THE POWER OF GRACE

THE POWER OF GRACE

INTRODUCTION
1 Corinth. 15:10
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.
The entire bible is a combination of 66 books. Paul, the Apostle wrote
13 of the 66 books. This means that Paul's 13 letters averaged about
20% of the entire bible; and far less if we average it by volume rather than by number. The word grace appears 170 times in the entire bible (KJV).
It appears in Paul's 13 letters 91 times (KJV). This is about 54% of
the entire times it appears in the entire bible (KJV). This shows to us
clearly how much value Paul attached to grace.
Paul opened and closed all of his letters with the prayer of grace.
This mark, is what distinguished the letters of Paul from all other
letters written to the churches. He prayed the prayer of grace 24 times in his letters. Grace meant so much to Paul the Apostle.
Certainly, that was why he said ''By the grace of God I am what I am...'' Paul was nothing and could not have achieved anything without the grace of God. Paul understood grace. He had the revelation of
grace.

WHAT IS GRACE?
1 Corinth 3:10
''According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
master builder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth
thereon. ...''
Grace is a spiritual divine flavor bestowed on someone to make
him/her qualify for what he/she could not no master how he/she tries.
Grace is the power of God working effectually in a person, making
him/her effortlessly do God's pleasure and satisfaction. Grace is a
divine spiritual energy that makes a man do uncommon exploits. It is
the power that distinguishes remarkable fits. The power that produces
a result that the world wonders at. Everyone who reads Paul's works
wonders at it. Other Apostles who were before him gave him the
thumbs-up.

GRACE IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE (THE UMERITED FAVOR)
Eph. 2:8,9
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Unfortunately, this is the only understanding believers have about
grace. Certainly, it is very vital for us to understand this, but we must grow into a broader scope of grace. It is our christian
foundation and vital for our growth, development and functionality. We
are nothing without our foundation. Grace is the FOUNDATION of our
christian experience. Psalm 11:3 says ''If the FOUNDATION be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

1. AN UNMERITED FAVOR:
An action of graciuos kindness bestowed on someone even when he/she
did not personally work for it. This is what happens in salvation
experience. Eph 2:8-9.
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

2. GRACE IS LIKE THE RUNGS ON A LADDER TO THE TOP
Any man who attempts to climb up to the top of his carrier in life
without the grace of God will be frustrated.
The ease with which one climbs up to the top on a ladder with rungs is
the same with which one reaches the pick of one's success with the grace of God. The effort needed is to take each step without looking at the entire rungs.
Martin Luther King Jr said '' Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.''
When the grace of God is in a man's life, he needs a minimal effoft to excell. Grace eliminates struggles. You don't struggle to climb up to the top of a ladder. When the grace of God is working on your life,
you don't struggle to succeed.

3. GRACE IS THE SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH THAT DISPLACES WEAKNESS OR INABILITY
2 Corinth 12:7-9
7. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance
of revelations, there was given to me a THORN IN THE FLESH, the
messanger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above
measure.
8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9. And he said unto me, MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE: FOR MY
STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. Most gladly therefore will I
rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon
me.
Paul had a problem he described as ''a thorn in the flesh''. This was
an attack on Paul to either slow him down or stop him in his ministry. Paul took this to God in prayer about three times, and the
answer of the Lord to him was ''MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE" 

This, to Paul, was a word of healing. God tried to make Paul understand that
grace was the solution to Paul's weaknesses and inabilities. God's
grace gave Paul a comfortable cushions against the effects of the
thorn in the flesh. Whatever the thorn in the flesh was, it was
intended to either stop or slow Paul down and render him inactive in
the ministry. God's grace took care of this. See Gal 4:13-15

4. SUFFICIENCY OF ABILITY AND COMPETENCE OF USE
2 Corinth 3:3-6 (Let us take verses 5-6).
5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of
ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6. Who also hath made us able ministers of the new
testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter
killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

We are nothing of ourselves; what makes us sufficient is the grace
of God. The grace of God makes us sufficient to fulfill our christian
roles in the new testament. The gifts of God without grace are
insufficient. We are fully equipped by the grace of God to the level
of sufficiency. We lack no gifts and we lack no ability to manifest
our gifts.

5. GRACE IS THE MOTHER OF EXCELLENCE: FULL OF PRAISE
Psalm 45:1-2
1. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I
have made touching the King: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2. Thou art fairer than the children of men: GRACE is poured into thy
lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

Prov 31:10-31
This passage is a portion every woman ought to read always. I'ts the
story of the exploits of the virtuous woman. Grace was what
distinguished this woman from others, it was what brought her
excellent praise. Verses 29-31 says ''Many daughters have done
virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and
beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, shall be praised.
Give her of the the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise
her in the gates.'' Grace is what makes your work attract praise. The outcome of any exploit done under grace is usually uncommon.

6. GRACE SUBDUES OBSTACLES AND INCORPORATES SUCCESS
Zech 4:7
Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a
plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings
crying, GRACE, GRACE unto it.

Zerubbabel laid the foundation of the re-building of the temple of God
in Jerusalem. The temple which king Nebuchadnezzar destroyed. The
enemies constituted a formidable obstacle to it's re-building. The work was frustrated and remained at a foundation stage for about 16-17 years. Zechariah, Haggai and some of the prophets with Zerubbabel
began to prophesy to strengthen the work-force to complete the
re-building. Zechariah, by the word of the Lord gave Zerubbabel the
key: shoutings, crying, GRACE, GRACE unto the head stone which is
symbolic of Jesus. By him we receive grace to subdue obstacles.
Heb 4:16 ''Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of GRACE, that
we may obtain mercy, and find GRACE TO HELP in time of need''
This was exactly what Zechariah was prophesying to Zerubbabel. Grace
will show up in time of need when we cry to God for it. The power of
grace will subdue every obstacle on the way. After this prophesy,
Zerubbabel, Joshua the high priest, the prophets and all who were with
Zerubbabel rose up by the power of grace and completed the work in less than a year. Whatever you are trying to achieve, but seems to be difficult or obstacles are standing against, when you cry to God for
grace, you will be victorious. Grace has never failed.

7. GRACE IS THE SUPERNATURAL ENERGY THAT HELPS THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS
TO SHOW FORTH WITH OVERWHELMING EXCELLENCE, WTHOUT MUCH STRUGGLE.

8. GRACE IS THE GARMENT THAT BEFITS THE BODY TO SHOW THE BEAUTY OF IT

9. GRACE IS THE SPECIAL ADAPTATION OF THE ORGANS AND PARTS OF THE BODY
TO THE REGIONS WHERE THEY CAN FUNCTION BEST TO THE BEAUTY AND SMOOTH
RUNNING OF THE ENTIRE BODY
Every part and organs of the body have been specially adapted to the
regions and parts of the body for the smooth operation of the whole
body. When one part or organ refuse to function, it will be to the
detriment of the body. For any part or organ to switch place is
monstrous. It will not take much effort for a normal and complete man
to win in a race competition with a disabled. A complete normal man is
a picture of the GRACE of God in the making of a man.
When the body of Christ lacks the relevant parts and organs of the body [the church], it lacks grace for smoot and healthy operation.
The reason a church does not enjoy God's full grace is because some
parts and organs are not functioning. This is an unhealthy church.
See 1 Corinth 12:13-31

10. GRACE IS THE SALT IN A SOUP
Math 5:13.
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour
wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but
to be cast out, and be trodden under foot of men. 

The church is the salt of the earth; we are the grace of the earth.

TYPES OF GRACE

SAVING GRACE:
Eph 2:8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of
yourselves it is the gift of God.
Titus 2:11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared
to all men.
Titus 3:7. That being justified by his GRACE, we should be made heirs
according to the hope of eternal life. 

All the above scriptures point
to the fact that we are saved by grace and will ultimately be saved to
the end by the same. The power that sets our foundation is the same
that will build our structure. See also 1 Corinth 3:10.

SERVING OR MINISTERIAL GRACE:
1 Peter 4:10
As every man hath received the gift; even so minister the same one to
another as good stewards of the MANIFOLD GRACE OF GOD.
Romans 12:5-8
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one
of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the GRACE that is given to
us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teachet, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it
with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth
mercy, with cheerfulness.
See also Eph 4:7,16.

MEASURE OF GRACE
All believers do not operate on the same level or measure of grace.
One, because gifts differ in measure. Two, because not all know how to
increase in the measure of grace.
2 Peter 2:18 says ''But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ...''
1. GREAT GRACE - Acts 4:33.
And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of
the Lord Jesus: and GREAT GRACE was upon them all.
2. ABUNDANT GRACE - 2 Corinth 4:15. For all things are for your sakes,
that the ABUNDANT GRACE might through the thanksgiving of many redound
to the glory of God.
See also 2 Corinth 9:8 and 2 Corinth 8:1-2,7.
3. EXCEEDING OR SURPASSING GRACE - 2 Corinth 9:14.
And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the EXCEEDING
GRACE of God in you. See also 1 Tim 1:14.
This is grace Beyond measure.

HOW TO ABOUND IN GRACE
2 Peter 2:18 tells us to grow in grace.
1. REALIZE YOU ARE UNDER GRACE. Rom 6:14. Rom 5:21.
2. ACKNOWLEDGE GRACE
1 Corinth 3:10, 15:10.
3. BE STRONG IN GRACE - 2 Tim 2:1
4. DON'T FRUSTRATE THE GRACE - Gal 2:21, 2 Corinth 6:1, Rom 6:1'
To frustrate means to prevent something from doing what it should do.
To refuse to do what you ought to do daily is frustrating the GRACE.
Heb 10:29.
You can't enjoy what you frustrate.
5. HUMILITY BRINGS GRACE. - Prov 3:34, James 4:6
6. OBEDIENCE BRINGS GRACE
Every step of obedience is a step to higher degree of grace.
END.