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Work out your salvation with fear and trembling
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)
The Greek word translated “fear” in this context can equally mean “reverence” or “respect.” Your salvation is precious and more valuable than any gold, silver or diamond. Continue in obedience to God’s will. Have great respect for this freedom that comes from Jesus Christ. Do not work out this freedom for vain nor evil things but rather for good works for God’s glory alone.
Work out your salvation to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Work out your salvation to do what is righteous.
Work out your salvation to care for widows and orphans.
Work out your salvation to encourage people in church to trust God more.
Work out your salvation and just to be kind to all you encounter.
Quick reminder: Concentrate on being faithful to the Lord and not on your titles
“So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (Matthew 25:20-23)
“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17:7-10)
Relax in the promises of God
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Learn to relax in the promises of God. Never get carried away by the external that you forget to trust God inwardly. Indeed, Jesus rebuked those disciples about their low faith when they were scared of of the great storm despite being with him the boat (Refer Mark 4:35-41). Do not get fearful about anything, for instance the economy, wars, relationships etc. Instead put your trust in the word of God.
Jesus said; Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
It’s normal for the world to pass away. Despite all the great beauty and delights that this world still has, one must take into account that this is still a fallen world. The only thing that will abide forever even at the end of the world is the word of the Lord God.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
The problem is that though the promises of God are trustworthy, not every one believes in them. One of the reasons for that is that people do not read the Bible enough. They read it only when they are reminded by their preacher. However, if the preacher is busy on some other matters, they take things lightly. So the cure to such lack of Bible reading is well; read the Bible, whether someone reminds you or does not remind.
Then there are people who do read the Bible regularly but do not read it in faith. Bible reading is not be mere reading alone. You got to try to understand it. You got to believe in it. Most importantly, one who reads the Bible must read it so one becomes more like Christ in obedience to God.
By which are given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.(2 Peter 1:4)
Then we have some people who have some faith in God’s promises but are not aggressive enough to pursue them. You need to be dauntless and enduring in claiming the promises of God for yourself. Don’t get fooled by what the Devil throws at you, you just keeping holding on the God’s promises. Rebuke all the falsehood of the Evil One in the name of Jesus.
From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12)
I will list out a few promises of God in the Bible. Now this is not a complete list, so I encourage you to open your Bible for yourself later on and get reading. Here the verses, which you can claim for yourself as they are your inheritance in Jesus Christ:
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
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The enabling grace of God
The grace of God can manifest in various forms. One such type is called enabling grace. It’s the grace that enables you do to achieve whatever good work God has called you to do in His holy will.
It is an axiom in theology that whenever a person is chosen by God for any position, he received not only the qualities, but also the special graces which enable him to fulfill the duties of that state with proper decorum. (This saying is attributed to St Bernadine of Siena)
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8)
Though I’ve been aware of the existence of enabling grace in some way or other I didn’t actually start using this term until the past few hours. I’ve experienced the enabling grace of God in many ways. At a certain time of my life, I would get an opportunity to preach to people who would habitually end up in jail for petty crimes or even those who never went to prison but were dangerous. In those days I didn’t know how to deal with people who are extremely violent. I would just ask God to make me the person he wants to be and then I could preach bravely to them.
I’ve ended up ministering to people at sudden situations and placed without any special training for it. Once I myself was in need of prayers and had gone physically weak. However, yet when a diabolically influenced (not possessed) Christian teenage boy approached me for deliverance from his violent rage due to writing Satanic songs, I preached the Gospel and prayed with him for his deliverance. It was not a time that I expected nor was I mentally ready, yet the enabling grace of God helped me to let this teenager receive his deliverance in the name of Jesus.
The enabling grace of God is not for sin and definitely not for the proud. James 4:6 says that; But he gives more grace. Therefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
Now enabling grace is not so that you open a cocaine business or steal from others. Don’t get me wrong but Jesus does not expect nor give grace to you for bad things in life. It’s given so that you glorify the Lord God. You can do this by helping the afflicted, feeding the poor, praying for the sick etc. It can also apply for doing your studies well, fulfilling your duties in marriage and church, doing good ethical business etc. Basically everything that is good which doesn’t go against the will of God.
The prophet Elijah exercised the enabling grace of God specific to his calling in the Lord God as a prophet who executed judgement on sinners due to lack of repentance. You can refer to Luke 4:25, 1 Kings 17:1 and 1 Kings 18:1 for this.
James 5:17-18 says that; Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
The enabling grace of God is not limited to stopping and causing rain. You can use it to bring healing to people. You can use it to encourage people. You can use it to be a blessing to your church and state.
Now to get the enabling grace of God firstly you need to understand that you can’t earn it. It is given freely to those who believe in God and are open to his holy will. Simply be open to the will of God. Be attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in your life.
I would like to encourage you to desire the enabling grace of God by reminding you of how Peter healed the man lame from birth in the name of Jesus Christ. Let’s read Acts 3:1-10
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
Prayer: In the name of Jesus the Son of the Living God, I ask for the enabling grace of God in my life. I renounce every sin, every habit and every though that keeps me away from the will of God in my life. The blood of Jesus cleanses me of all my sins. I close myself to the suggestions of the evil One and of the world. I open up to the will of God in my life. I’m sanctified by the word of God and receive my divine enabling in the name of Jesus. I say a firm yes to all the good works that the Lord God has ordained for me to carry out in my life. Amen.
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Disciples of hope 