I'd like to start by saying that until two days ago I only had a dim view of what grace is; I'd also like to say that I still have a dim view of what grace really is.
Okay
Sunday and Monday, (November 1st and 2nd), I went to Celebration Church in Fresno to listen to John Bevere speak on a newer study of his: being extraordinary Christians. I'm only going to touch base on a few things he went over in hopes you may catch fire.
He shared a statistic of what 98.1% of American Christians believe about grace: that it covers our sin, washes away our sin, that it is a free gift, and that it cleanses us.
All of these things are true.
BUT, its not what God defines His grace as. John chapter 1 verses 14-16 state:
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’”
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
Two things come to mind: If Jesus was sinless, why did He need grace? and What is His fullness?
The answer to the first question lies in the answer of the second.
John talked about how grace for grace is a phrase used to represent something coming full circle. If something is coming full circle in verse 16, then it MUST be talking about HIS FULLNESS.
Jesus didn't need grace to cover His sin, He needed God's empowering grace to live in the likeness of God seeing as He was human. He was made just like all of us.
Grace isn't only just seen in this light in John tho.
2 Corinthians Chapter 9 verse 12 states that:
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
He just used grace and power interchangeably!
John used two analogies; One was of a tribe in Africa receiving the gift of a Land Rover. People in the states hear about how the tribe has to walk enormous distances to get food and supplies. So the people buy the tribe a SUV. The people giving the Land Rover get over there and tell them about all the great features: side and frontal airbags, power seats, air conditioning, DVD player, GPS, sun roof, all that jazz. They catch word years later that the tribe is still traveling by foot long distances because they haven't driven the vehicle once. The tribe was so stoked about the perks of having a FREE GIFT that they never took it out for a drive. They didn't utilize the power of the gift.
The other analogy is of a farmer. He has access to this canal, full of water, ready to provide fresh nutrients to his crops. He decides to tap into this canal to water his Corn, while neglecting his other crops of peaches, plums, nectarines and what have you. The other crops suffer while he only has one successful crop. Why tap into only one aspect of a free gift when we have ACCESS TO ALL OF IT!
The main point being is that grace in its origin was not just meant to cleanse us from sin, and to cover us and make sure we go to heaven. That's great. But in its creation, grace was meant to EMPOWER us to lead extraordinary lives.
It states in Genesis that God created man (and woman) in His own image. Now, is God ordinary?
NO! haha.
God made us godlike in our creation. We were meant, built, wired to do extraordinary things. We're called to be Holy as He is Holy. To come up to His level, can we do that? Not without Gods EMPOWERING grace in our lives.
I want to challenge you with this. I could go on for a while, but my fingers hurt, I expect God to place this in your heart:
If Jesus stated that we (the body of Christ) are going to do greater things than He did when He was on earth, does that mean we are called to be ordinary?
Does that mean that being a Christian isn't empowering?
Does that mean we shouldn't utilize the free gift of God in other areas of our life? Healing? Finances? Ingenuity? Creativity? Ruling in Life?
How do we tap into this empowering grace though? This is important: through faith.
It is by GRACE you have been saved, THROUGH FAITH!!!!
we have to have faith that God will empower us with His grace.
Lets pray.
Dear God,
I pray that you fill us up with your empowering grace. I come to Your throne of grace, not with a cup, but with my truck backed up wit a bathtub in the back God, fill me up with YOUR GRACE! I ask this in Jesus' name. I want my brothers and sisters to realize that You've called us to greatness. To be HOLY as you are HOLY. I want to be Holy as You are God. I know that without my trusting You, without faith, none of this is possible. So increase my capacity to believe you. Give me child like faith, so I just believe and don't question. Through my faith I will acquire your empowering Grace that will give me the ability to move mountains of doubt, to heal hurting, sick people. I will be able to live as Christ lived. To be HOLY as You are. God I pray that you shake the foundations of this area, and that you give people the ears to hear and a receptive heart, so that you can speak the true meaning of Grace into their lives. Father, its only by your power that I can do what You've called me to do. I ask that you give me the capacity to love dangerously for you. To be innovative, to be creative and to win SOULS to you God. I love You so so so much Father. I ask that you make me a better leader because it is YOUR will to see people fall in love with you, and I wish to do that. Use me. Speak to me and through me and let YOUR kingdom come as it already is. Let YOUR will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name I declare Your authority over my life. I ask that you rule in my life, that you rule through me, and that you use this life changing experience to win people to you. To show people how BEAUTIFUL You really are.
I love You God, so much.
In Jesus' mighty,holy, gracious, perfect, amazing, loving, affectionate, powerful, majestic, glorious name-
AMEN.
p.s- I hope this ministered to you, truth be told, I didn't really think too much about this I just wanted to shut up and let the Spirit speak. I'm just glad I got to read what the Spirit had me write haha :)
Love,
-Josh
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