Living Abundantly in Your Giving
// Kenneth W. Hagin
We do not have to live in lack. We do not have to be down and out. Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that [you] may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10 NIV). The King James Version says, "that [you] might have it more abundantly."
You've probably heard this scripture before and may have even quoted it yourself many times. But are you really living a full, abundant life?
It's not impossible to live abundantly. If it was, Jesus wouldn't have said it. So why aren't some people experiencing abundance? They're not living in their giving!
Let's look at the Word of God and see how our giving and living are connected.
LUKE 6:38 (NLT)
38 "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back."
Do you see it? Our receiving is tied to what God said about giving. If we want to experience an abundant life, we must consider the Lord's instructions.
Believe in the Blessing
We need to understand several things about living in our giving. First, we must believe that God will pour out His blessings on those who give. That's what the Word says.
MALACHI 3:10 (NIV 1984)
10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
This verse says that when we give, the floodgates of Heaven will be opened. Think about this a moment. What determines when a natural floodgate is opened? It's how much water is collected behind the dam.
Likewise, God's floodgates are moved by what we're putting behind them—by what we give! Remember what Luke 6:38 says? What we give determines what we receive.
You see, when we give, God pours out His blessing on us. According to Galatians chapter 6, we will reap a harvest!
GALATIANS 6:9–10 (NIV)
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
We also need to know that, even though we will receive when we give, we shouldn't be giving just to get. Our motive for giving must be to support God's Kingdom and have His abundant life. And that abundant life doesn't come just in the form of finances. It comes in the form of God's favor, protection, mercy, and so forth. The good things we receive in our lives today come from our giving yesterday.
Giving Goals
Let me encourage you to set goals in your giving—just as you do in other areas of life. Second Corinthians 9:6–7 says, "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (NIV 1984).
The tithe—the first 10 percent of our income—belongs to God, but these verses are talking about giving an extra offering. And verse 6 says those who sow or give generously will reap generously. Will! That means certainly, surely, and definitely. Those are strong words, but I have found them to be true.
I remember how God would speak to my dad in the early years of his ministry and tell him to give an offering. We hardly had enough for ourselves! But as Dad continued to give as God directed him, a day came when he was living abundantly in his giving.
It didn't happen overnight—but as he continued to give, it got better and better. And it will for you too. Because the more you give, the more you receive.
Are you living the abundant life? Do you want to continue to live where you are? If not, it's time to change your giving. Set some new goals. God is watching over His Word to perform it in every area, and you can begin to live abundantly out of your giving!