Grow in Grace

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Grace is Power

“Grow in grace” means that just as salvation through Jesus is a supernaturally powerful event, so is our life-long relationship with Him. We cannot do anything that lasts for eternity without the power of God’s grace through Jesus!

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 NIV

Grace means God’s favor, kindness and blessing. We are tempted to view grace from an earthly, scientifically explained context. But God is Creator of the Universe and ultimate authority over all power. God is everywhere and sees everything. He is void of sin and His love has no flaws. He is more majestic and glorious than we can imagine! So, when God pours out His favor, kindness and blessing, it is not commonplace!

God’s grace is powerful, unearned, unexplainable by man and full of extravagant love. His ways are higher than ours and only understood from the context of His Word– by revelation of His Spirit. When God extended His favor, kindness and blessing through Jesus Christ, it was a pouring out of our new inheritance from the heavenly realms! (Ephesians 2:1-10)

With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:20b KJV

God wants us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Otherwise we will settle for what we can understand in the natural realm and never live from the realm of the Spirit. (Romans 8:9) Living by our own strength will cause us to become fearful & spiritually stagnant, not fulfilling His will for our lives. Our faith can grow by the power of the Spirit of grace! (Zechariah 12:10)

Grace & Knowledge

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hosea 4:6 NASB

Faith comes to us by hearing the word of God. (Romans 10:17) God’s word with the anointing of the Holy Spirit (John 6:63) is our guide (John 16:13) and our sword! (Ephesians 6:17)

The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came to give life more abundantly, (John 10:10) even as we live here on earth. Jesus said there would be trouble on earth but to not be discouraged because He has overcome the world. (John 16:33) Because we made Him Lord and Savior, He gave us His authority against the enemy because He and His word live in us (Luke 10:19).

Grow in Grace for the End Times

The Bible says that knowledge will increase in the end times. (Daniel 12:4) In this internet age knowledge is multiplying daily, so I think it is safe to say that we are living in the end times. Nobody knows exactly when the end will come except the Father. (Matthew 24:36) But the Word gives us some signs of the times.

There will be terrible times. People will be selfish, prideful, vicious, disobedient to parents, loveless, unforgiving, no self-control, immoral, loving pleasure over loving God, posing as Christians but claiming there is no power of God at work in the Gospel. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

There will be false “Messiahs” that claim to be Jesus. Wars and rumors of wars will happen. There will be famines and earthquakes in different places. But Jesus said that these troubles would only be the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 27:4-8) (“Birth pains” seems to indicate that though these things have happened throughout history something is now different. A “baby” has been forming and is now about to be born… Not immediately— but we’re in the beginning stages of the birthing process.)

Some will throw away their faith by ignoring the word of God so that they follow things taught by demons– things such as “you should not get married” and “you should not eat certain foods.” (1 Timothy 4:1-5) (This is why we must seek to understand what the Spirit is trying to tell us in God’s word.)

True Christians will be persecuted, martyred and hated by all nations because of Jesus. (Matthew 24:9) Close to the end there will be great distress all over the world. (Matthew 24:21)

There are many more prophesies about the end times. But the point I am trying to make is that we need to grow in our faith in God’s grace. We will need the power of the Holy Spirit to stay unified in love with the Body of Christ, bring in the great harvest of souls, and endure to the end. The Holy Spirit wants us to believe for the supernatural expressions of God’s grace because He wants to pour them out in the last days to accomplish His will. Many need to meet Jesus for the first time. And many who know the Gospel but have neglected their relationship with Jesus need to wake up spiritually before it’s too late.

Prepare Your Heart

Whether we will be raptured before or during the tribulation (the worst and last 7 years of time) is unclear in scripture. Our focus should not be on the terrible things that might happen but on Jesus who supplies us with the grace (power) to overcome. Many will fall away in the last days but if we believe that God is love and has empowered us to share the Gospel, we can be a part of the last outpouring of the glory of God on the earth.

Now is the time for preparation and action. Both men and women will be used mightily in these last days. He will pour out His powerful Spirit of grace upon anyone who humbly and obediently seeks His face. (Joel 2:28-32)

Grace Driven by God’s Love

No matter how much we grow in God’s power, we must also grow in God’s love because the power of grace comes from God and God is love. And no matter how much we grow in God’s love, we must also grow in the power of the Spirit, for God’s love cannot be separated from His power. God placed the Holy Spirit within His children to express the power of His love through us.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV

Here are a few examples of areas we can grow in.

Grace for Our Hearts

When we learn through God’s Word that we must love and forgive, there are no exceptions. We must fight the enemy with the Word and the power of the Spirit until every pattern of jealousy, offense (otherwise known as “hurt”), gossip, etc., is out of our hearts and minds.

Grace for the Weather

We can declare to the weather to be still in the name of Jesus. (Mark 4:35-41) Commanding the weather to bless your community and to not bring destruction is love– God’s love!

Grace for Healing

We can lay hands on the sick… (Mark 16:17-18) and we can command “little” and “big” illnesses to leave in Jesus name. God says we can ask Him for healing (John 14:12-14). Jesus shed His blood for our spirit, soul and body to be whole. (Isaiah 53:5) Every believer can take part in this grace but first we must have sincere compassion for the one that is ill– as Jesus did. (Matthew 14:14)

There is no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1-2) if someone we prayed for was not healed. But we must not give up. Don’t stop growing in this grace. It is a beautiful gift of God’s love that He wants to use mightily in the last days!

Grace for Provision

They will know we are Christians by our love. (John 13:35) (Acts 2:44-45) Our hearts can grow cold when we rely on our taxes to take care of the poor, or only automate our giving to ministries. Perhaps we should ask the Spirit occasionally if there is a person He wants us to help. However we give, it should be prompted by the Holy Spirit from a heart of genuine compassion. Those will be the believers with faith to multiply bread and fish for the masses– if the need arises. (Mark 6:34-44)

Grace for Every Situation

We often limit what God wants to do for us and through us but God’s grace is not limited. We can grow in our faith in His grace for protection, deliverance, the gifts of the Spirit and in every area of our lives.

Race With Grace

If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5 NLT

The Covid pandemic and many other disturbing events have shown us that we need to grow in the power of God’s grace. As the world grows darker we must grow brighter! There is much work for each of us to do in God’s Kingdom. We cannot do it without humbly yielding to the mighty power of the Holy Spirit and learning to follow His voice.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes… Romans 1:16a NET

God is about to pour out His Spirit in an unprecedented way. He wants to give us new wineskins (Luke 5:37-39) to carry His glory. So, grow in grace through the Word and the Spirit, and do not underestimate what God wants to do through you!