Christianity means change, radical change. Becoming a Christian means total transformation to a completely different way of life. It means you tune out the din of this world and tune in – loud and clear – the voice of God... spoken through His Holy Word the Bible as your guide for living. It means a whole different way of thinking, believing and acting out one’s life.
We must recognize that people do not automatically understand all God’s ways at the outset of conversion. All wrong ways, values and beliefs must be unlearned, and everything that is good, pure and right—all things of God—must be learned! This “transformation” is akin to physical, psychological and spiritual rehabilitation!
Think of yourself as a containment vessel... all the impurities and contaminants [sin and sinful thinking] must be purged from the vessel [that’s you], cleaned out and neutralized. Then new clean, good and wholesome godly things are added in place of the former impurities that controlled your life. The very first change must be to acknowledge that the things and thinking that dominated your life before conversion might not be good for you. Accept that God just might know a bit more than you do and trust Him to know what’s best for you.
God says, “For MY THOUGHTS are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY WAYS, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8-9).
This scripture is profound and far-reaching in meaning. It involves everything we think, say and do, including how we view the subjects of joy, happiness and living an abundant life. It means recognizing that this is what GOD wants. This may mean sweeping from your mind all previous false concepts of what you thought Christianity was supposed to be like.
If you are Christ’s, then your eyes are fixed on the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33). You understand that this is the biggest objective—the greatest GOAL —in your life! Never forget that everything in your life is subordinate to achieving salvation, and building character along the path to that end!
Pause and think for a moment. How many things could bring more peace and satisfaction than understanding where your life is going? The excitement, joy, thrill and enormous contentment that flow from this confident assurance will dwarf every trial, difficulty, hurdle, obstacle and problem you will ever face in your life. That’s true abundant life in Christ! If you truly grasp this concept, you have gone a long way toward comprehending why Christ said that His way represents a life more wonderful—more abundant—than we could ever imagine!
Serving God does not mean a loss of fun and giving up pleasures but rather understanding what real fun and real pleasures are—and enjoying them in the light of what they really are... blessings in an abundant life.
Putting God FIRST must be your passionate desire. Matthew 6:33 says... “But seek you FIRST the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things [material blessings] shall be added unto you.” John also wrote, “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may PROSPER and be in health, even as your soul [life] PROSPERS” (3 John 2).
These verses express God’s will regarding receiving physical things—enjoying prosperity—in your life. In time, if you truly put God and His kingdom first, you have His sure promise that He will add physical—material—blessings to your life. It is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:18). When He makes a promise, He keeps it—and He has promised YOU that “these things” will flow into your life, if you put Him first. But... this is a tricky realm... learning to put Him first and ourselves second, not when it’s convenient, but all the time. When “Him first” is the manner and course of our lives, genuine from the heart, then God will add physical and material blessings to our lives. Even then, don’t expect these blessings to be what you might want or would like to have... they will be what you need to continue in faithfulness doing His will.
Malachi 3:8-10 is an example of how this principle works in the mind of God—how He views faithful obedience. When we obey Him, good things happen—and sometimes lots of good things.
Be careful that you do not expect them right away. Also be careful that you do not obey God simply because “there is something (material) in it for you.” Many Bible verses speak of the importance of being patient and waiting for answered prayers and blessings to come according to God’s timetable and instep with His Will. If you think of God as a genie or granter of prayerful wishes, you will be very disappointed. A genuine true heart is essential for God to bestow blessings. He well knows how easy it is for man to be deceived by the material things of this world and begin to desire an covet them. (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:15; Acts 20:35;1 Timothy 6:6-10) Also, we must be sure that we are pleasing God, abhorring sin and living holy lives. Again it is through His instructions to us, the Bible, that gives us the plan for successful thinking and living in Christ.
Let’s read an important verse that ties obedience to confidence and answered prayer. John wrote... Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. (I John 3:21-22). Take time to savor this verse. Internalize it and practice it—and then trust that God will respond your physical needs.
A Wonderful Way of Life, with all the vitality and abundance you can imagine, filled with pure joy and happiness, can be yours. But you must recognize that God offers an entirely new and different way of life, nothing like what you might carve out for yourself from the patterns of this world. It means living “by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4; Deut. 8:3). This means studying God’s Word and transforming your life pattern to conform to its every word. It means praying daily and seeking God with your whole heart—and resisting Satan and the influences of this world.
It also means periodically accepting the Bible’s correction, which can sometimes cut very deep (Heb. 4:12). But the converted mind seeks to grow at every opportunity. And receiving correction is also directly connected to happiness. Notice: “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17). Of course, no one naturally enjoys correction, but yielding to it produces a by-product described as the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:9-11).
So, if even correction can bring happiness, just think of the joy that will come from practicing the many other aspects of the Christian way of life.
Practicing God’s Way will lead you to be concerned for those around you. You will move away from self-interest and replace it with an interest in others. You will want to humble yourself and value the lives of others, more than your own opinions—and your own needs. You will feel good will and cheerfulness in your heart. You will want to smile, lead a life of vigor and reflect calm when standing in the eye of a storm. You will find courage to step out in full and complete faith, knowing that God is with you—that you are not alone. It means understanding that you “can do all things through Christ who strengthens [you]” (Phil. 4:13) and that “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26).
Those around you cannot help but see these things. You will become an example to them—a light (Matt. 5:14) in a world growing darker every day (John 3:19-21; 9:4). They will see that you have found meaning and purpose in a confused, disagreeable, unhappy world. And knowing that you are doing this will bring its own happiness and satisfaction to you—because it is what God intends for His faithful, all-in committed followers. Confidence will flow from this understanding, confidence in the promises and character of God. It will no longer be about you, but about Him and how He has reset your self-confidence from worldly sources and your own strength, to His strength, His power and His Word.
You will not find yourself constantly carping, griping, moaning and complaining about life’s endless “injustices.” You will not want to speak evil of others, but will want to lift them up, rather than pull or put them down. You will be able to conquer loneliness. And this conduct will generate a never-before-realized strength, boldness and confidence that will literally DRIVE YOUR LIFE.
This may cause people to ask you for help, encouragement or advice. They will see that your life is “together,” while theirs is not. People are drawn to strength—they are drawn to confidence. If you exude these things, radiating a power that is greater than anything they have seen, they will seek your help.
Remember the goal of a Christian. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to “rejoice always” (I Thes. 5:16). This is one of only two verses in the Bible that contains two words, making it hard to forget. Yet it is a command from God to all those filled by the Holy Spirit. It is why the ancient Psalmist approached each day by saying, “This is the day which the LORD has made; we will REJOICE and be GLAD in it” (Psa. 118:24). In the very next verse, he asked God to “send now prosperity.”
These are not vague, nebulous scriptures. They are clear, direct and plain—and vital instruction for you and me. John added, “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ...THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL” (I John 1:3-4).
The Abundant Life. Your joy can be full, beyond your wildest dreams, if you walk and fellowship with God and Christ as a constant way of life that overarches your every word and deed.
Yes, you can live the rich, radiant, full, happy, joyful, ABUNDANT life. All you must do is be willing to leave the old way of life behind—go to the SOURCE—and begin anew!
