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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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Earning the grace of God?
If the grace of God can be earned then its not grace!
Grace is the unmerited favour of God. When God favours you, all things work for your good because of his love for you. The reason for God’s favour is his own desire to bless you through his son Jesus Christ.
I have seen a lot of well meaning Christians try to do lots of good work but with a flawed mindset of earning salvation. They themselves are not aware of it. They work really hard at it and wonder why they are not blessed. Some then even feel unloved by God. Some give up and bounce back into sin. What they are doing wrong is that they overlook the fact that God loves everyone freely. They put a price tag to the peace of Christ and wonder why they can’t buy it. Again, that’s a big mistake. Jesus gives his peace freely, so its weird to even try to earn it. Maybe that earn-thy-respect-through-achievement worked for you in the military, medical school or in marketing. However this won’t work in the kingdom of God. You are called as friends of Jesus. Does a friend everyday have to earn his friendship all over again? Not at all.
Take care therefore that you don’t fall into a hellish trap of trying to earn God’s grace. Firstly it will cause you get weary in great measure and you will be restless. Secondly as you get more restless you will feel the need for grace. Finally in your pursuit of grace that gives peace you will try to earn more grace. The effect is that due being in this vicious cycle of earning grace you will be frustrated and not know if you are saved.
You just can’t earn God’s grace. The good news is that it’s available freely and generously in Jesus Christ. He opens the doors of grace to all, happy are they who find it and enter it.
Why is it important to avoid the deception of trying to earn God’s grace? To save your time, effort and money. Never think that your volunteering with orphans, going in dangerous rescue missions and giving huge donations will save your soul. These are good deeds but these won’t get you to heaven. If any one tells you to give him money so that your sins are forgiven, then he is wrong. Tell such a person that Jesus can forgive sins without money! Christ has purchased salvation for you by his precious blood and resurrection. He lived and died so that your sins are forgiven. Happy are those who true beauty and simplicity of Salvation.
There’s no need to trust worldly systems to earn salvation. I have seen the most bizzare ways in which people try to earn salvation. Some take sharp metal rods and pierce it through their cheeks. Some cover themselves from head to toe in white or black no matter what the weather is. Some walk on burning coals or lie down on a bed of needles. Some spend hours in meditation to get a out of body experience. However though they do it so hard and well, that won’t get them saved. Unfortunately they haven’t heard the gospel. You having heard the gospel must act and behave different from such people. Begin by accepting you salvation freely.
For the record about wordly people; I don’t hate such people but rather hate the devil who blinds their eyes due to which they can’t see salvation. The devil’s kingdom advances to blind people in their spiritual eyes. The kingdom of God opens our eyes to see the salvation that comes from the Lord Jesus. Happy and blessed are those that see the salvation of the Lord. Amen.
How to obtain the grace of God?
When in difficult situations people keep praying that they get the grace of God so that they overcome their situations. Some receive it easily but some struggle to receive it. Its a great help to know how to obtain the grace of God.
If the grace of God can be earned or bought then it’s not grace at all!
Just before I elaborate more on this, I’d suggest that you desire to seek the true revelation that comes from God in faith. You can also try to read through the entire article more than once to understand the points more clearly.
Firstly, one can never buy the grace of God. You may give your money to the poor and the church which is a good thing to do but that doesn’t get you the grace of God. It’s because God himself gave you the grace to earn wealth in the first place. Refer Deut 8:18 You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth
Secondly, you can never earn the grace of God. You may try to skip a few meals or sacrifice a lot to earn God’s grace. Now there could be seasons in life that need fasting or sacrifice so that you can spend more time with God in prayer. However, these in themselves do not earn you the grace of God.
Thirdly, the only way you can receive the grace of God is that by faith you seek the Lord God to favor you not because of what you can do but because he has mercy on you in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 11:6 says that; And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Now fasting, praying and charity are good things in themselves but remember one thing, none of these can give you the grace of God unless you totally have faith in him. These things are very helpful if they take your mind off yourself and the world and let you look up to Christ who actually gives the grace to you. If you can directly have faith then its very good. Not every time can one fast or do good works but you can always have faith. So what is important is that you have the faith that comes through Christ. Instead of looking at your faith alone, look at Christ who is the author and finisher of the faith.
It’s very easy to receive the grace of God when you are focused on Jesus. The problem is sometimes people really want the grace of Christ in their lives but keep getting scared of their situation which makes them lose faith easily if the situation worsens. You need to be realistic but also without fear. It doesn’t mean that you don’t take responsibility of yourself. When you ask for the grace of God, you take authority of your situation and also start being responsible to trust God to be good to you.
Let it make it real to you. You need to have confidence in what God is and what God can do for you. Here are a few helpful scriptures in this regard:
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need
John 1:15-17 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:20-24 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
When you need the grace of God you need to express it to him vocally or mentally if you can’t speak it loud. Sometimes you may even get it without asking but make it a habit to ask of him. It’s because praying audibly for God’s grace, you manifest your trust in Him not just to yourself but to others near you. In this way God would be glorified by your faith in his Son Jesus. Amen.
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