Today, we continue our series entitled “Living the Grace Life,” where we will learn to embrace and walk in God’s unmerited, unearned, and often undeserved favor throughout 2025.
As part of this series, I am teaching a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Galatians. Let’s get into it.
Key scriptures for this year:
2 Corinthians? ?9?:?8? ?TPT??
“Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything—every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do.” ?? ??
Galatians? ?5?:?4? ?TPT??
“If you want to be made right with God by fulfilling the obligations of the law, you have cut off more than your flesh—you have cut yourselves off from Christ and have fallen away from the revelation of grace!”
Romans? ?6?:?14? ?ERV??
“Sin will not be your master, because you are not under law. You now live under God’s grace.” ??
1 Corinthians? ?15?:?10? ?NIV??
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”
Scripture(s) we will study today:
Galatians 1:11-12 TPT
“For I want you to know, beloved ones, that the gospel I preach is not from any human origin. No one taught it to me, nor did I receive it from any human source. Instead, it came to me by the unveiling of Jesus Christ himself.”
Galatians 1:11-12 ERV
“Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the Good News I told you was not made by anyone on earth. I did not get this Good News from any human. No one taught it to me. I received it from Jesus Christ himself. He showed it to me.”
Galatians 1:11-12 NIV
“I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached to you is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”
Setting the Stage:
After Paul’s passionate defense of the pure gospel in verses 8-10, he now establishes the divine authority behind his message. Paul is not just defending his message—he’s defending the very source of the gospel itself. This is important because the false teachers in Galatia were likely questioning Paul’s authority, saying things like, “Who is Paul to tell us what the gospel is? He wasn’t even one of the original twelve disciples!“
What makes Paul’s gospel unique is that he received it directly from Jesus Christ himself. This wasn’t a secondhand account or an interpretation passed down through other apostles. Jesus personally revealed/unveiled the truth of grace to Paul, giving him an unshakeable confidence in the message he would preach.
Paul’s response is powerful: The gospel didn’t come from human wisdom, human tradition, or human teaching—it came directly from Jesus Christ through divine revelation. This isn’t Paul’s opinion or interpretation; it’s God’s direct communication to humanity.
Why is this so important? Because if the gospel were of human origin, it could be changed, improved upon, or updated by human wisdom. But since it comes directly from God, it is perfect, complete, and unchangeable. This settles the debate about whether we can modify the message of grace to fit our preferences or modern societal trends. The gospel is the gospel; God will not change it, so we can’t change it either.
So, what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Divine Origin Means Divine Authority: The Gospel Comes from Heaven, Not Earth.
Paul emphasizes that the gospel came from Jesus Himself, and it is divine. This means the gospel carries the full authority of God Himself. When you hear the true gospel of grace, you’re not hearing human wisdom—you’re hearing God’s final word on salvation.
How this applies to you:
— The power of the gospel comes from its source, a divine source that is not of this world. This is why an untrained believer sharing the gospel can see his/her words produce more transformation than an exceptional speaker teaching human philosophy. One is speaking the things of this world, and the other is sharing the oracles of God.
— Since the gospel comes from God, it doesn’t need human approval or validation. The world may reject the gospel, but that doesn’t diminish its power to change the fact that it is true. When it’s all said and done, every human will know that Jesus is Lord! He is Lord in heaven, on earth, and even under the earth!
— Unlike human ideas that change with new information, God’s gospel remains eternally true and reliable. This means you can have complete confidence in the gospel message. It originates from the throne of God, not the minds of men.
— Since the gospel is divine in origin, it transcends culture and time. What God revealed to Paul, a Roman Jew, about grace is just as true and powerful today as it was 2,000 years ago. And it is also just as applicable in today’s society as it was in Paul’s day.
— Human wisdom always seeks to complicate what God has made simple. The gospel’s divine simplicity—salvation by grace through faith—cuts through all human confusion and religious complexity. Religious people do a great job of complicating the simple, but don’t be confused. Jesus died for everyone, everywhere, and all those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved by grace, through faith.
— When you preach or share the gospel, you’re not sharing your opinion. You’re delivering a message that originated in the heart of God and was revealed through His Son.
— Jesus himself explained to Paul the profound truths of grace: that we are no longer under Law, but under grace; that our works cannot make us righteous, but His work has made us righteous.
— Since the gospel originated with Jesus, it should give you the confidence and boldness to stand against all opposition. Why? Because you are not defending your ideas; you’re representing heaven’s official position on salvation.
2. Direct Divine Revelation Trumps All Human Education.
Paul makes it clear that he didn’t learn the gospel from the other apostles or any human teacher. God bypassed all human intermediaries and spoke directly to Paul. This reveals something powerful about how God operates.
How this applies to you:
— God can teach you His truth directly through His Word and Spirit, regardless of your educational background. You don’t need a seminary degree to understand the gospel of grace—you just need a surrendered heart. This reminds me of how the Holy Spirit taught me when I was first Born-Again. I would spend hours (without exaggeration) each day in the Word, and the Holy Spirit gave me an education that is still producing fruit in my life all these years later. Even now, 29 years later, I still spend a few hours in the Word every morning, doing Today’s Word, and the results have produced change IN me and fruit FROM me.
— The Holy Spirit is your primary teacher when it comes to spiritual truth. While human teachers can be helpful, they cannot substitute for the Spirit’s direct revelation of God’s Word. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:12, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” The same Spirit who revealed the gospel to Paul wants to teach you directly from God’s Word. This is why you can open your Bible and receive fresh revelation that transforms your life, regardless of your formal education or training.
— When you rely on the Spirit’s teaching rather than solely on human wisdom, you gain access to the same divine source that instructed Paul. This doesn’t make you independent of the body of Christ, but it does make you dependent on the Holy Spirit as your primary instructor.
— Religious systems often want to control what you believe by making you dependent on their interpretation. But God wants you to have direct access to His truth through His Spirit. This is part of living #TheGraceLife–you have immediate access to the God who wants to teach you personally.
— You should value the Holy Spirit’s teaching through Scripture above all human opinions, including pastors, theologians, and denominational traditions. If human teaching contradicts clear Scripture, choose Scripture every time.
— The Spirit’s teaching always aligns with Scripture and never contradicts the gospel of grace. When the Holy Spirit teaches you, He will always point you back to Jesus and the finished work of the cross.
— Trust the Holy Spirit to be your teacher, but always test what you’re learning against the written Word of God. The Spirit of God will never lead you contrary to the Word of God.
— When you combine the written Word (logos) with the Spirit’s illumination (rhema), you receive the same type of direct divine instruction that equipped Paul to turn the world upside down with the gospel.
— Divine revelation creates conviction that human teaching alone cannot produce. When God reveals truth to you directly, and you know it came from God, you will have a confidence that cannot be shaken!
— When God teaches you directly, you gain an authority and confidence that no human education can provide. You speak from revelation, not just information.
3. The Unveiling of Jesus Christ: Revelation is About Person, Not Just Principles.
Paul says the gospel came through “the unveiling of Jesus Christ himself.” This wasn’t just information about Jesus—it was a personal revelation of who Jesus is and what He accomplished. The gospel is ultimately about a Person, not just principles.
How this applies to you:
— True gospel understanding comes when Jesus reveals Himself to you personally. You can know facts about Jesus, but until He unveils Himself to you, you haven’t truly encountered the gospel. You can be a Muslim without ever meeting Mohammhed, but if you are going to be a Christian, you must meet Jesus for yourself.
— The gospel is not just a message to believe—it’s a Person to receive. When Jesus reveals Himself to you, everything changes because you’re not just accepting information; you’re entering into a relationship.
— Personal revelation of Jesus creates a transformation that mere doctrine cannot achieve. When you see Jesus as He truly is (your righteousness, your peace, your victory), you are forever changed.
— The more Jesus reveals and unveils Himself to you, the more you understand grace. Grace isn’t just a doctrine; it’s the very nature of who Jesus is and how He relates to you.
— Religious education can give you knowledge ABOUT Jesus, but only divine revelation gives you knowledge OF Jesus. There’s a massive difference between the two.
— When Jesus reveals Himself to you, you stop trying to earn what He’s already given you. You realize that everything you need is found in Him, not in your performance.
— Walking with God means receiving a continual unveiling of Jesus. This is an ongoing process. Every day, Jesus can reveal more of Himself to you, changing you day by day as you are converted into the image of Jesus you come to know.
4. Authenticity Comes from Divine Source: Why Paul’s Message Had Unshakeable Power.
Because Paul received the gospel directly from Jesus, his message carried divine authenticity. He wasn’t preaching secondhand information or human philosophy—he was delivering a message straight from heaven.
How this applies to you:
— When you speak from a personal revelation of Jesus, your words carry spiritual authority. People can sense the difference between religious repetition and authentic spiritual revelation. This is why I am routinely told after I preach that I minister with a level of confidence that is unfortunately uncommon. It is because I am not preaching something I read. I am preaching what I have learned from God directly, and it is how I live.
— Authenticity attracts people while artificiality repels them. When you speak from genuine revelation rather than religious performance, people are drawn to the reality of Jesus in you.
— Your effectiveness in ministry is directly connected to the depth of your personal revelation of Jesus. The more He unveils Himself to you, the more powerfully you can unveil Him to others.
— Authenticity in ministry comes from an intimate relationship with Jesus, not from academic credentials or professional training. Knowing Scripture in your head does not mean anything. Even the devil knows Scripture.
— When you receive direct revelation from God, you become unshakeable in your convictions. Human arguments cannot dislodge what God has personally revealed to you.
I will close with this thought: The same Jesus who revealed the gospel to Paul is ready to unveil Himself to you today. That’s part of THE GRACE LIFE!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You that the gospel I believe comes directly from You, not from human wisdom.
I declare that Jesus Christ continues to unveil Himself to me through Your Word and Spirit.
I receive divine revelation over human tradition, and I choose truth over popular opinion.
I have confidence in the gospel because it originates from Your throne, not from earth.
The same Jesus who revealed Himself to Paul reveals Himself to me daily.
I will share the gospel with authority because I know its divine source and power.
My understanding of grace comes from personal revelation, not religious education.
I am living THE GRACE LIFE, and GREATER IS COMING FOR ME!
I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and prosper!
