This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. We are eight weeks into this mini-series and just a few weeks shy of two full years into the overall series on God’s amazing grace. Studying grace for the last two years has changed my life and ministry in more ways than I have the time to explain. Early in the series I taught you about the difference between the Old and New Covenants. The Old Covenant, rule based and focused on human effort, was never designed to make mankind right. It was simply designed to show us how wrong we are and it served its purpose. The Law of Moses condemned us and it was clear that we needed a Savior. That Savior came, His name is Jesus, and He came to save us from our sin.
For the last few days I have been thinking about the Old Covenant (which came through Moses) and the New Covenant (which came through Jesus), and how thankful I am to be under the Covenant of grace. When I woke up this morning I started thinking about salvation, and how we can only receive eternal life by God’s unearned grace. I thought about salvation over and over again, until I realized I needed to get ready to write Today’s Word. I then forced myself to shift my thinking to the current series on grace for success. As I was taking a shower I told God, “I need to stop thinking about salvation and start thinking about success, because that is what I need to teach on this morning.” I then received these words in my spirit: “The same rules apply.” I knew exactly what the Holy Spirit meant and that is what today’s message will be about. Paul said, “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace” (Romans 11:6).
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God did not expect you to earn your way to heaven based on human effort. He provided you eternal life through His Son, by His grace. In the same way, God does not expect you to earn your way to the accomplishment of His divine purpose for your life by human effort. Just like salvation came to you by God’s unearned and unmerited grace, earthly success is available to you the same way.
2. God offered you salvation by grace. Most Christians accept the fact that they could never earn their way to heaven and they accept the free gift of eternal life by God’s unearned grace. However, many of those same Christians turn around and attempt to earn success in life by human effort alone. This is not the will of God.
3. The same God who offered you grace for salvation offers you grace for success.
4. Just like God did not expect you to attain eternal life without Him and He provided you salvation by grace, God does not expect you to attain success in life without Him. God will work through you to experience success in this world by His unearned grace.
5. If it’s on the basis of grace, then it comes free and unearned. If it’s on the basis of works, then it is human effort and not grace. You have received God’s grace for salvation, now open your heart to receive God’s grace for earthly success.
6. If you are Born-Again and you are still breathing, it is because your earthly assignment is not complete. God saved you by His grace and if that is all He wanted, you would be dead and in heaven. But since you are still here, it is obvious that God wants to use you, BY THAT VERY SAME GRACE, to accomplish what He birthed you into the earth to accomplish. You accepted God’s grace for salvation, now accept God’s grace for earthly success — a success connected to your purpose (not your bank account).
7. The same rules apply. Human effort was not good enough to make it heaven and human effort will not be good enough to maximize your purpose and potential. Embrace God’s grace for success, allow Him to flow through you, and you will become the man/woman that God called, destined, designed and desires for you to be. Not because of your goodness, but only because of God’s grace.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your amazing grace. The Good News of Your grace is often so good that is sounds too good to be true. But I know it is true. You love me with an everlasting love. You sent Your Son Jesus to die for me before I did anything to earn or deserve His sacrifice. Jesus paid a debt I could never pay. You gave me eternal life completely by Your unearned and unmerited grace. I did nothing to deserve it. All You required of me was to receive it by faith. I did. I accepted Jesus as my Lord by faith and I have been Born-Again. Now that salvation has come to me by Your grace, I am learning that earthly success is also available to me by Your grace. If all You wanted me to do was make it heaven, then I would be dead. But I am still here because I am not done. You have an assignment for me and it is far greater than anything I could ever accomplish on my own. The Good News is that I don’t need to. Just like I accepted Your grace for salvation by faith, I accept Your grace for earthly success by faith. I submit and surrender to You. I embrace Your grace to accomplish Your will. I pursue earthly success by dying to self and living for You. As You live through me, You will accomplish what You birthed me to accomplish and You will be glorified through my life and living. None of me, all of You. Here I am Father, I surrender to You. You use me for Your glory, by Your grace, because of Your love. I received the grace for salvation. I now receive the grace for success. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
