Friday, August 11, 2017

Grace - The Power Within

Grace is a word that is so misunderstood in the body of Christ.  Grace is a word that is known in the body of Christ, but not fully understood in the life of the believer.  Many people talk about the grace of God, but don’t know how to rest and live their life in that grace. 

Ephesians 4:7 says we have received a measure of grace according to the assignment that we’re to fulfil.  Grace is unmerited favor.  What does that mean?  It’s God’s divine influence and the ability that enables us to be what He wants us to be, have what He wants us to have and do what He wants us to do.

Grace is the power of God to assist us… His divine ability to get us to do the job sweatlessly.  Whatever position God puts you in, He gives you the grace to carry it out.  Whatever comes your way, know that grace is sufficient to carry you through.

Partaker of one’s grace…. Means we are the recipient of this reward.  So grace is NOT something you have to work for.  It is not something you have to earn or be good enough for or do everything right to get it.  You are already the partaker of the grace once you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. 

Grace is what you rest in that enables you to do what you can’t do and do the things with ease that you already know how to do.  You must ENTER into the REST where the GRACE is for your life.  How do you do this?  By faith.  Faith in grace is what causes you to REST in God’s power to get ANY job done.  We can do nothing with Him, but His grace enables us to do everything He puts in front of us to do.  Phil 1:7 tells us that we can be partaker of another man’s grace through our prayer life, giving and partnership with another ministry or ministry gift.

You never have to FEAR life, any assignment or stepping into those new endeavors, when you have a revelation of His grace that’s on your life.  Galatians 2:20 tells us NOT to frustrate the grace by being out of order or out of place.

Grace does no good, until you know how to tap into it.  We frustrate the grace when we get out of place, position and/or sync with God.  A highway is designed for ALL of us to drive on it at the same time.  A dump truck, 18 wheeler, Honda and Mercedes Benz can all drive on the same highway at the same time as long as they all stay in their lanes. 

For so long, grace has been defined as God’s unmerited favor; however, I’ve come to know that grace is much more than favor.  Grace is used in two different ways.  Grace is the heart attitude of God that moves Him toward His people and causes Him to willingly get involve with you and me.  Grace causes God to look past our sins and to give His love and resources freely because He sees us in the light of forgiveness. 

The second part of grace, which is the power that is active within the heart of a believer, working in Him empowering him to do God’s will and fulfill what God has designed.  It’s an impartation of His ability.  The bottom line is grace is God’s ability in ME to do what I can’t do by myself.  Therefore, I say like the Apostle Paul, I am what I am by the grace of God.  Ephesians 4:8 says, we all have been given a measure of grace according to our assignment.  Whatever God calls us to do, I can rest knowing that He’s given me grace to carry it out.

It is important to see God’s grace as a power in your life, because it is the very power within the believer that brings change.  The difference between grace and faith; is faith changes things and circumstances around you, but grace changes the believer from the inside.  Just like our faith can increase by hearing the word, so can grace increase.  The Bible tells us to grow in grace as well as be strong in grace.  Likewise the difference between anointing and grace; is the anointing is the burden removing, yoke destroying power of God.  It is His power smeared on you; but grace as I said before is power within.

Let’s look at Jesus when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.  He knew it was time to be delivered into the hand of Judas.  Even though His spirit was willing to be obedient to God, His flesh was weak.  Through prayer, even though it took Him going back 3xs, it was through prayer that He was growing in grace.  Jesus prayed until His will came into alignment with God’s will.  Simultaneously, God was imparting more grace to Jesus for Him to carry out the next phase of His assignment. 


Jesus went into prayer sorrowful, but when He came out He knew God’s grace was on Him to carry Him through and empower Him to endure til the end.  – That’s Grace, now move with fervency and reverence into your next level assignment.

Pastor Karen Presley
God's Servant in the Marketplace