4GIVEN

In John 10:10 Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” The abundant life Jesus was talking about doesn’t refer to material things; it doesn’t mean we’re going to fulfill the “American dream.” Maybe we will or maybe we won’t. That’s not the point. When Jesus promised an abundant life here on earth for His followers, He was speaking about living the most meaningful, fulfilled and purposeful life possible in Him. We may never be totally indemnified but we have all been sanctified and sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Father God, I thank You that Your gifts are good, Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. I thank You that Your blessing brings wealth and health and there is no added sorrow. Your gifts are free and irreversible. What You have for me is for me and cannot be taken without Your permission. Therefore, I stand on my superior authority in Christ and declare to the enemy to take His hands off what is mine both in the natural and in the supernatural. I decree and declare that the blessings of the Lord will overtake me. I decree and declare that my storehouse will overflow and my vats will be filled with new wine in the name of Jesus. Every good and perfect gift that God has portioned to me will be poured out to me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen and amen!

When you feel like giving up, you are missing out on what God has to offer. There are so many things that demand our attention and while it may be good to leave behind unhealthy relationships, jobs, and habits, it’s also important to keep fighting for what is good and right. Fight for marriage, fight for your kids, fight for your health – don’t give up! Know that you are not alone, and know that we are in the hands of God- He will provide us with strength (2 Chron 15:7) and rest (Matt 11:28) in our time of need. Not giving up is simply facing uncertainty, adversity, danger, or suffering with faith-fueled hope that God will always see us through. I Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” This innate desire to plot out the course of our life stems from our desire to be in control of our life. However, Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, BUT the Lord determines his steps.” Beloved of God, you were chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), to walk with God along the paths He uniquely designed for you! The goal is to concentrate on aligning your plans with God’s plans, will, and purpose. When we trust in God’s plan then we can truly embrace the promise taught in Jeremiah 29:11. The good news is our hope and future is deeply rooted in heaven, where eternal ecstasy awaits us and NOTHING can rob us of this inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14). Remember this, planning always begins with humility. James 4:13-14 says, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” The Bible teaches against two extremes: never setting goals and setting goals with no thought of God. The balanced alternative is found in James 4:15: “Instead you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” It is good to make plans, as long as we leave room for God to change our plans. His goals undoubtedly take precedence over ours.