Today we will continue our series entitled “God’s Grace & Our Faith.” We are looking at The Law given under Moses vs. the Grace provided by Jesus. Our primary scriptures are John 1:14 & 17.
(John 1:14 New International Version)
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1:17 New International Version)
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
I started this series three days ago, telling you that God already planned out your entire life. Once you are Born-Again and you start learning to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit, God begins to reveal His plans to you. These are things that were prepared FOR you but concealed FROM you until God reveals them TO you. Once this happens, you are then charged with going out to DO what God planned for you to DO. But you are not DOING to attempt to get God to move. You DO because God already DID. Your DOING is predicated upon His plans.
In one sense, it’s already done. In another sense, you have to go DO what is already done. So the life of faith is about discovering what you believe God already planned (what is already done), and then going out to DO, on the earth, in our realm (time), what is already done in God’s realm (eternity).
In yesterday’s message, I talked about the relationship between God’s sovereignty and our responsibility. We looked at Psalm 115:16, where the psalmist told us that the heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth, He has given to us. We looked at Psalm 8:3-6, where we saw how David was fascinated with God’s fascination with us. David was amazed that God placed man in charge of everything He made. And lastly, we looked at Genesis 1:26,27, where we saw that God created us in His image and after His likeness. He then gave us the power to rule, govern and dominate this planet. So while God is unquestionably God, the Bible is clear that we, as men, have a leadership role on this planet. If people are going to see God, they are going to have to see Him IN and THROUGH us. You are the only Jesus the world may ever see, and you must live like it every day. You should enter every day with a 1 John 4:17 mindset, “As Jesus is, so are we, in this world.”
This leads me to the topic of prayer. Today we will look at the role we have, through prayer, in this world.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God is committed to the system He created.
— Some people think that since God is sovereign, they don’t need to pray. They think, “God knows all things, He already made plans, and He is going to do whatever He wants to do. There is no need for me to pray.” People who think this way don’t understand the system God created. Remember, God placed man (humans) in charge of this planet. God is so committed to this system that He seeks the cooperation of humans to operate on the earth.
— Without God we cannot, but without man, God will not.
— While God is God, and He can do whatever He wants, the Bible is clear that He has chosen to operate on the earth through men.
— Since God placed humans in charge of the planet and since He is so committed to this system, God actively seeks the cooperation of humans, on the earth, in order to perform His will. When God wanted to operate freely, on the earth, without having to look for the cooperation of anyone, He came as a human Himself.
— While God was on the earth, in human form, as Jesus, He had unfettered access to a human body. Now that Jesus is gone, He is looking for that same access through you! This is why God requires us to die to self. God needs you to die to sin, self, and selfishness to flow through you freely.
— God manifests His power on the earth through humans. He does it through YOU!
2. Prayer is how we invoke God’s involvement in our situations. I have taught on this before, but here is a quick recap:
a) Prayer is agreeing with God’s plans and purposes by faith, knowing God’s plans are already complete.
b) Prayer is how the earth agrees with heaven.
c) Prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference.
d) Prayer is man exercising his legal authority on the earth to invoke heaven’s influence on the planet.
e) Prayer is what happens when the creation comes in agreement with the Creator, for the Creator’s will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
f) Prayer is what happens when a human on earth (who understands that they have legal authority over this domain) discerns God’s will and then prays back to God in heaven for those things to manifest on earth.
g) Prayer is when the earth agrees with heaven, in faith, for heaven to manifest on earth by God’s grace.
3. Prayer and works.
— Prayer is what you do when you discern God’s will, and you then basically pray back to God the prayers that He already prayed over you. How does this happen? It starts with God revealing to you what He already planned (from the foundations of the world). You must then believe it, no matter how crazy it seems. You must then set your heart in agreement with it (which is called faith). You are praying for the physical manifestation (on the earth) of the spiritual revelation you received (in your heart). So, in one sense, it’s already done. In another sense, it still needs to be done on earth.
— The “setting your heart in agreement” part and praying to God about it is the “prayer part.” But after you pray in faith, the Holy Spirit will lead you to execute actions, also in faith. This is why prayer and works (or faith and works) go together.
— After you leave your prayer closet, after having agreed with God for His will to be done, on earth, as it is in heaven, you then need to discern what comes next. This is where many believers fall short. They pray. They believe. They declare, “It’s already done!” But when it comes to doing their part in God’s provision, they sit around and wait on God to do things He is never going to do for them.
— God does not do the things He graced you to do. So, when you leave your prayer closet, you must do so with an open heart to hear what comes next. Praying is one part. In prayer, you come in agreement, in faith. But faith is also an action word. Faith will require you to go get, in the natural, what you believe God has already given in the spirit.
This is how God’s grace and our faith work together. I trust you are growing in your understanding of how to walk with God. I will continue to flow in this vein, and I pray that you continue to grow in faith and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to walk and live by faith.
As you reveal to me what You already planned to do in my life, You are revealing to me what is already done. I set my heart in agreement. I pray for Your will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven. I release my faith in prayer.
After prayer, I then release my faith in action. I live every day with an open heart. I am ready for You to lead me from the inside out. I am ready to do my part in Your provision.
I will do what You lead me to do. I will say what You tell me to say. I am led by Your Spirit daily, and I shall not be moved by what I see. Living this way, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
