SPIRITUAL GROWTH ENHANCERS
REF NO: 014
2 Corinthians 13:14, NASB: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all."
GRACE TO FINISH STRONG
Happy New Year! The grace to complete this year successfully is fully vested upon you. You can never live a mediocre life this year. You will finish strong! Don't limit yourself to what is humanly possible, fall on grace.
The English word grace is from the Latin gratia meaning favour, charm or thanks. Gratia in turn is derived from gratus meaning free, ready, quick, willing, prompt. Webster defines grace as the unmerited love and favour of God which is the spring and source of all benefits men receive from Him, including especially His assistance given man for his regeneration or sanctification.
In the New Testament, the word translated as grace is the Greek word "charis". Strong’s Concordance lists the definition of charis as (a) grace, as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, (b) favour, (c) gratitude, thanks, (d) a favour, kindness.
Grace in simple terms is God's unmerited favour and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and daily sanctification.
Grace is everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what every man needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does freely give.
Paul's prayer for God's grace upon us is still actively in force and will always be at work in the life of every believer till eternity ends and start over again. You have no excuse to perform shallow in this new year. The grace to accomplish great and mighty things is already operating in your life.
The grace that brought you into this new year will see you through the new year and your expectations of the virgin year will never be cut off. When grace speaks, mediocrity, failure, defeat and hopelessness don't talk.
No matter the intimidation from the agents of darkness, grace will preserve you and take you far above all odds and harms.
Joseph was sold into slavery just because of his dreams. But when grace spoke, his buyer resold him into the house of Potiphar, which led him into the land of Egypt where he became second in command. Grace took him from the status of a "slave boy" to the status of a Prime Minister in a foreign land.
Grace does only what cannot be done. That a prisoner and a slave boy to become the next president in a foreign country can only be by an act of grace.
When grace speaks, every step taken by man is ordered by God. The roads may be rough and the immediate expectation may be blunt, but God is at work underneath. No matter the present condition, Grace will speak for you in Jesus name.
The higher God is preparing you to go in life will determine the volume of grace upon you. It is grace that is all you need to fulfil your destiny. That grace is already prayed for you before you entered the new year. Receive that grace in Jesus name.
Forget about the bad times. Remember all the good times the new year is about to bring you. Approach the new season with higher expectations. Start on a high spirit. Don't think poor, aim high. You are the way you see yourself.
Don't dwell on the past. As you have entered the new season every problem, hardship and hard time that passed through the previous year is now in the past. The new year is your new chance with a blank sheet to rewrite your story.
A new year and a new chapter have begun in your life. Approach it in good fate. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the loving God is backing you for success this year.
Isaiah 43:18 -19 says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!...."
God wants us to know that the past has no power over us and that we can let go of it because we have been renewed by his love, and redeeming grace.
The present problem would not be compared with the glory that will appear in future.
Joseph found himself in prison, but grace brought him out of the prison. Grace rescues and delivers. Are you unjustly accused or being punished? Cry unto God and He will rescue you. Grace brings dreams into reality when you are faithful to Him. Joseph was not moved because he knew that grace would speak.
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16
When we deserve punishment, instead, God gives mercy. When we cannot do it alone, God gives help. When we lack wisdom, God gives wise guidance. When we suffer, God gives us various types of healing. When we are unloveable, God loves us to the utmost. When we continually sin and fail, God gives forgiveness. When we need strength, God gives us perseverance.
“For grace, you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift from God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” – Ephesians 2: 8-9
Another thing we forget to do in times of need is to recognize God’s gift of grace to us. He has given this unmerited mercy to all of us by sending His son to die on the cross.
We need to have confidence and assurance as we reach out to God with our struggles, that whatever He decides to happen is for our well-being. If our questions are not answered in the ways we hoped, instead of being quick to judgment and worry, we can rest in God by keeping our faith in His infinite grace. In the end, it is not up to us how things are resolved in our lives, but it is our job to have faith in God no matter the price.
Somebody wrote on his doorpost "Life is pain" and another person wrote, "Life is hard". So true, but where do you turn for help? Where do you find encouragement in the hard and painful times of life? Fall on grace.
Does It Mean There Would Be No Hard Times?
Of course, that is the next question I should be expecting to giggle in your mind and what you should like to ask me if I stood right in front of you. If the grace of God is upon me to be a success this year, does that mean a trouble-free full season for me?
Of course not, my dear! Let's be careful that we don't massage the scriptures to suit our intentions. As long as we continue to live in this flesh and the end times, there definitely would be bad times and what we call trouble days. God never promised us trouble-free days.
This is what He said:
2 Timothy 3:1(Amplified),
"But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]".
Prepare in advance for those hard times, because they will come. God promises we will face troubles in this life, but he also promises to walk by our side through it all. So, be ready.
How To Fall On Grace
The synoptic Gospel of Matthew gives us a vivid account of a perfect story showing us how to fully trust in the Lord and fall on His grace.
This is a perfect picture to illustrate how our faith and trust play out in the storms of life as we fully utilize and maximise the grace of God upon our life. ( Matthew 14:22-32)
After feeding the 5,000, Jesus put the disciples in a boat and sent them to the other side of the lake. Several hours later, they encounter a storm. Jesus saw them (from the land; miles away!) straining in the wind and walking out to them on the water.
When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, it terrified them. They thought He was a ghost.
Jesus calls out to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Impetuous Peter calls out “Lord if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.”
Jesus invites him to come and Peter steps out of the boat and walks on the water towards Jesus. The wind and storm frightened him, however, and he started to sink. “Lord, save me!” he cried.
Immediately Jesus reached out and caught him. “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
The following lessons drawn from the above scenario points to us on some of the sure ways to fall on grace.
Expect God to be with you in the storms. He will walk across the lake to be with you, strengthen and guide you safely to shore.
•Remember El Roi- the God Who Sees. Jesus saw the disciples even when they couldn’t see him. He knows our struggles.
•Keep your eyes on Jesus. Peter began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus and concentrated on the storm.
His faith wavered. Don’t focus on the waves of circumstances or pain, focus on Jesus and His power to help you.
•Do not be afraid. Scripture tells us time after time “do not fear.” When we face storms in our lives that make us fearful, trusting Jesus gives us peace in any storm.
•Call out to Him. When we call him, he immediately reaches out to us.
Trust in his love and power to save you even when you don’t understand.
For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one and setteth up another. Psalm 75:6-7
When grace speaks, you will become an authority. Grace goes beyond gender, nationality or race.
People should know that getting to the position of authority is by grace and not by force. When God locates you for a leadership position, He will help you to deliver and make a great impact on the people He has called you to serve.
GRACE means FAVOUR Minus LABOUR. GRACE means PROMOTION without QUALIFICATION. When GRACE speaks, protocols are suspended, If u doubt me ask Esther.
When GRACE speaks, Laws are broken, If u doubt ask King David; When GRACE speaks, Educational Qualifications are Useless, If u doubt ask Peter; When GRACE speaks, Connections are needless, If u doubt me ask Joseph; from prison to Prime minister.
Today I decree that, in this Glorious year, THE GRACE OF GOD will speak on your behalf: in your family, in your life, in your marital home, in your office, in your finances, in your business, in your school and career in Jesus wonderful name I pray. You will be flourishing from grace to grace. Shalom Aleichem!
©Oasis WordBank/Social Media Ministry Command
