THE ABUNDANT LIFE

Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly (in all its fulness)” (John 10:10).

What does it mean to have the life of Christ more abundantly? Charles Spurgeon suggests seven ways.

First, desire more stamina. Laborers in the kingdom of God have to be healthy and not sickly. Jesus came that, in the spiritual sense, we may have stamina, vigor, so that we may be capable of arduous service and powerful action. He would have us walk without weariness and run without fainting. He would have us be strong. There is a difference between some Christians and others. Some Christians are spiritual invalids. They hope, but fear is almost fully in possession of their hearts. They need medicine and nursing. When they are given work for the Lord and they grow weary; discourage them a little and they are in despair. A very large proportion of Christians are on the sick list and are in decline from want of deep-seated principle and sound vitality of godliness, which is what I mean by stamina. They have no grit in their nature, no decision, no tenacity of belief, no firmness of grip. Those who have life more abundantly are good soldiers of Jesus Christ, they have learned to stand fast in the truth, they know what they know and are able to put to silence the fair speeches of deceivers. They are strong in the Lord and the power of his might. I pray that every member of the church may be a person of inward stamina, not one of those spiritual babies whom we have to be looking after every day and feeding with spiritual spoon victuals every Sunday, but Christians who, by the blessing of God, have got something in them which they know the value of and which they could not give up if all the world should tempt or threaten them.

Secondly, we have life more abundantly by the enlargement of the sphere of our life. The souls of some Christians live like squirrels in cages and each day their wheel revolves; it is all the world they know. Jesus Christ came to give his people a wider, broader life than this. When Jesus comes he enlarges the sphere of the most capacious mind and makes the greatest intellect to feel that it was confined until he sets it free. Beyond time and space does Jesus lead us. The life which he has given us has been tossed and turned like Jonah. We have been rescued and forgiven and feast upon God’s love. This is a life with no mean dimensions, for we dwell in God and are in fellowship with the Infinite. We are no longer shut up to self but converse and commune with all the saints. We have entered into the mysteries of the invisible for the Spirit has led us into all truth and shown us that which was hid from ages and from generations.

Thirdly, our life in Christ becomes more abundant as our powers are brought into exercise. None of us know what we may be, we are in our infancy yet. Christ has come to give us a fuller life than we have yet attained. Look at the apostles! Before Pentecost they were mere junior scholars; they were often ambitious and contentious among themselves; but when Jesus had given them the Spirit, what different men they were! Jesus developed in Peter new powers. We do not know what we may become. Pray to Jesus to make you all you can be. Some Christians have the life of Christ in their hearts but only partially in their heads, for they don’t study the Gospel nor use their brains to understand its truths. Some Christians are alive only in parts for little or nothing is to be seen of practical love or zeal.

Fourthly, an increased degree of energy is intended. We may have the powers, but may not exercise them, and no doubt many Christians have great spiritual capacities but they lie still for lack of intensity of purpose. When is a person most alive? When they are in determined pursuit of a favorite purpose. They have formed a resolution and the mean to carry it out and you can see them pressing forward upon the track all aroused and full of eagerness. The Lord Jesus has given us a purpose, a motive and an impulse which we cannot resist. This gives an intensity to life which increases its abundance by arousing it all. Enthusiasm is life effervescing, life in volcanic eruption. Our divine Master has aroused the flame of our life by inspiring us with the glorious passion of love to himself. This provides us with stimulus and impetus. A heart which is wholly surrendered to the love of Jesus is capable of thoughts and deeds to which colder souls must forever be strangers. It is not possible for us to tell how potent for good any one among us may become. If the Spirit of God shall come upon you, it will make you do great things and achieve lofty victories.

Fifthly, abundance of life is often seen in the overflow of enjoyment. When the Lord gives you more life you also will have more joy. You will no more go moping about the house or be thought melancholy and dull when the Lord gives you life more abundantly. Sing and enjoy the life God has given you in Christ.

Sixthly, abundance of life will be seen in delicacy of feeling. When there is more life in you then you are more capable and sensitive to pain and suffering. You will suffer more and have more pleasure. You are sensitive to joys unknown to others for you have very tender hearts. When your soul is blest with holy delicacy, when every part of your nature has become full and brimming over with intense sensitiveness to the divine mind and will then you are getting where Christ would have you to be. You have a marvelous apprehension and keenness of perception which had not been there before.

Seventhly, life, when it is in abundance, becomes supreme. Christians should have such abundant life that their circumstances should not be able to overcome them; such abundance that in poverty they are rich, in sickness they are in spiritual health, in contempt they are full of triumph, and in death full of glory. Glorious is that life which defies circumstances. There is death within us and that death struggles with our life. Our life has dashed death down and holds it beneath its feet; but tremendous is the struggle of death to rise again and get the mastery. We must hold death down, we must grip him as with bands of iron, and hold him down and plant the knee of prayer upon his bosom and press him to the earth. We must not suffer sin to have dominion over us, but life more abundant must, through grace, triumph over inward corruption. You shall be more than conquerors through him who has loved you.

(Abridgment of a sermon delivered January 4,1874 by Charles Spurgeon at the London Metropolitan Tabernacle)