Sunday, April 1, 2018

The Litmus Test of the Abundant Life


UV 2909/10000 The Litmus Test of the Abundant Life
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10 v 10
The Lord revealed recently a hidden truth in this familiar Uni-verse. All negativity comes from the enemy of our souls. He is the author of our personal destruction even as Jesus is the author of our personal salvation. He is the father of negativity while Jesus is the source of positive abundance and abundant positivity. His purpose is to get as many people born into this world to live a living death- a life of abundant misery, scarcity of everything good in life. His purpose is to make as many humans miss the mark and remain unfuflilled, frustrated, unbelieving in the goodness of God. Hence, every time we think negative thoughts or speak negative words or react negatively, we are succumbing or yielding to the enemy while every time, we choose to speak or think or do what is good and positive, we are affirming that we belong to Jesus. The negativity creeps in on us subtly, without us knowing, without our knowledge or permission. Hence, we may not even notice it but if apply the litmus test of positivity versus negativity, we will be able to discern if we are yielding to the enemy of our souls who wants to rob us of our happiness and joy, who wants to steal from us the peace Jesus won for us with ourselves, with others and with the Father in heaven.
The point of entry and manner of entering our lives is also a pointer whether the thought, habit or attitude or action is from the enemy or from Jesus: If the belief, thought, action, attitude or habit entered our lives without our conscious acceptance or choice, then it is not from the source of all abundance- Jesus. Another test or touchstone is whether we are experiencing the abundance of joy, peace and love that exudes from the presence of Jesus in our lives or whether we are constantly experiencing a sense of fear, scarcity and insecurity in our hearts and minds. Virtually, every thought, word and action of ours should be subjected to this test.
The uni-verse clearly states that the purpose of Jesus in coming to the earth is to enable all who believe and accept Him to experience eternal, abundant life marked by peace not strife, joy not sadness and sorrow, love not hatred, fellowship not loneliness, hope not frustration. But in our daily lives are we experiencing the abundant life? Do we have the abundantly positive mentality? Even as we enjoy such abundance in the spiritual dimension, we should always be wary of the negativity, the destructive subtle ways of the enemy. This is the reason Jesus said, “Be shrewd as the serpent and gentle as the dove.” We need to find a balance between completely avoiding the negative ways of the enemy and clinging to the positive ways of Jesus. Jesus did not merely talk about positivity or taught principles of positive thinking but He showed us how to counter negativity of all sorts. The cross that he embraced willingly is a symbol of negating the negative. He is also the only Yes and Amen to all God’s promises to mankind. Hence, we hold onto the precious promises in the Bible and overcome the world, its temptations, pressures and challenges. We can either be positive, or be involved in reducing the negativity in any situation or in turning it into something good and positive. In so doing, we live the abundant life – the purpose of the coming of Jesus to the earth.

Prateep V Philip

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