Abundant life means living in contentment! It is not just having all the money and materials you need to get the things you need and want in life. Abundant life is living in the joy of your walk with Jesus Christ to the point it satisfies your yawning for love, direction in life, peace, comfort, security, and life’s other challenges. It is good health, fertility, timely provisions, friendship, meaningful fellowship with others in the kingdom of God, great hope, unshakable trust in God’s assurances, unrelenting determination to comply with God’s commands, the joy of giving, compassion for others, and selfless and tireless effort directed at the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth.
When you have abundant life, you begin to find purpose in everything that happens in your life, knowing that if it does not have any value to God, He would not have allowed it to come into your life. You begin to trust God completely, and continue to move even when situations in your life dictates otherwise. You come to believe the Bible that trials in your life are actually gateways to great blessings from God. You remain faithful to God, and stay on course, knowing that at His time, He will not only change any situation for you; He will also bring you good fortunes. You come to trust that God will never fail you, and learn not to be all shaken up in the face of adversities.
The Shunammite woman had abundant life for she received a beautiful gift from God --- a son --- when she had asked for none, because she took a keen interest in the man of God, Elisha, and provided him not only with food and nourishment but also with a private resting place anytime he visited her town. She was contented with the life she had. And when she was given a chance by the prophet to ask for something from God, she declined with contentment, ‘I have a home among my own people,’ even though she was childless and could have asked for a child.
Be mindful that when your harvest is plenty, you are supposed to give more to others in sufficient proportion to your harvest. For Christ himself told us, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). As stated elsewhere in this book, a man’s life (or a woman’s life) consists of his spirituality, his emotions, his intellect, his work, his sleep, his desires, his wisdom, and his need for nutrition and energy, entertainment, knowledge and understanding, rest, comfort, security, and many others.
Our faith in Christ does not stop at receiving the grace. The grace is only the beginning, just like it is in every situation in the Bible where God’s grace is received. The full measure of the grace comes with obeying God and doing as He commanded. The grace we received through the blood of Christ comes with the same choices God gave to the Israelites right before they entered the Promised Land. We received grace, but we still have to choose to obey or not to obey Jesus Christ.
Grace does not make evil good. Evil is still evil and detestable in the eyes of God. Grace provides us with the plenitude to do good works and live holy lives as commanded by God. The Bible says that without holiness no one can see God. And there is absolutely no exception. God does not compel anybody to live holy. Living holy is a choice each and every believer has to make daily as he or she goes through life.
Grace does not confer holiness on any believer, nor will it force anyone to make the right choice. Everybody will choose for himself or herself. Jesus Christ Himself told us that it is those who heard his teaching and practice what it says that are his brothers, sisters and mother. So when you receive grace and are born again, you have signed up to live a holy life because, you now belong to God and live in his household, which must be kept holy. That is the only way He can share residence with you.