The Outlandish Abundance Found in God’s Will

I wrote recently about the wonder of God’s will – “His desire is my glad surrender.”

The Abundance of an Open Heaven

But there is another side of God’s Will. His will is His goodness and pleasure, a creative joy. That surprises us. But I’m seeing in the Bible how much His will is that we are showered with His goodness…

God’s will is ALSO to be the most tender Father, the generous Provider, the compassionate Parent. O He loves us so!

In obedience, we come under the Wings of His Fatherhood and we experience His overwhelming blessing.

We want to DO His will but we also need to RECEIVE His will. To be committed to obey Him is to come under an open heaven where His favor becomes visible, His gifts simply appear.

The Abundance of God’s Goodness

Our Father in heaven is especially tender during our sufferings (John had a post about this). Once I was ill for a whole year and I was air lifted to the ocean five times! I couldn’t afford such a luxury but it happened anyway. I don’t know what healing I received from sitting beside that eternal sea, but I was healed and restored.

Twice Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:14). That simple, familiar statement is boundless to describe His character and His power.

The Greek for ‘good’ means this: “expresses beauty as a harmonious completeness, balance, proportion. Good as to quality and character.”

That definition explodes the common little word GOOD and shows us the nature of Christ. He is perfect and beautiful in excellence and integrity. He is the perfect Leader and faithful Protector of us wandering sheep!

Jesus would have us experience His nature – a perfect, matchless Shepherd.

“I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”
John 10:10 AMPC

Enjoy life? That is God’s intention for His own? How much we see life as so very hard, that most insidious lie of Satan!

The word ‘life’ there means ‘physical life and existence.’ So down in our earthly life, our human existence – in that common place ­­– He will provide, give, pour out an outlandish abundance.

In the earthly place of His will is the glory of overwhelming provision: physical, spiritual, practical, and relational. EVERY need is met and more than supplied. If we seek to obey, we will have eyes to see what treasure is spread before us.

The Abundance God Pours on Us

A few days ago, I said I would look up the word ‘abundantly.’ What I found was astonishing!

Strong’s #4053: ‘around over and above, more than enough, superabundant.’ LN59.51 ‘pertaining to a quantity so abundant as to be considerably more than one would expect or anticipate.’

The AMPC defines abundance accurately: to the full, till it overflows.

God’s gift of blessing surrounds us, covers and overwhelms us. What abundance does God give? Extraordinary Love. Adventure. Satisfaction. Wellbeing. Spiritual strength. And His family-belonging:

For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.
Mark 3:35 NASB

Wealth? Perhaps, when we can handle it and need it for His service. But as to money, He gives what money cannot buy: riches of His wisdom, the treasure of knowing Him, and the fruit of eternal significance.

His chastening (Hebrews 12) of ‘whom the Lord loves’ is just to prepare and make us fit and able to receive the blessed outpouring He wants to give…

We are rather blind sheep. He gives and we don’t see. We complain about lack and grumble about His ‘manna.’

I came…to make the sightless see and to make those who see become blind.
John 9: 39b AMPC

Here is a basic foundation of His will and the healing of our blind ingratitude:

…in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 AMP