No. 1614: Jesus will give life and abundance, while the Thief will only steal, kill and destroy!

No. 1614:
Jesus will give life and abundance, while the Thief will only steal, kill and destroy!

The thief is here the evil one – Satan – as described by Jesus.
It is one of his many names and attributes.
Illustration image

https://blog.janchristensen.net/2021/03/nr-2830-hvert-sted-i-setter-eders-fot.html
https://blog.janchristensen.net/2020/09/nr-2748-alle-guds-lfter-guds.html

Joh.e. 10. 10 The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and they may have it abundantly.

Jesus refers to Satan here as a thief, and he really is. What does the Thief want?
Jesus says it himself here; "steal, kill and destroy!"

What does it mean to steal? Here from Wikipedia.
Theft refers to unjustifiably taking someone else's things in order to obtain an advantage for oneself in that way. In §321 of the Norwegian Penal Code, this is stated as follows:
Theft is punishable by anyone who takes an object belonging to another, with the intention of obtaining an unjustified gain for himself or others by selling, consuming or otherwise appropriating it.

Satan really does not own any worldly things. But God has given us humans stewardship responsibility for this earth, and the things that are on earth.
This is where the Thief (Satan) operates.

Satan's goal is to make things uncomfortable, not make things easy!

Everyone has experienced being exposed to something unpleasant. In the form of theft, abuse, bad treatment etc.
That is how Tyven operates.
Does not create anything of its own, but robs others who have created and done something.
Who is in possession of something that is his, that the Thief wants.

We read about the evil one's fight against Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden!

What do we see there?
Satan will always disturb, mislead and ultimately make that which God will give us.
Or has given us, is robbed from us.
If we are robbed and end up with darkness reigning where light should have reigned.
God had placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, where they were to rule and were Blessed.

Satan will exchange the good, the right and that which is for the best for us. With evil, that which robs us of joy and that which is for the worst for us.

There are two opposites, God and Satan. We read about how Satan seduced Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and this is how he works today as well. The tactics are the same, to deceive and play us so that we follow His evil purposes. Not God's plan and will!

Genesis 3. 1. But the serpent was more cunning than all the animals of the field that God the Lord had made, and it said to the woman: Did God really say: You shall not eat from any tree in the garden? 2 And the woman said to the serpent: We can eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 but about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said: You shall not eat of it nor touch it, for then you shall die. 4 Then the serpent said to the woman: You shall not surely die; 5 for God knows that on the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God and know good and evil. 6 And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat from, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that it was a beautiful tree, since one could gain understanding from it, and she took the fruit and ate; and she brought her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they saw that they were naked, and they fastened fig leaves together and tied them around their waists. 8 And they heard God the Lord walking in the garden, when the day had grown cool; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then God the Lord called Adam and said to him: Where are you? 10 And he answered: I heard you in the garden; then I was afraid, because I was naked, and I scowled. 11 Then he said: Who told you that you are naked? Do you have one of the three that I forbade you to eat? 12 And Adam said: The woman whom you gave me to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate. 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman: What have you done! And the woman said: The serpent deceived me, and I ate. 14 Then God the Lord said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you shall be cursed among all cattle and among all wild animals. On your belly you shall crawl, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, but you shall bruise its heel.

Satan's goal is obvious, to deceive people and make them believe something other than what God has said.

This is how he operates today too, make us humans believe the lie rather than the truth.
Here Eva was first seduced, it says what she did.
"The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that it was a beautiful tree, since one could gain understanding from it, and she took the fruit and ate."

Scripture clearly warns against this, we read in 1 Joh.b. 2. 15 Do not love the world or anything that is of the world. For whoever loves the things of this world cannot have our Father's love in him.
16 For all that is of the world — the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and inflated pride of one's own means, is not of our Father, but of the world.
17 That which is of the world shall be taken away with its lust. But he who does the will of God shall endure for ages.

Here we see that what the Apostle warns against was a trap for Adam and Eve.
It isthe same trap and temptations for us today allow. As it has always been.
We read in verse 16 in particular: "the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and inflated pride of one's own means."

Many of us remember a song from Sunday school where it was called "Be careful, little eye, what you see", "little ear, what you hear", "little mouth, what you say", "little foot, where you goes" and "little heart, what do you think".

This is basic knowledge in the face of the enemy. We give him access by opening ourselves up to his thought pattern.
Second, our feelings, and what we allow ourselves to both see and hear.

The Evil One will still rob us of what God will give us. Therefore, we must be aware that there are two polar opposites. Which in turn will gain influence and control over us.

Col. 1. 13 He has freed us from the powers of darkness, and he will lead us to his kingdom through the love of his Son.
1930 the translation Col. 1. 13 he who freed us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Apparently, it may seem that Jesus' words that he will give us life, and abundance. While the Thief comes to steal, kill and destroy votes. Da Tyven/Satan has so much to offer. As the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eye.
Or as it says in the 1930 translation here.
1 John b. 2. 16 for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and grandeur of life, is not of the Father, but of the world.

When we allow the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and our pride to rule us, it leads directly to what the Thief wants.
We must then do something about this, as Tyven wants. The scriptures give clear and good advice.
Here is one of many:

2 Cor. 10. 3 For though we live in the flesh, we do not strive after the flesh.
4 The weapons of war that we use are not of the flesh, but of the power of God, the one who can pull down strongholds.
5 For we will tear down mental buildings and all fences that rise against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought that is not of obedience to Christ.
6 And we are ready to punish all disobedience until you are fully obedient.

Jesus creates change, joy and life.
But one can compare this to passing a glass filled with something good to drink.
You have to choose to drink yourself, in order for there to be benefit and pleasure from it.
It is the same for us, we ourselves must choose to do something with what God has given us in Christ Jesus.

Final comment:

That Jesus will give us life, life in abundance.
Jesus himself said it "I have come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly."
At the same time, it does not come automatically. We must choose for ourselves whether it is Jesus' influence that will apply.
Or it is the opposite power that will gain influence.
Jesus himself said this; "The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy."
Who is this Thief? Obviously our enemy Satan.
There are two opposite poles here, each with its own alternative.
The choice is ours who will rule and rule in our lives.
Scripture says:
Room. 6. 16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves as slaves, as slaves you must be obedient - either to the sin that leads to death, or you are obedient to righteousness.
17 And by God's grace you are not slaves to sin, but wholeheartedly obedient to the form of teaching that has been handed down to you.
18 You have been freed from sin and are slaves to righteousness.

Here we meet this in scripture again. We arrive at the finished table.
But there is a catch to it all. We must accept this by believing this, then a surrender to God's good will is required.
This is also the case with what Tyven has to offer.
You have to accept lies as truth. Live according to what is really the easiest thing for us humans as we are born in sin and thrive in sin. We are basically on Tyvens' side, who will show us everything.
Above all, it is the Eternal life in Christ Jesus that he wants to rob us of.
Second, everything in this world that is most important is to do God's will and live according to God's good word. Live by the Good Book!
Life and abundance, what is this really? Enter Christ and live according to His teachings!
What is the opposite?
It is not really following Jesus, receiving him. Because if you do not accept Jesus, you will never gain access to this life, the scriptures teach!

1 John b. 5. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in him. But he who does not want to believe God on this makes him a liar, because he does not want to believe the testimony God has given about his Son.
11 And this is God's testimony: That he gives eternal life, and that this life is through the Son.
12 He who has the Son has life. But he who does not have the Son of God does not have life either.
13 I write this so that you will believe in the name of the Son of God, and so that you will know that you will have eternal life through faith in the name of the Son of God.

1930 the translation 1 Joh.b. 5. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; he who does not believe God has made him a liar; for he has not believed the testimony which God has given his Son. 11 And this is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life t; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I have written this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

The basic text also says roughly the following freely translated:
10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony within himself; he who does not believe God has made him a liar; for he has not believed the testimony which God has testified about his Son. 11 This is the testimony that God has given us the Son, this eternal life is in his Son and no one else 12 He who has the Son, he has this eternal life. Whoever does not have the Son of God, he does not have this eternal life! 13 I have written this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life who believe in the Name (Jesus) of the Son of God. The name of God's son (Jesus.)