The Lord of Surplus

Barely enough or more than enough?
"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." Isa 1:19.
We all know that there is great poverty in this world. Most people on the planet have a terrible existence, some living on garbage dumps, and others caught in crime, addiction and prostitution.

Children living off garbage.

Is God to blame for the way things are? I think not. In Genesis chapter 1, God comments on His creation, "It is good". Without going into the full story of the fall of man, Jesus provides a powerful and succinct explanation to the seeming paradox by saying, "the thief's purpose is to rob and to steal and to destroy.." (John 10:10) If you are leading a life that is less than good in any area, you have been robbed by your limited expectations and an unseen enemy! Need I say who?

Fortunately for us and for all mankind, Jesus continues to say, " but I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly." More life means more in the physical realm, soul realm, and spirit realm. More of God, more of His presence, more love, more peace, more joy, more hope, more faith, more wealth, more health etc. In a nutshell, it means much, much more than you have now even if you have a lot!

God's abundance streaming into your life like a mighty river!

What it takes
What it takes to move from not enough to more than enough is to ask and believe and receive. Jesus says in another verse , "blessed are those who have not seen but believed". John 20:29 If you can believe that you will have more that you have now in any area sets you up to receive. A vague hope that things will change is just not good enough. That's why we need to get the good news to those who are living without hope, to tell them about Jesus and His words. Here is a truth that is hard to swallow, God is not moved by need, but only by faith! "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6) Faith is expecting to receive, it is a knowing that you will get what you are hoping for. Switch on your expectation. A thought-image of God's wealth constantly held in the mind will produce that experience in your life. Any prayer request continually entertained in your mind as an existing reality has a magnetic power drawing your request to you. If you persevere and conquer the pressure to start doubting or giving up on it, in time you will have it! (Mark 4)

Joseph Prince tells the story of a lady in Singapore, the billionaire president of a company that built the world's largest desalination plant. She grew her business by holding on to God's promises in the two scriptures quoted above, John 10:10 and John 20:29! Why are some businesses and churches struggling and others thriving? It is not a matter of the economy but one of expectation.

The Giver or the gifts?
I have met so many believers whose attitude is that we must seek the Giver, not the gift. How ridiculous that is! Imagine a bride saying to her new husband at the wedding, "I just want you dear, not your ring, the  honeymoon, the home you want to provide, the new car, the clothes etc." What a slap in the face of a loving God who is all about giving and sharing!  Deuteronomy 28:11 says, "The Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity.."  The gifts come with the Giver. Accept the One and He immediately wants to share all that He has with His bride, that is you!

The overflowing cup
King David knew how to accept more from God. David writes in Psalm 23, "You prepare a feast before me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows". Israel was never as successful, as big and as powerful as it was under David. Its borders stretched from Egypt to Babylon!

God gives until it overflows, until there is a surplus. He is the Lord of surplus, not the Lord of barely enough. The surplus is intended to expand your life experience and for others who do not have enough. How much is enough? "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.." (Eph 3:20)  Enough is more than you can think about or ask for. It is even more than you can imagine! This statement represents the difference in the scale of what you are thinking and the scale of God's thinking.

A mountain of  harvested grain

Scripture commands us to transform our thinking. While you're at it aim higher, reach for the sky. We can be so much more than we have been. It starts by expecting much much much more than just enough. Believe that God wants to give you more than crumbs from a garbage heap, even more than the good things you have now and much much more than what you are accustomed to. If you say what you have is good enough for you, you have set your limits and not God. Restricting His giving by limited expectations limits what we can do for others simply because the overflow is meant not only to expand your life experience, but those of others.

Repeat this prayer daily and see your life change!
Lord, I am now planting the idea of Your abundant wealth in the good soil of my spirit. You are the source of my supply and all my needs are met right now and at any future moment. Money is Your idea because nothing was made without You. It is therefore, a good and divinely created substance. Because I am a branch and You are the vine, Your abundant wealth flows through my life like a mighty river constantly, freely and joyously. I am an outlet for everything that You have and as I hold these thoughts, great buds of abundance form, blossom and flower in my life. I give thanks for it and use it wisely for my needs and pleasure, and to expand Your kingdom here on earth!