The Good Life Series Spring 2014
La Dolce Vita- Italian
La buena vida- Spanish
The Good Life- English
What do you think of when you hear the phrase
“The Good Life”?
 The Good Life TV Show
 Good Life Realty company
 Book- “The Good Life”
 Good Life –Band
 Austin had “The Good Life Magazine”
 Kanye West- The Good Life
 There’s “The Good Life” Project Good Life Music
 The Good Life- Positive Psychology
Before we go and discredit or disregard them let’s
realize they all point to a common trait among
humans….the desire for the good life.
"The good life" is a philosophical term for the
life that one would like to live, originally associated
with Aristotle.
Does the Bible have anything to say about this?
Psalm 1:1-3- Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
3 John 2- Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in
all things and be in health, just as your soul
prospers.
Psalm 25:12-13- Who is the man that fears the
Lord?
Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
Psalm 35:27- Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the Lord be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
1. God wants you to prosper.
Word prosper is used over 100 times
Prosper means “to make successful”
God wants you to be successful.
The world has an idea of what successful
means but so does the scripture.
2. Success in God’s terms is defined by becoming
a certain kind of person- in fact, by becoming
like Christ.
John 10:10- The thief does not come except to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that
they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly.

"More abundantly" means to have a
superabundance of a thing.

"Abundant life" refers to life in its abounding
fullness of joy and strength for mind, body, and
soul, and spirit.

"Abundant life" signifies a contrast to feelings of
lack, emptiness, and dissatisfaction.

“Abundant life” may include expectations of
prosperity and health, but also includes other
forms of fullness of life when faced with
adverse circumstances
 Abundant life for a person begins with the new
birth, a new relationship with God through Christ ,
o Then new motivations, and a new
relationship with mankind follows.
o The process of Christian maturity for
that person continues with learning to
live abundantly, being cleansed from
sin, and learning to fight spiritual battles
3. Are you a Prince or Pauper?
Poverty or Prosperity?
Lack or Abundance?
Mentality of Scarcity or Surplus”ity”?
Is your Heavenly Father a Rich Dad or Poor Dad?
Which one are you living under or from?
Poverty is not just an economic problem- it is a
soul and spirit problem.
We hear “spirit of Poverty” does this mean that it is
a demon of poverty? Maybe, but more likely it
refers to a disposition. A posture. A way of thinking.
A mindset…
remember in God’s kingdom he focuses on us
“becoming” before us “having”
Do I think like a pauper? Has a poverty mindset
found its way into my life?
Here are some signs of spirit of poverty.
 Creates Anxiety or fear. Living Paycheck to
paycheck or when you get beyond that you
worry about losing it all
o Boy whose mother was addict, died of
overdose when a family took him in at
dinner he would stuff food in his pockets.
 Hoards token things, mistaking clutter and junk
for wealth. Never get rid of things, even broken
things.
o Hoarders- Mental illness. But tendencies to
hoard spiritual sickness
 Believes, “Things just happen to me”. Avoid
dreaming about future because it only reminds
you of how powerless you feel to change.
 Instant gratification. Impulse purchases,
hundreds of dollars on worthless trinkets. Resist
plan to save or invest.
o Children with Marshmallows. 1 now or 2
later.
 Feel enslaved. Ruled by your finances. Constant
sense of being trapped.
 Chokes out generosity. You may want to give
but feel you can’t.
 Fights to keep you in the same condition. You
keep others in that condition! If someone has a
financial breakthrough, the poverty spirit in you
hopes they lose it.
All of these are symptoms of the deeper wounds of
our souls in the areas of identity and purpose.
Poverty is not just an economic problem- it is a
soul and spirit problem.
It is not what you have! People can be rich and
miserly or poor and miserly.
People live either happily of miserably regardless
of their financial condition or any other
circumstance.
John 10:10- The thief does not come except to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that
they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly.
Abundant life speaks of prosperity and health
for the total human being, including the body, mind,
emotions, relationships, material needs, and
eternal life. In order to have an impact on a
person's fullness of life, it is essential for that
person to align their thoughts with God's truth.
A prosperous soul renews its mind with “there is
always enough” and displaces a poverty mentality.
Poverty Creates Anxiety or fear.
Prosperous soul is anxious for nothing
Poverty hoards
Prosperous soul conserves and usesrecycles/reuses
Poverty believes, “Things just happen to me”.
Prosperous soul “ I am here to be a blessing,
you dream about how you are here to make the
world better.
Poverty Instant
Prosperous soul exercises self-control
towards goals and dreams.
Poverty binds you
Prosperous soul brings contentment
Poverty chokes out generosity
Prosperous soul revels in it. You love to give.
Poverty fights to keep you in the same condition.
Prosperous soul seeks continual expansion
and growth, empowers and enriches others.
Rejoice when others are blessed.
Replace poverty paradigm with prosperity
paradigm.
Lack with abundance
Scarcity with surplus
Romans 8:32-He who did not spare his own son
but gave him up for us all, will he not willingly give
us all things”.
ResponseThinking like a Prince or Pauper?
First step to the good life begins with the new birth,
a new relationship with God through Christ