THE MANIFOLD POSSIBILITIES OF GRACE, GREAT GRACE, GROWING GRACE
Ephesians 2:8; Acts 4:33; 2 Peter 3:18
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8). The word ‘saved’ in the original language means being rescued, forgiven, set free, healed and delivered. So, we receive any blessing from God by grace. Grace is God’s Redemption At Christ’s Expense. For example, if you need a particular commodity and you do not have the resources to pay for it, and someone comes to pay for you, then you get that commodity at their expense. That is how we get blessings from the Lord, by grace, at the expense of Christ. Christ already paid for your salvation, healing and deliverance. All you need to do is to come before the Lord and receive His blessing. Faith is ‘Forsaking All, I Trust Him’. Once you forsake your own endeavour, trial, ability and strength, and you trust in the Lord, then grace and faith come together, and they give birth to salvation and miracles.
Grace and faith are never barren. Anywhere you see grace and faith in operation, there are always remarkable fruits. “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33). There are dimensions of grace – grace, great grace and growing grace. “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18). There are manifold possibilities at each dimension of grace. However, we are not to be at the same level of grace all through our Christian lives, we must move from grace to great grace, to growing grace and eventually to glowing grace.
1. | THE MARVELLOUS PROVISION OF GOD’S GRACE. Ephesians 2:5-8; 1 Timothy 1:13-15; Titus 2:11-14 |
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:5-8). Works, resolutions, selfpunishment, and water do not save us.
We are only saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. He paid the price for our redemption and He has raised us up from condemnation, powerlessness and impotence. As we sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, we are no longer under the dominion of sin, Satan and evil spirits. He has raised us up from all condemnation and suffering, He’s our Pilot on the flight to eternal and abundant life, and as we are far above all principalities and powers, the power of the tyrants cannot reach us anymore.
Any stone or suffering from evil people cannot reach the heavenly places because we have escaped from their terrain. Stop your self-punishment and trials at salvation because two people cannot bear the punishment of sin, Jesus paid it all when he cried, ‘It is finished.’ God already punished Jesus for us, and Jesus has taken our place. God gives us His gift of salvation not because of our righteousness or any good thing we have done. “ Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:13- 15). The kind of man described in this text would not be accepted by society, but God is different, He gives mercy to the undeserving, and they obtain (not attain) His mercy and forgiveness. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:11-14). The grace of God always brings something to us. The grace of God appears to all men from all walks of life – educated, illiterate, rich, poor, old and young.
2. | THE MIRACULOUS POWER IN GREAT GRACEActs 4:30-33; 5:12,15-16; 14:7-10,22-23 |
“By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:30-33).
The Lord stretches forth His hand to heal, deliver and set free with signs and wonders. The signs always lead you to where there is a solution. Signs and wonders point in the direction of the Great Saviour, Healer and Deliverer. All the other signs you might read about in town are not to be wondered about because they are natural but the supernatural signs and wonders are amazing, and they are done through the name of Jesus Christ. Great grace comes with the power to take away all our sins and sicknesses. “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.
And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” (Acts 5:12-15). Apostles are ‘the sent ones’, and God’s chosen ministers today are sent by God with the gifts of the Holy Ghost to bring signs and wonders to the people of God. As God sends His messengers, we get relief, freedom and deliverance. If the shadow of Peter brought the healing how much more the physical presence and touch of the apostle? The Lord still serves the meal of healing and deliverance everywhere, and no one will remain hungry. As God heals the newcomers, he heals the regular comers.
3. THE MANIFOLD POSSIBILITIES THROUGH GROWING GRACE
1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 12:9a; John 1:16,50
“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Cor 15:10). Sinners get saved and become saints by grace, those who are weak receive strength by the grace of God, people who have a great assignment from God do what they are called to do by grace.
Always go to the Lord for grace because there is always grace in whatever challenge you face. By the grace of God, you become well, sound, hale and hearty, happy, and all the chains in your life are broken. Everything you dreamt of and desired, you become eventually by the grace of God. Everything you need at the throne of mercy is received by the grace of God