s best: living life abundantly.

THE ABUNDANT LIFE IS A YIELDED LIFE
Romans 6:13 Col. 3:1-4
STUDY Romans 6:11 … Count yourself by an act of faith…the control by sin has been cut!!! RECKON! Believe God according to His Word!!!

1. It is one thing to have eternal life by faith. It is quite another thing to have abundant life by faith.
2. It is one thing for you to be “made the righteousness of God in Him” (II Cor. 5:21); it is another thing for you to realize His righteous life is in you. (I John 3:7)
3. It is one thing for you to live in Christ (II Cor. 5:17); it is another thing for Christ to live His life through you. (Col. 1:27) …which is Christ within and among you the hope of [realizing] the glory.

In Romans 6:13, the believer has a choice! He may yield unto God by faith and enjoy abundant life, or he may yield unto sin and endure a defeated life. Rev. 3:1 God would have you “know the power of a yielded life; it will lift you above circumstances that circumvent abundant living. The abundant life begins when you yield to Him as Master, allowing Him to live His life through you by faith.

THE ABUNDANT LIFE IS A SERVICE LIFE
To live abundantly, you must serve the Lord Jesus Christ. (Phil. 2:7-8)
Romans 12:1-2

The believer is urged to take the necessary steps for abundant living:
1. You are to “present”. This is a volitional surrender to the perfect will of God, even though you may not know God’s perfect will for your life; it is, on your part, an act of faith. John 7:17
2. You are to “present your bodies.” God must control and use the whole man. I Thess. 5:23 Your whole man was redeemed on the cross and sanctified (set apart for service).
3. You are to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice.” This is exemplified in the life of the Apostle Paul; he was a “living sacrifice.” In life, he was a “servant of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:1). In battle, he was a warrior (Eph. 6:10-18). In the will of God, he was a “prisoner of Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:1). These words were spoken from a Roman prison, he never referred to himself as a prisoner of Rome. To the Apostle, prison was a part of the perfect will of God. With this conviction, he lived abundantly (Phil. 1:12). In death, he was victorious (II Tim. 4:7-8)

You have been “transformed”—changed by the power of God, and no longer “conformed to this world”; but now you can be conformed to the “perfect will of God” – and live abundantly!

THE ABUNDANT LIFE IS A SEPARATED LIFE
Romans 1:1
Separation is both positive and negative. You are to be “separated unto the gospel of God”—this is positive. You are to come out from anything that is contrary to the perfect will of God—II Cor. 6:17 this is negative.

To be separated means to be sanctified (set apart) for salvation and service.
1. The Word of God has the power to separate the believer from sin. John 17:17
2. God the Father has the power to separate the believer unto the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”. I Thess. 5:23
3. God the Son has the power to separate the believer unto righteousness, “not having spot, or wrinkle” (Eph. 5:24-27)
4. God the Holy Spirit has the power to separate the believer unto salvation and service. II Thess. 2:13

Without being separated, you can have relationship with God, but you cannot have fellowship with Him. You may be united to Him in Calvary but separated from Him in sin. Isa. 59:1-2. Without separations, you can have influence without power, movement without achievement; you may try, but not trust; serve, but not succeed; war, but not win, Without separation unto God from sin, your whole Christian life will be “wood, hay, stubble.” The abundant life is made possible by the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and made a reality by being separated unto Him.

THE ABUNDANT LIFE IS A SPIRIT-FILLELD LIFE
Eph. 5:18
The Holy Spirit indwells every believer. You may be immature, weak and imperfect, but if you have been “born again” of the Spirit (John 3:3-7), He dwells in you. I Cor. 6:19 Romans 8:9
It is one thing for you to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, but does the Holy Spirit have you that He may fill you with the abundant life? The abundant life is not found in environment or circumstances, or in the things you may possess. It is found in the infilling of the Holy Spirit. “Be filled with the Spirit” is a command. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be Spirit-possessed, Spirit-empowered, Spirit-led and Spirit-controlled. Acts 8:26-40.

1. You are filled with the Spirit that you might have joy. Eph. 5:19-20
2. You are filled with the Spirit for service. Acts 6:3, 11:22-24
3. You are filled with the Spirit for power to be a witness.Acts 1:8, 2:4-7
4. You are filled with the Spirit for the hour of persecution. Acts 7:54-60
5. You are filled with the Spirit that you may “walk in the Spirit. Gal
5:16-20
6. You are filled with the Spirit that you may be led by the Spirit.
Rom.8:14

How can you be filled with the Holy Spirit? First, you must desire Him to fill you. Second, you must ask Him to fill you. Third, you must believe that He does fill you. John 4:14 John 7: 37,38

THE ABUNDANT LIFE IS A MATURE LIFE
II Peter 3:18
The Scriptures reveal four stages of spiritual growth in the Christian life:
1. The baby stage. I Cor. 3:1-4
2. The little child stage. I John 2:12
3. The young man stage. I John 2:13 (I Cor. 13:11)
4. The father stage. Romans 5:1. Phil. 4:7. I Thess.2:19, I Tim. 1:2. Phil 4:11,4:13. 3:13-14. Rom. 8:28. Eph. 2:7