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. John 10:10 NKJV

The “thief” is the devil and the devil is a thief. He comes to kill, steal and destroy. He is the author of sin, sickness, poverty, and death. He tries to steal peace and joy and health. There is no good thing in him. He hates God and he hates God’s crowning creation – mankind. He is constantly working to destroy life and anything that is good and pure. He is a liar and a deceiver.

So they brought [the boy] to Him, and when the spirit saw Him, at once it completely convulsed the boy, and he fell to the ground and kept rolling about, foaming [at the mouth]. 21 And [Jesus] asked his father, How long has he had this? And he answered, From the time he was a little boy. 22 And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, do have pity on us and help us.  Mark 9:20-22 AMP

And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?  Luke 13:16 KJV

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  Luke 8:12 NKJV

But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.  2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV

You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.  John 8:44 AMP

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He came to bring life more abundantly. The Greek word “life” is Zoe – which means life intensively – the same life that God has in Himself. The word “abundantly” means: superabundant in quantity or superior in quality; by implication, excessive; preeminence; exceeding abundantly above; more abundantly; advantage; exceedingly; very highly; beyond measure; more. The devil comes to take life, but Jesus comes to give life. He gives life right now – immediately – to all those who accept Him as Lord and Savior. His life is abundantly rich and full; it’s eternal, yet it begins immediately.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  Matthew 4:23 NKJV

And thus He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, He Himself took [in order to carry away] our weaknesses and infirmities and bore away our diseases.  Matthew 8:17 AMP

Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.  Isaiah 53:4-5 NKJV

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”  Luke 4:18-19 NKJV

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  Acts 10:38 NKJV

Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed.  1 Peter 2:24 NKJV

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.  Hebrews 2:14-15 NKJV

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.  1 John 3:8 NKJV

Jesus told us that sin, sickness, torment, poverty and death were from the devil. Too many people blame God, instead of the devil, for all the bad things that happen. God has nothing but good planned for us. Jeremiah 29:11 AMP says, “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Good gifts come from God – and He never changes – He is ALWAYS good. James 1:17 KJV says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.´

If the thief comes and tries to steal your abundant life – rebuke him and tell him to get his hands off of you and off your life! Believe and expect for God’s abundant life to be yours every day you live!

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!  Psalms 27:13 AMP