YOU WERE MADE TO ENJOY GOD’S ABUNDANCE AND HIS WEALTH

“As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life…exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature…”—2 Peter 1:3-4

 

God’s will for you is not different than His will for Adam and Eve.  When God created Adam and Eve He placed them in a garden filled with abundance, health, beauty, affluence, wealth and happiness (Genesis 1-2).  Having created the world, He commanded the waters and the ground to bring forth abundantly.  (Genesis 1:20).  When Jesus Christ came, He reemphasized God’s will for you.  He said, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). 

 

God made you to enjoy His abundance and His wealth.  There is no shortage or limits with God.  He has created plenty for you.  “No good thing will God withhold from them that walk uprightly before Him” (Psalm 84:11).  “For as you know Him better, He will give you, through His great power everything you need for living a truly good life.  He even shares His own goodness with you” (2 Peter 1:3).  Remember you have been redeemed by Christ and you are a believer.  You are restored to His level and status of life.

 

Kick the poverty mindset out of your life.  The idea that there is not enough, shortages and limits are not God’s ideas.   Refuse the tendency or influence that keeps you identified with poverty.  If you think and act like you are poor, you are agreeing with a poverty mindset that will keep you from achieving God’s best.  Religious tradition teaches that it may be God’s plan for you to live in poverty, helpless, defeated, and inferior and humiliated; that such conditions may be a blessing in disguise, teaching you humility and godliness.  Religion teaches that these things will draw you closer to God and will develop the virtues of humility and holiness in you.  A study of the Scriptures shows us that these religious traditions are foreign to God’s dream and plan for you.    I totally agree with something that Dr. T.L. Osborn said, “The only way you can be poor is not to recognize Christ and His power at work in you.” 

 

You do not have to be poor to be holy like Christ.  He became poor like you so that you can be rich and holy like Him.  “For you know that grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).  Jesus taught you, as His follower, how to pray.  First, He said to begin each prayer by honoring your Father—“Our Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:9).  This means to recognize your self-value as a child of God, related to Him, a member of His royal and divine family.  Secondly, Jesus said to recognize the family name—“Hallowed by Your name” (Matthew 6:9).  You belong to a hallowed (consecrated) family and carry the hallowed (consecrated) name.  Never disgrace that name by acting as though you are inferior or you are obliged to live in mediocrity (a quality that is adequate or acceptable, but not very good).   Thirdly, Jesus said to recognize that God is at work in you—“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).   When you say “Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” you are not surrendering or begging.  You are agreeing in faith saying, “I agree, may all that You are be manifested in me, here and now.” 

 

Every time you pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)—First:  Recognize your value as God’s child by addressing Him as your Father.  Second: Recognize that you are in the divine Family and that you honor the family name that gives you dignity and esteem.  Third:  Recognize that as quickly as you choose and decide to receive Christ, the Kingdom of God is established within you.  His will is at work in you just as it is in Heaven.  The wealth of God is in His kingdom.  His kingdom is in you.  You are in Him.  You cannot be poor, or fail or be ordinary. 

 

Prayer—Father I repent every time I have agreed with a poverty mindset of not having enough, or putting limitations on myself in some way.  Today I choose to change my mindset and see myself in You and the abundant life that you have created for me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.