I have to admit. This is a concept I am still trying to wrap my mind around. The idea of a life to the full is a beautiful and most desirable concept, but sometimes when fear and doubt come in, I have no idea how to go about doing it. However, as I was reading in John the other day, I came across God's game plan for a full and abundant life.

I am a huge fan of Joyce Meyer. I think she's fabulous, has tons of sass (which I value highly), and God has used her ministry to push me out of some really dark places. Anyone who knows her, knows that one of her favorite verses to use is John 10:10 (in the Amplified Bible of course).

"The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]." - John 10:10 (AMP)

Whenever Joyce will use this when referring to an "abundant life," it is always followed with the following phrase, "to the full, till it overflows." Cognitively, I know what that means. I can explain it in biblical terms and probably give you a couple of other biblical truths to support it. However, as far as heart knowledge, I have no idea what that looks like. What is a full life? What do you mean it overflows? How can it when I struggle with __________? However, if it's read in context, Jesus explains it pretty clearly; it all goes back to security in Christ.

1. Know His voice
"The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice." John 10:3-4 (NLT)

Jesus illustrates His design for a full and abundant life with a parable (I know right, He never does that!). In this illustration, He compares our relationship with Him to that of a shepherd and His flock of sheep which is actually really accurate because if you know anything about sheep, they're actually kind of dumb and need constant guidance to accomplish nearly anything. However, they are pretty loyal to their shepherd and follow with extreme loyalty. I've heard it said if a shepherd were to lead his sheep down a cliff they would walk right off. In this parable Jesus uses this to illustrate how we should follow Jesus: with undying loyalty. But why do we follow and trust Jesus? How can we? Because we know His voice. In knowing the voice of the Savior, we can distinguish the lies from the truth and can be led away from fear and worry in a split second when we recognize deceit. But what do we do when we hear that nagging voice that isn't our good and wonderful Shepherd?

2. Run from that which isn't His voice
"They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice." - John 10:5 (NLT)

Verse 5 suggests that we run from that which we do not recognize as our Shepherd. Now, this is not to say that we should run out of fear. No, we fight from victory; there's no reason to fear. But I think sometimes, when temptation or lies come around the best way to defeat them is not to dwell but to rebuke and run the other direction into the arms of our Shepherd. One of the biggest reasons shepherds exist is to protect their sheep from predators. Jesus is no different.

3. Live life to the full
"The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." - John 10:10 (NLT)

When we learn to distinguish between the voices and fight the vile ones accordingly, we can enter into the full life the Lord intends for us. You see, we aren't meant to live a defeated life, we have been redeemed so that we can live a full and abundant life! But we can't do that if we dwell on anything other than His voice. From this place of living life to the full we can be confident in points 4 and 5.

4. He's not leaving
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep." - John 10:11-13 (NLT)

A shepherd's livelihood depends on his sheep. Therefore, a good shepherd doesn't leave the flock he's in charge of because that would mean his livelihood is on the line; losing even one sheep to a predator isn't an option. So he is extra vigilant in keeping watch over the sheep because the risk of losing one is far too great.

Because we know the Lord's voice and we know that His purpose is good, we can be confident that He is not the hired hand; He is the good shepherd and a good shepherd stays with the sheep always until the end because the risk of losing one to the predator is a risk He is not willing to take.

I think a lot of times we look at Jesus as the hired hand. We think He was sent to earth with the same demeanor that a parent sends their kid to school (Dad do I have to?). But that's not it at all. He even says in verse 18, "No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again.” Jesus came down here voluntarily because He loved us, and He's not about to leave us like a hired hand now.

5. No one can take me from Him; my salvation is secure
"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand." - John 10:28-29 (NLT)

This is the summit of living life to the full: rest secure in your salvation that Christ so fiercely paid for. When we realize, and I mean fully realize and know both in head and heart, how secure we are as redeemed children of God, nothing can touch us. Salvation is a gift that cannot be lost or taken once it is accepted through a profession of faith. We were paid for at a heavy price with an unbreakable insurance plan: grace.

Freedom is a choice and often times (as I'm learning) one that is a daily choice. But it starts with the realization that God is a good Shepherd and His desire is for us to live our lives the way He intended: to the full, till it overflows.