MORE GRACE

II Corinthians 5:18-20 – But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation--that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him.  It was God (personally present) in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against men their trespasses (but cancelling them);  and committing to the message of reconciliation - of the restoration to favor.  So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us.  We (as Christ’s personal representatives) beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor (now offered to you) and be reconciled to God.

It is amazing how we as Christians can be professing the name of Christ and yet live our lives so separated and apart from who He is truly is to us.  Our main challenge as God’s people is to receive and live out the life He has already purchased for us at Calvary.  That is really what grace/favor is all about.  To have favor means to be particularly esteemed and preferred.  It means to enjoy special attention, personal affection and preferential treatment, even without being deserving of it.  There is nothing about you or me that can cause us to become the favored of God.  He has chosen us for that place of honor and esteem by an act of His sovereign grace.  All we can do is receive His gracious gift in an attitude of thanksgiving and humility.

God assures each of us that we are of those that He favors.  He wants us to be secure in who we are in Christ Jesus so that we will have the confidence and assurance we need to walk victoriously through this life drawing others to share with us in His marvelous grace.

So we are crowned with God’s favor.  The main reason we are not tapping into these blessings of the Lord which has been placed upon us is because we don’t believe we deserve them or because we have not been taught that they are ours.  It is time for those that are called by the name of Christ to activate our faith in this area so that we can truly live a victorious life.  God wants to pour out His grace and His favor upon us in such a way that others see it and desire it for themselves.  It is this that is going to bring in the harvest into the last century church.

CONTINUING IN GRACE

CONTINUING IN GRACE

 

As we enter into the new places that the Lord has prepared for us, we must carry the grace of God that lights the way for others.  As we learn the ways of God that always cause us to triumph, especially as we turn back the enemy at the gate, we must encourage others in the same way that the Lord has encouraged us. 

The Greek word for grace is “charis” that is translated to be both favor and grace.  The grace of God is the favor of God and the favor of God is the grace of God.  It is the Lord’s favor and grace that causes things to happen in our lives that need to happen.  It is what brings His will and His blessings into our lives.  Grace is the power of God coming to us through the channel of our faith in a specific area.  Favor is the acceptance and blessing that others show toward us because we have God’s grace shining upon us.

Ephesian 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

It is not by human power or by human might, but by the Holy Spirit that we receive favor and His blessings.  The supernatural favor that God releases cannot be earned and does not depend upon pleasing people all the time.  It depends solely on the Lord God giving it.  When we live as if we have already received His grace and favor, our hearts are full of thanksgiving that does away with struggle, strain, and striving.

II Corinthians 4:15 – (AMP) For all these things are taking place for your sake, so that the more the grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiples through the many, the more their thanksgiving may increase and redound to the glory of God.

It seems that the more I write about grace abounding in this new season and new positioning, the more I see how grace is an integral part of advancing in God’s kingdom.  There is more to come even next week as I pursue this topic of advancing in grace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TURNING BACK THE ENEMY AT THE GATE - PART 2

TURNING THE ENEMY BACK AT THE GATE

PART 2 

A second scripture I would like to share with you as you turn back your enemy at the gate of entrance to the new is Zechariah 4:7. 

“What are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” 

What is significant about grace in this hour is that the same grace you need to move your mountain is the degree of grace you need to maintain the new place/platform/position that Father God is releasing to you.  As much as we do not like opposition, its purpose is to strengthen us in the Lord so we are equipped for new responsibilities.  Our flesh wants to simply maintain but the Spirit of God within us leads us to higher realms of function in the Kingdom of God.  Another purpose of opposition is for us to realize that 1) our lives are not our own and 2) we do need supernatural help to fulfill God’s will for our lives.  After all, the co-laboring we do is with God Himself, not mere man.

Most of us know that it is God’s grace through Christ that abounds to us for the remission of sins.  It is important to realize the grace that saves us is the same grace that empowers us to become what Christ has declared for our lives and to do what He purposes for us to do.  We must not labor in vain with our own efforts.  

That is what grace is all about, not cheap grace that gives us a license to sin without repentance, but an empowerment from Christ Himself for us to become who He says we are to be and to do what He would have us do. 

So at this time of entry into the new, shout “Grace, grace” to your mountain and watch it move. 

Luke 3:5-6 – Every ravine shall be filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough roads smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

TURN YOUR ENEMY BACK AT THE GATE

There has been a lot of encouraging words for the body of Christ as we move into the Gregorian year of 2015.  I, for one, do anticipate what Father God is doing in moving us ahead to fulfill purpose and destiny, corporately and individually.

There are two scriptures that come to mind when I have pondered on this new year.  I would like to elaborate on the first one in this blog.

I Corinthians 16:9 - …because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

There are many open doors and opportunities for those who seek them.  Yes, we all get excited when opportunities come to us, but what we don’t like is the opposition that comes with the open door.  It’s important for us to realize that as we seek to move through the open doors before us, there will be opposition.  That opposition may nor may not be obvious, but be assured it will be there.

The purpose of the opposition is to have you turn back at the gate of entrance into the new.  The opposition may come in the form of offense when someone says or does something that hurts you.  It may come as an attack against your family, your health, your finances, other relationships. Remember that your enemy, Satan, comes to steal, kill, destroy.  If what you are experiencing comes within this job description, it is opposition designed to get you to turn back.

So what do we do?  Like any other time when we face challenges and obstacles, we must speak to the mountain, to that which stands in our way.

Mark 11:23 (NAS) – Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea’, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.

This is a time to set your face like a flint towards that which God has promised.  Do not be moved by mountains of opposition.  Activate your faith by speaking the word of the Lord and the promises of God to your mountain.  Then, watch it move.

More to come…