Enter Wild: A 5-Day Devotional by Carlos WhittakerSample

 “Abundant Life”

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

In John 10:10 the Greek word for this life to the full is zoe. Here, zoe means a new, special kind of life. The abundant life of the Spirit. It is a spiritual power, sustenance, strength, energy, force. It is literally the radiant life of God given to us! 

The reason you need it is because you are going to go through a great deal of trials and hardships in this life. You need zoe, that powerful force that comes from having the life of Jesus in you, because of all the other stuff this life brings. Because of the thief who is here to steal, kill, and destroy. 

That guy? That guy can’t touch your soul because of the zoe, the abundant life, the “life to the full” that is growing inside you.

But, friends, we have mistakenly defined zoe, or abundant life, to mean a better job, more money, a fixed marriage, that house you’ve been dream­ing about. No. Although those are great and fantastic things that God may give to us, those are not what John 10:10 is referring to. 

We have to switch our definition to mean abundance no matter your job. Abundance no matter how much money you have. Abundance no matter your marital status. Abundance no matter your living conditions.

What does Jesus mean when He speaks of abundant life? It’s clearly not a nice little life. Abundance has nothing to do with accumulating things and every­thing to do with accessing the King. When you start seeing John 10:10 through that lens, you realize that abundant life—life to full—is available in our brightest hours and in our darkest hours. 

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, 

I am seeking the abundant life that You spoke of in John 10:10, and I now renounce any lies I have believed about my ability to receive this abundant life. I pray that Your abundance begins to manifest itself in me. 

I thank You for the abundance I do see in my life. I thank You for being the One who brings all that to my life. 

In the name of Jesus, amen.