ABUNDANT LIFE
Pr. James Victor Lubwama
John 10:7-10 (AMPC)
“So Jesus said again, I assure you, most
solemnly I tell you, that I Myself am the Door for the sheep. 8 All others who came [as such]
before Me are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not listen to and
obey them. 9 I am the Door;
anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and
he will go out [freely], and will find pasture. 10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and
destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to
the full, till it overflows).”
Where there is life, there is growth. A
church that is full of life does not remain the same, and this applies to other
areas of our lives as well because increase is a symbol of life
In a world contaminated by challenges,
diseases, sorrow and death in different areas of our lives, there is
fulfillment and we thank God who gives us life in abundance. For it is written in
John 11:25 (TLB) that; “….….I am
the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in
me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again.” With
that scripture in your heart, know that whatever
dead situation you are in or experiencing in any facet of your life, it will have
life again - for God breathes life into the dead things
Jesus came so that every part of your
life can live; when you bring Christ into your life, it changes and whatever
was stunted begins to grow and flourish; the word of God is powerful enough to
reach into every lifeless part of your life and breathe life into it again.
There are areas in your life that the
devil might have killed, for example, joy, friendship, acumen, career, health
etc. but Jesus restores all the above
because He is the resurrection and the life and revives whatever is dead in
your life. If he resurrected Lazarus, then he can resurrect your joy and
all your dead situations; this is because every dead person or situation can
hear the voice of the Son of God. Jesus said in John 5:25 (GNT) “I am telling you the truth: the time is
coming-the time has already come-when the dead will hear the voice of the Son
of God, and those who hear it will come to life.”
However, many misinterpret this scripture and refer the resurrection to that of
the end of days.
A lesson
from Lazarus
John 11:1-4 (NLT)
“A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in
Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. 2
This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and
wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. 3 So the two sisters sent a message to
Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard about it he
said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory
of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”
Lazarus’ sister Mary was a prostitute
before she met Jesus, but when she met him, she chose to pour all her wealth at
his feet and wipe them with her hair – glory, she placed everything at his
feet. She placed her riches in the church (to be used of God), and when she did
this, she found favour with God, her sins were been forgiven and her whole
family came to love Jesus. Her sins were forgiven because she humbled herself
and submitted to Jesus, loved Him and even offered generously. Favour comes
when you dedicate and devote yourself to Jesus; and in gaining favour before
Christ, even her brother who was not present as she was being forgiven, became
a friend of Jesus to the extent that when Lazarus was sick, Jesus was informed
and therefore planned to come and see him
We learn two things from Mary; 1 - a person
who submits to the servant of God and his ministry wins favour. 2 - All who
confess their sins to God, find favour with Him. So when you acknowledge and
confess your sins, God forgives you and thus find favor as well.
Mary poured her precious oil at Jesus’
feet. The valuable precious things should begin with God - invest the good
things in the house of God; no stingy person can find favor before God, but when
you love God with all your heart, his favor will rest upon you.
John 11:11-44 (NLT)
Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has
fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up. 12 The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon
get better!” 13 They thought
Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. 14 So he told them plainly,
“Lazarus is dead. 15 And for
your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe…………......21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if
only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you
ask.” 23 Jesus told her, “Your
brother will rise again.” 24 “Yes,”
Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” 25 Jesus told her, “I am the
resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after
dying. 26 Everyone who lives in
me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I
have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come
into the world from Go……………..….39 “Roll
the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister,
protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell
you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to
heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of
all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus,
come out!” 44 And the dead man
came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head-cloth.
Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
Even if your situation is “sleeping” do not be quick to burry it. Poverty
is a curse, but bankruptcy does not mean you are poor; it’s just a temporary
state of lack. When the cedar tree loses its leaves it does not signify that its
dead, it is simply gathering strength to grow new leaves and blossom once again
- there is a season when the world will see that you are retrogressing yet you
are in your season of renewal and ascending to a new level.
Irrespective of afflicting or dead
situation you are in, do not kill your miracles by speaking negatively or
losing hope; just change your confession – speak life and confess victory. The
bible warns in Proverbs 18:20-21 (GNT) that; “You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. 21
What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the
consequences of your words”
Be encouraged. Jesus is saying to you that the situation you see as dead is just
sleeping but will come to life, and if you believe it, most assuredly you
will see the glory of the Lord. Everlasting life begins on earth; if something
has life within it, by default it has the ability to grow and bear fruit.
Whatever is dead in your life will live
again provided you hand it to Jesus, and when you do so, it won’t only be
alive, but will grow abundantly.
