Supernatural Abundance: A Journey To The Father's House (11 page)

Abundance is not given to us so that we can store it up and use it just for ourselves. I call it the Luke 6:38 principle:
“Give and it shall be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Notice three words here ... good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. These are words to describe how God wants to give back to us. When we open our hands to God, He unlocks the windows of heaven to pour out abundance so great we will be amazed and astounded at the awesomeness of God. The apostle Paul put it this way in Ephesians 3:20,
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

It is important that we have a proper perspective regarding God's blessing upon our lives. He does not promise to pour out abundance and overflowing bounty because we deserve it, or because we think we're better than others. His flow of abundance is based on our obedience to His word.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
(Malachi 3:10)

The opening of the windows of heaven does not happen by accident or by chance. It requires obedience to God's command.

How to Stay in the Flow

As you study the New Testament you come to Paul's admonition to the Church at Corinth. In his first letter to the Church he talked about taking up a “relief offering” for the poor Christians in Judea. This was not the first time he assisted in this way. Paul lived by the “forgotten beatitude” of Jesus who said,
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
(Acts 20:35)

Paul revealed the truth behind our giving and taught us how to stay in the perpetual flow of abundance. As we read his second letter, we discover the Corinthians were not doing their part. Like many people, they had made promises, but they failed to keep them. In fact, an entire year had gone by and nothing happened. I'm sure there were many reasons given as to why they did not follow through with their commitment. Paul knew it would be difficult to get them to participate, so he lifted his teaching to the highest spiritual level possible. He taught them that giving was an act of grace in spite of circumstances (See 2 Corinthians 8:1–2). He wanted them to give, not out of obligation, but as a demonstration of the working of the grace of God in their hearts.

Paul refers to the Macedonian Churches in Chapter 8 as an example of grace giving in spite of “A great trial of affliction” (Vs. 2). The Macedonian Churches needed no prompting or reminding, as did the Church at Corinth. They not only suffered affliction, but also were in deep poverty. They had hit, “rock–bottom destitution.” Their circumstances did not hinder them from giving joyfully and liberally.
 

There is a great difference between promise and performance. A year before these Corinthians had boasted, they would share in the collection, but did not keep their promise. It is one thing to be willing, but the “doing” must follow. Having a sincere desire alone does not translate into action. You may have a sincere desire to walk in abundance, but unless you're willing to obey the word, it will not happen.

“It seems strange that we as Christians have to be encouraged to give, when Father has given so much to us. He demonstrated that He is the prime mover in giving. One verse of scripture, that we all learned from our childhood, and often forget sums it up this way. “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16)

Paul was trying to show the Corinthians how God enriched them in a wonderful way, and yet they were reluctant to share with others. As Paul explained the “grace giving” approach to get involved in the special offering for the suffering Church, he gave them five encouragements related to grace giving. In doing so he wanted them to understand that to get in the flow of perpetual abundance, it had to start with them. A tight-fisted, stingy people, will never get involved in the flow of abundance even though they know the abundant blessings they have received from God.

1.
When you give, it encourages others.

“There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people.
 
For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident.
 
So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.”
 
(2 Corinthians 9:1-5)

The apostle Paul was not urging them to compete with others concerning their sacrifice and service. Paul sent Titus and the other brothers to Corinth to stir them up to share in the offering. Far more important than the money was the spiritual benefit that would come to them as they shared in response to God's grace in their lives.

Our greatest encouragement for giving is not because we feel pressure, but because it blesses our Lord. Our obedience can provoke others to give. Our motive is not to boast, but to encourage.

2.
 
Your Giving Will Bless You

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
 
As it is written: He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.”
 
(2 Corinthians 9:6-11)

Remember the Lord's promise, “Give, and it shall be given unto you,” still holds true (See Luke 6:38). The “good measure” He gives back to us is in direct relation to what has been given. It may not always be money or material goods, but it is always worth far more than we gave.

Giving is not something we do, but something we are. For the Christian who understands “grace giving,” it is a way of life, not sporadic or capricious. Those who do not understand how the principal of abundance works, can never understand a statement like Proverbs 11:24,
“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."

Paul outlines for us these principles to remember:

•
The Principle of Increase:
We reap in measure as we sow. (Vs. 6)
 
We see this principle operating in everyday life. Every farmer knows that the more seed he plants in the ground, the better chance for a greater harvest. When you take a large investment of money to the bank, it will certainly collect more interest. The more we invest in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the more “fruit” will abound to our account (Philippians 4:10–20).

•
The Principal of Intent:
We reap as we sow with the right motives .(Vs. 7) To the farmer who plants his seed, motive makes no difference. If he sows good seed in good ground with good weather, he will reap a harvest. The Christian is different. Motive in giving or any other activity is vitally important. Paul is clear; giving must come from the heart to please God, not men. May it never be said of us that we are “sad givers” who give grudgingly, or “mad givers” because we must. We should be “glad givers” who cheerfully share what we have because of the many blessings that God has given us.
“He that has a bountiful eye shall be blessed.”
(Proverbs 22:9)

     
•
 
The Principle of Immediacy:
We reap even while we are sowing (Vs. 8–11). While it is true the farmer has to wait for his harvest, the believer who practices grace giving begins to reap immediate abundance. Yes, some harvest takes longer than others. To be sure there are long-range benefits, but there are also immediate blessings to enjoy.

Notice the word "abundance." God is able to make it happen for us. When? Always, in all things! In essence, it is God's will that we never lack at any point in time, and there is no deficiency, but all sufficiency.

The Perpetual Flow of Supernatural Abundance means
 

All grace always; all sufficiency for every good work. The word “sufficiency” means “adequate resources within.” (See Philippians 4:11) We may go through a valley of lack for a season, but we don't stop in the valley. How else will we know our God is the abundant supplier of more than enough if we never experience a “need?

Need is an interesting word. The definition of need is: “A lack of something requisite, desirable, or useful. A condition requiring supply or relief.” We don't like to talk about having “needs.” It almost sounds like that we don't have faith for the abundant supply. God has some unusual ways of getting our attention.
 
He never seems to get our attention through success, but in our distresses.

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer."
 
(Psalm 4:1)

I'm sure you've noticed that every miracle in the Bible started with a need. Without needs you will never know He is the God of miracles. You may need a miracle as big as parting the Red Sea; but, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.” Or it may be as small as paying your utility bill. Size is not the issue, it's a matter of recognizing that,
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:19)

The Perpetual Flow of Supernatural Abundance has a Purpose

It is not for our selfish motives God wants to give us abundance so we can hoard all things for ourselves. It pleases the heart of God to see us enjoying his abundant provision, but that is not the ultimate purpose. The apostle Paul makes it clear we may have, “abundance for every good work.” The purpose of abundance is what He calls us to do we will have complete and total sufficiency for everything in our sphere of calling. So many times when we feel prompted by the Holy Spirit to respond, we have had to say "No" because we don't have the resources for the task.

The early Church didn't respond with a "No." They simply said, “Lord, You give us direction and we will go." Their attitude was much different than today's Church that depends so much on money. Of course, we must be wise in handling money, but so many Churches are tied down by budgets. I wonder what it would be like if we made decisions by not how much we have, but simply on what God is calling us to do, and leave the resources up to Him. I am convinced that God would bankrupt heaven to supply the overflow of abundance to any ministry that would totally surrender and sell out to do His will on planet Earth!

There is so much more to abundance than just giving and receiving.

“One specific good work for which God provides abundance is the primary “good work”: that we may provide Him a dwelling place. The purpose of God from creation onward has been to dwell with man. We often talk as though the ultimate for us is to get to heaven. In reading the Bible, however, I find that the ultimate is to get heaven to earth. In the closing chapters of the Bible, we do not find earth going up to heaven; we find heaven coming down to earth. The ultimate thrust of God's purpose from creation onward is to dwell with man.

Consider to historic examples in the Bible where God asked His people Israel, to provide for him a dwelling place. The first dwelling place was the Tabernacle of Moses. The sack at was the Temple of Solomon. In each case God provided His people with abundance in advance, that out of their abundance they might return to Him all that would be needed to provide Him a dwelling place suitable to His glory."

~ Derek Prince: The Promise of Provision states

First the Natural then the Spiritual

In the days of Israel we saw the building of the tabernacle of Moses and David, as well as the Temple of Solomon. But in our day it’s not the physical building God is concerned about. The purpose of God in our day is to dwell with man.

What we see in the natural in the Old Testament is revealed to a higher spiritual level in the New Testament.
 

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
 
(1 Corinthians 3:16–17)

Where is God's dwelling place today? Peter says in 1 Peter 2:5, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood.”

In other words, we are a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit of God. Just as God dwelt with His people, Israel, in the Old Testament temple, so He dwells with His people in a New Temple. The Spirit of God dwells in each of us. We are the temple of God. We are a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. We are people through whom God manifests His glory.

The Bible teaches that we are to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. That is God’s purpose for us. God is changing us daily into the image of His Son. Now this image is an inward image, not an outward one. So God gives us His moral attributes: love, peace, purity, justice, fairness, and so much more. They are imparted to us as we allow Holy Spirit to live in and through our lives. This is God’s plan for us. It is His plan for His Church.