Keys to Living the Abundant Life

Living In Receiving Mode

In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I have come that you may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance.” The New Living Translation says, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” However, the abundant life (or the rich and satisfying life) that the Lord is referring to is not established through what you get from God, but rather, by what you receive from Him. If you are not constantly living in “receiving” mode, you will never be able to have and enjoy life in abundance. Let me explain.....

When you are in “get” mode, you are attempting to ‘get hold of’ something through your own strength and efforts, and that’s always a struggle. And as a result, anything you’ve obtained through this process is not likely to be enjoyable. When everything in life is strenuous and requires serious effort, life becomes frustrating and exhausting, and that’s not the abundant life Jesus came to give us. No, God wants us to live a life of ‘righteous ease’ - one that’s full of grace and inner peace. This will help to keep us from striving and struggling through life and experience true happiness.

Now, that doesn’t mean that everything will be easy, but it does mean that even difficult things can be done with a sense that God is ever-present and willing to help. If you are to enjoy life to the full, you must first understand that God loves you unconditionally and that He wants to be with you in order to bless you super-abundantly. Therefore, there is no struggle or striving required!

“Getting” puts the burden on us to have to figure things out, to manipulate our circumstances, and to try to force situations to work out a certain way. On the other hand, being in “receiving” mode means we act as receptacles (vessels) and simply take in what is being offered freely. We don’t have to strive – we simply relax and enjoy what comes to us! The Bible refers to believers as “vessels of honour” (2 Timothy 2:20), but how can we be vessels of honour if we are getting hold of what we want (filling ourselves) through striving and our own efforts. We must all learn to relax and live in a “receiving” mode.

However, living in “receiving” mode is not as easy as it sounds. You have to teach yourself to receive from God. Most Christians are bent on ‘getting’ their needs met. Even when expressing their spirituality they say things like, “Did you get your breakthrough?” Or, “Did you get your blessing from the Lord?” Note, true faith has no measure of striving related to it – faith simply believes and then receives! “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24).

I’m sure you know many people who “believe” and yet struggle with the “receiving” part. Such ‘believers’ probably find it hard to receive from anyone. They refuse help and are awkward and embarrassed when people extend kindness toward them. This inability to receive is often rooted in insecurity and poor self-esteem. So remember, God wants to give you so much more than you can hope for, dream or imagine. In fact, He is waiting right now to pour out blessings into your life - so much that you’ll not be able to contain them! The big question is this, “Are you currently in receiving mode?”

One of the best ways to learn how to receive from God is to simply believe that God wants to bless you abundantly. Not because you think you deserve to be blessed, but because He is a good, kind, generous and loving God. Too many people relate to God as beggars and not sons and daughters. Instead of accepting that He is intrinsically good, and therefore, He wants to bless them, they are always pleading with Him to give them something or to do something for them.

Hebrews 4:16 says we should come boldly into the throne room of grace and receive all the help we need. This reflects the attitude of a son or daughter of the Most High God – not a beggar! Another thing to realise is, beggars cannot experience the “joy of the Lord” because they are not fully engaged in “receiving” mode. Jesus said, “Ask and receive that your joy might be full” (John 16:24). Many times God wants to give us exactly what we are asking for, and much more, so that our joy might be full, but it does not happen because we do not know how to receive it.

Often we try to earn (purchase from God with our good works) what He has already determined to give us. And as a result, He has to withhold these blessings until we have learnt to receive by faith. We all have to learn how to receive, and to receive freely from God, and not to try to score brownie points. We can never buy anything, or deserve anything, that comes from the hand of God. What’s more, He does not have to have a reason to bless us. His unconditional love is reason enough. Trust me, God wants to do so much more that we can ever ask, dream about or imagine. Thinking we must work for, or deserve, God’s blessings is a religious mind-set at its worst. Why? Because it makes mockery of Christ’s suffering on the cross. Jesus paid the price in order that we may not be indebted to God because of sin. We are now fully justified and righteous in His sight. There is no need to perform in order to receive from God - He is your heavenly Father!

Another bottleneck when it comes to receiving from God is an incorrect (or bad) attitude. In Luke 18:17 Jesus tells us, “Whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child shall not in any way enter it [at all].” This verse does not say “whoever does not ‘get’ the kingdom of God.” It says, “…accept or receive.” It’s vital that we understand the difference between getting and receiving. We need a new mind-set toward God’s blessings - a mindset whereby we can relax and receive from God as a little child. A child will never look at you suspiciously if you offer to give him or her something for nothing. You won’t hear a child say. “Oh, don’t give it to me – I don’t deserve it!” And when you do give a child anything it always provokes extreme joy and excitement.

The same dynamic should be at work in our relationship with God. So stop trying to earn your blessings from God, and stop trying to perform for His favour. If you want to experience the abundant life that’s available in God’s kingdom you ought to become as innocent and as trusting as a little child. You must “welcome” and “accept” His goodness and kindness and not feel you have to become ‘good enough’ to be blessed by Him. Matthew 18:4 (AMP) states, “Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

You can become great in God’s kingdom by humbling yourself and simply trusting like a little child. And remember, no one can do everything right all the time. However, you can ‘make’ everything right if your heart is right! Mistakes are sometimes unavoidable; therefore, they should not bring about guilt and condemnation. And you should not wait until you do everything right before you are prepared to receive from God. His grace and mercy are abounding. A lot of the time, all He is looking for is a vessel that’s willing to receive - nothing else!

I encourage you to begin living like a “receiver” and not a “go getter”, and to approach God in faith - in the boldness you deserve as a son or daughter of His. And change the way you pray. Start adding these two vital words to your prayers… “I receive.” “I receive Your help; I receive Your blessings; I receive Your favour.” I guarantee that when you pray this way it will provoke you to praise Him like never before. What’s more, all the blessings will increase dramatically and even miracles will occur. Luke 18:42,43 confirms this, “Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; for your faith has healed you’. Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.” Notice, there is a distinct relationship between great faith, receiving and praise.

To end, let us all deliberately turn on to receiving mode – and let’s start to praise Him!

Chris Demetriou, 18/01/2010