My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10
This week, I was listening to a sermon on the anointing of God. The preacher, Dick Foth, mentioned he used to have a radio show in which he used the tagline, "It's time to wake up and live!"
That simple phrase completely captured my heart and my mind!
Jesus said in John 10:10 that His purpose is to give us an abundant life! Over the last few years, I've struggled to find balance. I've found myself so consumed with work that there's little energy left for anything else--family, friends, hobbies, following my passions and my purpose. I feel like I'm doing anything but living the abundant life.
And it's something God has really been speaking to me about lately.
He's also been speaking to me about His power, His Holy Spirit anointing. I know He's at work, and He's up to something! He's speaking and moving. He's reminding me of all His promises. He's telling me to walk by faith and not by sight. He's telling that when I choose to walk in obedience, He promises to carry me. Oh, there's so much He's been speaking!
Here's the thing: I want to live a life of abundance! I know the faith-life is an adventure. It's not for the faint of heart because it requires stepping out in faith without knowing the outcome. But, it's also an adventure in knowing God, in seeing Him move in response to our obedience. It's an exciting life where we get to see God pour out His power in us and through us. It's about seeing God move in ways that are far greater than anything we could ever ask, hope, or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 1 Corinthians 4:20
So how do we live a life of anointing? How do we tap into His power to give us the abundant life we desire?
I encourage you to ask two questions (again from Dick Foth with my own take on them):
Who is God? We will never find the abundant life until we know who God is. How do we get to know God?
We dig into scripture. The God of the Bible is also the God who never changes. The God who parted the Red Sea for Moses is still doing miracles in our world and in our lives today. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. As we dig into scripture and see the character of God, we can be assured that He has not changed. He is still here, standing ready to step in and work on our behalf when we surrender fully to Him.
We ask for His help. Do you remember the story of the father who came seeking help on behalf of his child? He told Jesus that he believed, but then he exclaimed, "Lord, help my unbelief!" Do you ever feel that way? I find myself frequently reminding God that while I believe in Him, sometimes I struggle to believe. My heart's cry can so easily be summed up with the simple phrase, "Lord, help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). That's a prayer Jesus will always answer.
We give Him our time and our devotion. God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14). He wants to have our undivided heart and attention. Practically speaking, what does this look like? For me, it means I make my time with God a priority. When I get out of bed in the morning, I try to make time with God the very first thing I do. As I give Him the rightful place in my heart and mind, I find myself drawing near to Him, experiencing His goodness. When we truly get to know Him, we find that we get the opportunity to taste and see that He truly is good.
Who am I? Not only do we need to have a clear picture of who God is, but we need to have a clear picture of who we are. I have really been digging into this question lately. God created me for a purpose. He has created me as a unique individual with special gifts and talents. He created me to do good works He planned for me before time began.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10
I am His masterpiece! But how can I ever fulfill the purpose for which He made me if I don't have a full and complete grasp on who I am?
Honestly, I thought I knew myself well until I started digging into some training by GiANT, an organization devoted to helping people know and lead themselves. As I began to take a deeper look, I began to realize I don't know myself as well as I think I do.
One of the tools that really impacted me was the 70/30 principle. This tool helps us evaluate our lives to determine if we are functioning within our strengths and our purposes at least 70% of the time. When we function in our strengths and our purposes at least 70% of the time, we find ourselves energized rather than drained.
Sadly, I'm not functioning in my strengths and purposes 70% of the time which is one of the causes of my burn-out.
I have had such an amazing time digging into these tools and getting to know myself better, and I want you to have the opportunity to get to know yourself better as well. One of the things I love about GiANT and these tools is the affordability. For only $10/month, you can have access to all of the tools: the 5 Voices, the 70/30 principle, the Peace Index, and so much more! It's an opportunity for you to dig in to who God created you to be and become the best you you can be. By getting to know yourself better, you will find the tools you need to start Waking up and living!
If you would like to talk to me about the tools, email me at dena@denajohnson.com. I have been so blown away by these tools and how they can help me move into my purpose, better my relationship with my husband and kids, and just how they can lead me into that place of living an abundant life.
God bless!
