Life More Abundantly

((music playing)) ((music playing)) >> In John 10 verses 9 and 10, Christ is making several distinctions and one of them is between life and life more abundantly. He's saying that there's a level of living and then there is a greater increase in the abundance of God in your life. Every one of you in this room as far as I can tell, you're right now alive.

Service isn't over till 12:30. Let's hope nothing changes. However, although you exist, there is an opportunity FOR YOU TO EXIST IN A BETTER WAY. TO HAVE GOD'S ABUNDANCE IN YOUR LIFE. And today we're going to see the distinction BETWEEN LIFE AND LIFE MORE abundantly and then give you the chance to choose which one of those you want.

So, let's begin with life. First and foremost, you need to know that until you believe you're not alive. This is what 1 John chapter 5 says. It says, "He who has the Son has life and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

This is the concept that he who believes is alive and he who does not believe is dead already. In John chapter 10, Jesus is having a conversation and an argument with the Pharisees. And he's challenging them because they are so blinded by their arrogance and their ignorance that they're not able to rejoice in what God has just done.

Arrogance is thinking you know it all. And ignorance is ignoring what you don't know. So, here you have people who think they know it all blatantly ignoring what they don't know arguing with the one who knows it all. How many of you realize you're going to lose that argument?

And the thing that they're arguing about happened in John chapter 9. In John chapter 9, Jesus heals a blind man. And for 41 verses, the Pharisees want to argue. THE ENTIRE CHAPTER, THEY WANT TO HAVE A FIGHT because they're upset about what Jesus did. In John chapter 1 John chapter 9 verse 1, it says that Jesus encountered a man who was blind and then the disciples asked, "Who sinned?

Did he sin or did his parents sin that he was born blind?" Jesus answers the question in the third verse. He says, "Nobody sinned. There's nobody to blame. It's nobody's fault." He says, "THIS MAN WAS BORN BLIND THAT THE GLORY OF GOD MAY BE REVEALED IN HIS LIFE."

THESE PHARISEES are so arrogant and ignorant they're ignoring the plain thing that's right in front of them. And what do I mean? Isaiah the 35th chapter, the fifth and the sixth verse says this about Messiah. The Pharisees are looking for Messiah. And here's what Isaiah says. "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened."

They even admit it. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, NO ONE'S OPENED BLINDED EYES. Uh excuse me. We We just did that. It says, "Then the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. And the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb SHALL SING." JESUS DID ALL OF THESE THINGS.

AND THEY SAID, "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. It can't be him." Anybody but him. The irony of it is that they're more spiritually blind than that man was naturally blind. So, in John chapter 10, Jesus starts TO TELL THEM. HE STARTS TO TELL THEM, "This is who I am and this is why I'm here.

I am the door. And I have come to give life and life more abundantly." Now, how powerful is the arrogance and the ignorance of legalism and religion? The Bible says in Romans chapter 10 that faith cometh by what? Hearing and hearing by the word of God. HERE IN JOHN CHAPTER 10, JESUS CHRIST THE WORD MADE FLESH IS TALKING TO THE PHARISEES.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A GREATER SOURCE FOR THE WORD THAN Jesus in the flesh speaking the spoken word to you. AND WHEN THEY HAVE THIS, RATHER THAN LET IT BUILD THEIR FAITH, THEIR arrogance and their ignorance override it. Can't be him. Nothing good comes out of Nazareth. Can't be him.

Look at his disciples, they smell like fish. CAN'T BE HIM. HOW OFTEN DO WE ALLOW OUR arrogance and our ignorance to disqualify us from receiving the blatant blessing that's right in front of us? You hear a preacher bring a word like greater things and you were made for more and you say, "Well, I don't know about that."

That's your arrogance and your ignorance not God's word. >> ((applause)) >> Now, YOU MAY BE HUMBLE about it. But sometimes I find people are very proud of their humility. How often DO PEOPLE MISS OUT ON WHAT GOD IS DOING BECAUSE THEY REFUSE to believe that he could do more?

WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS HIS WAYS ARE ABOVE OUR WAYS AS THE HEAVENS ARE above the earth. The Bible says that the depths of his wisdom AND HIS KNOWLEDGE IS PAST FINDING OUT. WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO TODAY IS REFUSE TO ALLOW THERE TO be any LIMITATION ON WHAT GOD CAN DO IN YOUR LIFE BECAUSE YOU CANNOT PUT HIM IN A BOX.

THERE'S NO SIDES THAT YOU CAN CONTAIN HIM IN. THERE'S NO HEIGHT THAT YOU CAN PUT HIM UNDER BECAUSE HE'S BIGGER THAN ANYTHING YOU COULD ASK, YOU COULD THINK, OR YOU COULD IMAGINE. BEGIN TO believe in HIM BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE LIFE TRULY begins when you believe. That's why the Bible says, "Believe on THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU SHALL BE SAVED."

Believe that he is the way if you're looking for direction. He is the truth if you're searching for an answer. He is the life if you're looking FOR STRENGTH THAT NO MAN COMES UNDER THE FATHER BUT BY HIM. BELIEVE THAT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. WHY? BECAUSE JESUS SAID "ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO THOSE who what?"

Believe. Believe that he is the resurrection and he is the life and he who BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NEVER DIE. YOU MAY BREATHE YOUR LAST BREATH IN THIS ATMOSPHERE BUT YOU'LL OPEN YOUR EYES AND RECEIVE NEW LIFE IN A CELESTIAL CITY WHOSE BUILDER and maker IS GOD. CHURCH, LIFE BEGINS WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN A GOD WHO CANNOT FAIL. >> ((applause)) >> Hebrews the 11th chapter tells us very clearly that without faith it is impossible to please God and that everyone who comes to God must believe.

Say that with me. Must believe that he is a rewarder. And he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. I believe that every one of you are here today because you're seeking the Lord. I believe that you're here today because he called to you. He told the Pharisees who did not believe, "You do not listen because you're not my sheep.

But my sheep know my voice." And I believe that you're here today because somewhere down inside of you, YOU HEARD HIS VOICE. YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE RECOGNIZED IT WHEN YOU HEARD IT. YOU MIGHT HAVE CALLED IT A GUT FEELING. I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M HERE. I'm just here.

Well, trust me. Heaven's not surprised to see you here. Because the voice of the Lord pulled you. Maybe it whispered. Maybe it shouted. MAYBE IT SOUNDED LIKE GRANDMA SAYING, "GET up and get to church." But thank God Jesus uses grandmas. >> ((applause)) >> But you heard HIM CALLING. HE'S CALLING TO YOU TODAY.

HE'S SAYING, "COME UNTO me all ye who are heavy laden and I'll give YOU REST." HE'S CALLING TO YOU TODAY. HE'S SAYING, "CAST ALL OF YOUR CARES UPON ME BECAUSE I CARE FOR YOU." HE'S CALLING TO YOU TODAY. HE'S SAYING, "THIS IS THE WAY. WALK IN IT." IF YOU'RE CARRYING A BURDEN TODAY THAT YOU WANT TO UNLOAD, TRUST ME.

HE'S CALLING TO YOU AND YOU CAN TRUST HIM BECAUSE HE'LL DIRECT YOUR PATH. HE'S CALLING TO THE SICK IN BODY. He's saying, "Pray the prayer of faith and the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise HIM UP." HE'S CALLING TO THE BROKEN TODAY.

He's saying that the spirit of the Lord IS UPON ME TO HEAL the broken hearted. HE'S CALLING TO THE CAPTIVE. HE SAID, "I AM HERE TO BRING LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVE AND OPEN PRISON DOORS TO THOSE WHO WERE BOUND." CHURCH, THE WORD OF GOD IS TRUE. WHOM THE SON SETS free is free indeed. >> [applause and cheering] >> Life begins when you believe.

But abundance begins when you obey. There's two different things here. Life and life more abundantly. And I don't know anybody who doesn't throw their hand in the air and say, "I want the abundant side of that." Please. But whether or not you walk in the abundance is not up to him, it's up to you.

Life begins when you believe. Abundance comes when you obey. In John chapter 10, Christ makes several distinctions. He says, "There's a thief and there's a shepherd. I'm the shepherd." He said, "There's a door, I'm the door." He said, "There's those who hear my voice, those are my sheep, and there's those who ignore it, they're not my sheep."

He says, "Life begins when you believe." Because in John chapter 10 verse 9, he said, "I am the door. Anyone who enters by me will be saved." Whosoever will, let him come. Now, let me be very clear about this. There are many ways to get to Jesus. But there's only one door to God the Father, and that is Jesus. >> ((applause)) >> The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed ((music playing)) everything.

In my new book, From the Tomb to Triumph, I take you ((music playing)) through this resurrection truth, from the suffering of the cross to the empty tomb, and into ((music playing)) the authority every believer is called to live in today. This month, for your gift ((music playing)) of any amount to support the work of Hagee Ministries, we want to send you Pastor John Hagee's new book, From Tomb to Triumph.

Claim the victory of the resurrection. And with your love gift ((music playing)) of $125 or more, we'll send you our handcrafted Genesis 12:3 olive wood anointing oil set box from Israel. And with your ((music playing)) gift of $500 or more, in addition, you'll also receive the Prophecy Study Bible and His ((music playing)) Glory Revealed.

The risen king reigns now, and his power is at work in you. Call the number ((music playing)) on your screen, use the QR code, or go to jhm.org/spring. >> ((applause)) >> You say, "Well, what do you mean? What's the difference?" I came to Jesus in a Sunday school class in church.

Other people come to Jesus watching television, listening to the radio, in a service like this one, in a jail cell. There are many, many, many ways to get to Jesus. But there's only one way to get to God, and that is Jesus. When Jesus said, "I am the door," he was saying, "I'm the only channel through which the blessings of God flow through."

If you try to get THERE A DIFFERENT WAY, YOU'RE A PART of the thief's crew. You're trying to go over the wall, not through the door. So, Jesus is telling us about life and life more abundantly. In verse 9, he says, "Whoever enters will be saved." How saved are you?

Jesus said in verse 27, "My sheep hear my voice. I know them, they follow me." In verse 28, he says, "This is how saved you are." That part's not in there, that's just me paraphrasing. He says, "I'll give them eternal life, and they shall never perish." Now, what's the difference?

Realize that you have eternal life in one of two locations. The penthouse is heaven. This one is called It's okay, you can say hell. It's a Bible word. You have heaven or you have hell. Those who go to hell perish. Those who go to heaven do not perish, but both are there for eternity.

SO, WHEN JESUS SAYS, "YOU'RE SAVED," HE SAYS, "YOU'RE GOING TO BE ETERNAL." Praise the Lord, I'm not going to stay in the ground when they bury me. But then he says, "YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO PERISH," MEANING that they're never going to be able to take me from heaven down to hell.

And then, if you want TO KNOW HOW SAVED YOU ARE, READ THE LAST PART OF THE VERSE. IT SAYS, "I'LL GIVE THEM eternal life." I like that. And they'll never perish, even better. BUT IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, IT SAYS, "NEITHER SHALL ANYONE SNATCH them out of my hand." >> ((applause)) >> That's powerful.

When I gave my life to him at 7 years old, he put me in his hand, and he won't let me go. Wow. You might try to wiggle out of his hand, but it SAYS RIGHT THERE, "NOBODY CAN SNATCH you out of his hand." If my GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE, WHY WOULD HE SAY IT?

OH, WELL, I WAS TAUGHT ARROGANCE. Those are red words. >> ((applause)) >> WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND? BECAUSE IF YOU believe that it's works-based, then you're going to misunderstand the reason for obedience. How many of you have children in this room? Thank you for raising your hand, my love.

Thank you. How many of you have obedient children in this room? Fewer hands than those who have children. How many of you have disobedient children in this room? I don't have a third hand, so I'm raising a foot. Now, the reason I say this is because I have children, amen.

Four of them. And though they be my children, there are times that they obey, and there are times that they disobey. NOW, THEY ENJOY ME MUCH MORE when they obey. AND I ENJOY THEM WHEN THEY OBEY. And when they disobey, >> [sighs] >> if you don't know, you're going to find out.

BUT REGARDLESS OF THEIR BEHAVIOR, OBEDIENCE OR DISOBEDIENCE, GUESS WHAT THEY NEVER CEASE to be? My child. They're mine. Obedience, they're acting like me. Disobedience, they're acting like me. You thought I was going somewhere else, didn't you? I may be crazy, but I ain't stupid. >> ((applause)) ((applause)) >> BECAUSE I AM SOMEBODY'S CHILD.

AND I'VE OBEYED, AND I'VE DISOBEYED. AND DAD LIKED ME BETTER WHEN I OBEYED. AND I LIKED HIM BETTER WHEN I OBEYED. But when I disobeyed, if you didn't know, you were going to find out. The Bible says the Lord loves whom he chastens. Your obedience or disobedience does not have anything to do with whether or not you are or are not his child.

You are his child when you believe in him. And from there, when you obey him, you are now walking from life to life more abundantly. It was the same in your home growing up. The more you behaved, the more abundant life got. The more you misbehaved, the harder life got.

God is the same. Go read Deuteronomy chapter 28. DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 28 VERSES 1 AND 2, it says, "If you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, all of these blessings shall come upon you, and they shall overtake you." That abundance only comes when you obey. Read the rest of the chapter.

He says, "If you don't obey," and then the rest of the chapter very clearly says, all of these curses. Now, it doesn't have anything to do with you being his son or his daughter. Israel was still his chosen people, but their behavior qualified them for the abundance, or it qualified them for barrenness.

They got to choose. You and I get to choose. Life begins at belief. Abundance begins with obedience. People say, "What does this have to do with John chapter 10?" Jesus said, "I am the door." Say that with me. "I am the door." He said, "Anyone who comes will be saved."

And then the last part of verse 9 says, "And will go in and out." In and out. You see two directions there? And it doesn't matter if they're in, and it doesn't matter if they're out. When they go in, they find something. And when they go out, they find something.

And the thing that they find, according to verse 9, is pasture. Jesus is saying, "If you're inside the door, you find provision. If you're outside the door, you find provision." What did God tell the children of Israel in Deuteronomy chapter 28? He said, "You'll be blessed in your going in, and you'll be blessed in your coming out.

You'll be blessed in the city, you'll be blessed in the field. You'll be blessed in your work, you'll be blessed in everything you put your hand to. You'll be blessed in the fruit OF YOUR BASKET, YOU'LL BE BLESSED IN YOUR fields with your flocks and your cattle." JESUS IS SAYING TO THE AUDIENCE THAT day the same thing that God was saying IN DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 28, "I'M THE WAY THAT YOU GET THOSE BLESSINGS."

AND HERE'S THE THING. HE'S TALKING about a sheepfold. It's a pen. Now, we don't understand this because we think groceries grow on shelves. But Jesus was talking to people who knew agriculture. They knew shepherding. And a sheepfold was a pen that was built so that when the sheep needed protection, they could come into the fold.

And if there was a lion or a wolf, he couldn't get to them. Or if it was wintertime and there was nothing to eat out in the pasture, they could come into the fold. And when they came into the fold, the good shepherd would bring them food. So, when Jesus was saying, "I'm the door," he's saying the only way to get into the protection is through me.

And then he says, "I'm the shepherd and my sheep know my voice." What does that mean? That means when the door is open, he's calling to the sheep saying, "Come on in here. There's something out there that's going to harm you, but when you come inside, I'm going to take care of you.

Oh, and when you get inside and it's time to go back outside, I'm going to open the door, I'm going to call to you, and you're going to come out, and you're going to find what you need on the outside." You see, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE INSIDE OR the outside, if you came through Jesus and you leave through Jesus, WHEREVER YOU GO, HIS GOODNESS AND HIS mercy and his favor and his BLESSINGS ARE ON YOU. >> ((applause)) >> THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE QUALITY OF YOUR SHEPHERD.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE A SHEPHERD LIKE JESUS CHRIST, YOU GET TO SAY WITH DAVID, "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD. I SHALL [screaming] NOT WANT." I SHALL not want for anything cuz he can do exceedingly and abundantly. I shall not want for grace because where sin did abound, his grace did much MORE ABOUND.

I SHALL NOT WANT FOR ANYTHING because he who began a good work in you is able to complete it. He's the door. He's the shepherd. And he's the savior. He said so in John chapter 10, verse 10. You say, "Well, I don't read anything about the shepherd." Just stay with me for a few moments.

The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy. You know, I would love to be able to tell you the thief does not come. Period. Do you know how much easier it would be to get people to join the church if I could tell you once you've joined the church, the thief doesn't come?

I mean, if you're just a congregant and you come on Christmas and Easter, the thief is coming. But if you go through the three classes and you become a member, the thief doesn't come. Oh, I wish I could tell you that I could get him out of your life, but he's been there since the beginning.

He was there in Eden. He's been there generation after generation doing all that he can to try and hinder people from believing in a God who saves. And every time he comes, he's coming to do the same thing. He's coming to steal. He's coming to kill. He's coming to destroy.

I'M NOT HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT the thief isn't coming. I'm here TO TELL YOU WHAT JESUS SAID, HE'S COMING. BUT JESUS DIDN'T SAY WHEN HE COMES, put on your seatbelt, it's going to get rough. He didn't say when he comes, best of luck. He didn't say when he comes, change churches.

He didn't say when he comes, IT'S YOUR WIFE'S FAULT. WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT THE THIEF? HE SAID, "WHEN he comes, I HAVE COME." WHENEVER HE SHOWS UP, I'M GOING TO BE THERE. WHENEVER HE COMES TO STEAL, I'M GOING TO GIVE MY ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU, AND NO WEAPON FORMED IS GOING TO PROSPER.

WHENEVER HE COMES TO KILL, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU LIFE AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY. WHENEVER HE COMES TO DESTROY, RECOGNIZE THAT WHATEVER HE DESTROYS, I'LL GIVE BACK TO YOU. IF IT TAKES HIM YEARS TO STEAL IT, I'M GOING TO POUR IT OUT, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER, AND RUNNING OVER.

CHILD OF GOD, WHEN THE THIEF COMES, DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT THE THIEF IS DOING. STAND UPON GOD'S WORD, submit to God, resist the devil, AND HE'LL FLEE from you. When the thief comes, recognize that greater is he WHO IS IN YOU THAN HE WHO'S IN THE WORLD. WHEN THE THIEF COMES, CELEBRATE THAT WE HAVE OVERCOME HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB and the word OF OUR TESTIMONY.

WHEN THE THIEF COMES, KNOW THAT NOTHING CAN SNATCH YOU OUT OF GOD'S HAND, AND NOTHING CAN SEPARATE you from his precious love, and that HE'S COME TO GIVE YOU LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY, GRACE THAT IS SUFFICIENT, VICTORY IN EVERY DAY BECAUSE OUR [screaming] GOD IS ABLE TO KEEP WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO HIM.

GIVE THE LORD A SHOUT OF PRAISE. Jesus Christ told his disciples that they would be able to do greater things than they had seen him do. How was he able to make this promise? Simply because the same power that was alive in him was available to them through his word.

That power is available to you today if you put your faith and your hope in Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining us. We look forward to seeing you again very soon. In a world filled with ((music playing)) noise, one message still brings peace. At Hagee Ministries, our mission is clear.

Proclaim the truth of God's word, equip believers, and reach the lost from the sanctuary ((music playing)) of hope to feeding the hungry and caring for the sick. We go where God sends us. This mission is accomplished because of you, your heart for the kingdom. >> ((music playing)) >> Partner with us today at jhm.org/partner.

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